Simmer

Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr While you could make one without the other, Blue Ginger's shrimp toasts go so well with this flavorful soup that the two recipes function as a pair. We think of the combination as an Asian twist on soup and a sandwich.

Apples bring a mild sweetness to this rich soup, which can be made a day ahead.

Fried sage leaves make a crispy garnish. Try them also crumbled on mashed potatoes and sautéed vegetables.

Making your own ketchup may seem a bit over-the-top, but we promise it's worth it. It's easy to do, and homemade is so much more delicious than supermarket varieties, which are loaded with corn syrup.

This hearty soup makes delicious use of the flavorful 1/4-inch-thick rinds that remain after wedges of Parmesan have been grated away; they infuse the soup with a nice salty bite as it simmers.

Another name for this kind of creamy caramel fudge is penuche ("puh-noo-chee"), derived from panocha, a Mexican raw sugar. We think the texture of this one is most unusual: the combination of confectioners' sugar and brown sugar results in a particularly smooth, lush, velvety quality. We adapted a recipe from Pinkie's Bakery, in Souris, Prince Edward Island; the writer Marialisa Calta brought it back from a trip to the Canadian Maritimes.

"Last night I ate at Sia's in Duluth, Georgia," writes Debra Mager of Norcross, Georgia. "The first thing I did this morning was sit down to write this request for their recipe for yellow tomato soup with chipotle chilies and bacon. It was terrific—the yellow tomatoes made such a nice change."

Wilt the vegetables over low heat, stirring often so they do not burn.

Try a glass of Rioja and some crusty bread with this lovely autumn dish.

"On a trip to the Northwest, I enjoyed dinner at Yarrow Bay Grill in Kirkland, Washington," writes Sue Eltringham of Prescott, Arizona. "I'm a big fan of mussels and was especially fond of their version, with coconut-curry sauce. I'd like to have the recipe so that I can enjoy it again before my next visit." Rich coconut flavor and just the right amount of heat make this starter special. A trip to an Asian market will likely yield most of the ingredients you need.

This sophisticated main-course pasta goes wonderfully with garlic bread, Italian-style mixed greens drizzled with vinaigrette, and raspberry gelato with Italian macaroons.

Serve this intensely flavored curry — made with Thai red curry paste and coconut milk from the supermarket's Asian foods section — over steamed jasmine rice. A side salad of bean sprouts drizzled with Asian salad dressing would be a cooling accompaniment; follow it with mango slices.

This recipe is an accompaniment for Moroccan Lamb Kebabs.

Frijoles Meneados Frijoles meneados are an ideal addition to any meal featuring tacos, and they are especially good alongside a grilled steak. In Mexico's frontier region, flour tortillas would be used to scoop up the last remaining bean on the plate.