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Que delicioso! A Spanish makeover for this simple pudding creates an elegant dessert for any fiesta.

Four fresh fruits bring a sunny taste of the tropics to your table. If you want to make this a virgin drink, simply omit the rum and add an extra cup of tangerine juice.

This meltingly tender jelly is to that stuff in the can what a fine Barolo is to supermarket cooking wine.

The bright, tender fruit of Fuyu persimmons mellows the intensity of cranberries while lending this sauce a beautiful jewel-like hue. Using Fuyus, which can be eaten hard or soft, removes the guesswork of finding ripe fruit.

This vegetarian gravy is layered with bold flavors — from the onions to the roasted mushrooms and barley — each of which makes a real statement. Even our carnivorous food editors agree it's one of the best gravies they've ever tasted.

Moules à la Marinière This preparation has a few variations: with or without white wine; with or without lemon; and with a different liaison. Only the shallot, a characteristic element of the "marinière," always remains. Of the different recipes for the marinière, we give the simplest, which is also the best. In this, the sauce is bound with bread crumbs. If you prefer a liaison with beurre manié, you should replace the bread crumbs with 10 grams of flour (1/3 ounce) worked with 20 grams (2/3 ounce, 1 heaping tablespoon) of butter.

Most chestnut soups are fairly substantial. We've made our version lighter and brothier to serve as a first course for a big meal. Chopped chestnuts mixed with tangy croutons add texture and extra layers of complexity.

Judi Kerr of Mendham, New Jersey, writes: "I'm a professional chocolate taster. I know it sounds like a dream job, but I get so much chocolate at work that I tend to avoid sweets when I'm at home. At the end of most days, I actually look forward to cooking dinner and making something hearty, like my chicken and white bean chili. On the occasions when my husband and I entertain, I often go back to my southern roots and make my grandmother's spirited pecan pie. The filling for this pie contains no corn syrup, which gives it a rich, dense texture.

Fresh muscats are somewhat difficult to find, but they're worth seeking out for their musky flavor. what to drink: A smooth white. Try: La Crema 2003 Chardonnay, Russian River Valley ($24). The chicken paillards would also be wonderful paired with Robert Sinskey Vineyards 2004 Los Carneros Pinot Blanc, Napa ($18).

If you can't get Nantucket bay scallops, you can use other bay scallops or sea scallops (cut lengthwise into thirds).

The Lenz Winery, one of the oldest on Long Island, has had the same winemaker, Eric Fry, since 1989. Fry's mantra is "Ripe fruit!" — and hows in the Lenz Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine has an amazing concentration of flavors, an intense raspberry and black-cherry nose, and smooth tannins that provide a long finish. In short, it's a perfect partner for Fry's deeply flavored venison stew. In this satisfying harvest dish, venison is browned, then oven-braised in wine. Fry puts any leftovers on a roll for lunch.

Bedell Cellars, along with nearby Corey Creek Vineyards, is owned by New Line Cinema CEO Michael Lynne, who has spared no expense in fine-tuning — not to mention set designing: Art from his private collection, including works by Cindy Sherman, Sam Taylor-Wood, Uta Barth, and Sarah Morris, decorates the tasting room. Bedell has been known since 1988 for producing the best Merlot on Long Island: Less California and more Bordeaux in style (softer tannins, nuanced fruit), the Merlot is a delicious match with duck.

This recipe was inspired by a dish that Italian chef Alessandro Giuntoli made when he was at Osteria del Circo, in New York City.

Torta del Casar is a unique Spanish sheep's-milk cheese from the region of Extremadura. It has a soft, creamy texture similar to Brie or Camembert, either of which can be substituted. Here the cheese is drizzled with a syrup made from Pedro Ximénez — the sweetest of Sherries. If unavailable, a good-quality Spanish cream Sherry can be used instead.