Bon Appétit

Start preparing this at least a day ahead.

Deriving its name from the Latin word "focus", meaning "hearth," focaccia evolved from the unleavened hearth cake eaten during the Middle Ages. It was made by patting the dough into a flat round and cooking it directly on a hot stone or under a mound of hot ashes. While it has become something of an Italian national dish, this popular bread's true home is the area around Genoa. It seems as if every seaside resort on the Italian Riviera has its own special focaccia. Whether soft or crisp, thick or thin, the dough is typically flavored with local herbs and olive oil.

Every village on Sardinia makes its own special breads, and its rumored that there are five hundred different kinds on the island. This particular one comes from the area around Cagliari and was originally a holiday bread. It is now available every day. Formed into semicircles and called cocoeddi, it is made from a simple starter named biga, which gives the bread its special aroma, flavor and texture by producing a second fermentation. The starter can be kept in the refrigerator up to five days or can be frozen; before being used, it should be brought to room temperature, which takes about three hours.

The cookie-like dough is great for the novice pie maker, as any imperfections can easily be patched. Be sure to use ripe, juicy pears. Offer this with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

The crisp Rosemary Toasts taste great dunked into this flavorful soup. To serve on the side, toss arugula with sliced red onions and basalmic vinaigrette, then top the salad with shavings of Parmesan cheese. For dessert, keep it simple with ripe pears and amaretti (almond cookies).

This rich and creamy fudge is a snap to prepare. For a special gift, associate food editor (and resident chocolate expert) Sarah Tenaglia sets the fudge in gold foil cups and packs them in white boxes tied up with French silk ribbon.

At the Princeville Hotel on the Hawaiian Island of Kauai, a mixture of dried and fresh fruits is used to fill the pork. Begin preparing this dish one day before serving.

Using a low-fat cheese such as feta makes for a rich but lean topping. The newer feta cheeses with sun-dried tomatoes and basil are especially good.

Begin with melon slices and prosciutto; alongside the soup, serve baguette slices with a garlic and herb cheese spread, then offer macaroons and apricots afterward.

The upside-down cake—so popular in the fifties and sixties—has been making a come-back lately. This version has a banana, walnut and maple topping, and tender cake.