Beverages

This dense, moist chocolate cake, made with dried pears, is stunning when decorated with gold leaf. Of course, you can always simply top it with chocolate curls.

This delightful custard sauce-infused with black currant tea for a unique accent-is made with milk instead of cream. Begin preparing it a day ahead.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

You can find canned litchis in the Asian section of most supermarkets.

Choucroute is traditionally cooked in champagne but if you wish to be more economical you can cook it in white wine and add a split or two of champagne at the table.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

A bar specialty at Hotel Hana-Maui, in Maui, Hawaii.

This is also very good served hot.

An inventive take on a classic.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Wild striped bass is an incredible delicacy on the order of wild king salmon. To complement its robust flavor and steak-like texture, we serve it with a beautiful and aggressive squid vinaigrette. This is not a dish for people who are on the fence about eating fish.

For best results, choose ripe yellow bananas that do not have brown speckles on their skins. This dessert is great served either slightly warm or at room temperature.

Grilled lamb (how special!) is best when marinated overnight. For a less salty flavor, use light soy sauce.

Barm brack is a dark and fruity yeast-raised cake (barm means "yeast"; brack means "speckled"). Tea brack is the much more common baking powder version.