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With just the right balance of sweetness from the pomegranate juice and sour notes from the sumac, this layering of flavors accomplishes the enviable task of enhancing the flavor of the steak without overpowering it.

The richness of pork is lightened with tangy cabbage for a hearty German-style meal that seems made for autumn.

Boeuf Vigneronne The definition of rustic, this seductive dish of tender meat, sweet onions, and reduced wine was made for the vintners of Burgundy. Red wine adds a dark, lusty color to draw you into the meaty flavor, which, like a good bottle of wine, only gets better as it ages.

Vongole in brodetto Chef Michael Schlow of Boston's Via Matta created this dish for Epicurious's Wine.Dine.Donate program.

Ask the butcher to butterfly the lamb.

Said to be created for Ernest Hemingway by Constantino Ribalaigua Vert at El Floridita in Havana. Editor's note: This drink comes from And a Bottle of Rum: A History of the World in Ten Cocktails by Wayne Curtis (Crown Publishers) and was featured as a Cocktail of the Month.

This delicious tweak on a classic is from Hip Sips by Lucy Brennan (Chronicle Books, Spring 2007) and was featured as a Cocktail of the Month.

Cloves, ginger, and turbinado sugar make this a cake you'll adore. Plus, try the frosting on a variety of baked goods for a taste of the tropics all year.

Rich, creamy, suave flavor is the hallmark of this terrine. The shallots create their own sauce, so this is best served on a plate rather than on a slice of bread.

To begin, a little taste of the sea, easily prepared ahead of time. Beautiful, sophisticated, and delicious, mussels are perfect party appetizers. Each bite offers a complex layering of flavors, and the shells make lovely natural dishes.

Nothing is more majestic than this regal cut of meat — and nothing makes your house smell better while it roasts. Here, pork's natural sweetness is coaxed forward by the herbs and onions in the stuffing. And the crispy, savory bones are a delightful bonus. You will have to special-order this cut of meat (the rib portions of the loins are joined to form a circle) from your butcher.

Terrine de Campagne The straightforward character of this terrine reminds us of the words of Richard Olney, an influential American cookbook writer and editor who rusticated in the French countryside for almost 50 years. "A simple terrine," he wrote in his Simple French Food, "is never so good as when prepared in the easiest possible way, all of the ingredients of the composition mixed, pell-mell but intimately, together."

Skirt steak is an incredibly flavorful cut of meat that cooks in minutes. And since this recipe calls for just 3/4 cup wine, you'll have plenty left over to serve with dinner.

Chef-owner Michael Mina of Michael Mina restaurant in San Francisco created this recipe for Epicurious's Wine.Dine.Donate program. He recommends using local strawberries whenever possible.