Bread

Healthy bonus: Manganese from fruit; antioxidants and fiber from berries; selenium from egg

You'll need an instant-read thermometer and a heavy-duty stand mixer with paddle attachment to make this brioche-like sweet bread.

Candied orange peel is usually sold in the supermarket's produce section. It is also available from bakerscatalogue.com (labeled "Candied Fruit"); 800-827-6836.

An interesting mix of brown sugar, pecans, and sea salt fills this woven lattice-top bread. You'll need a heavy-duty stand mixer with paddle attachment.

The buttermilk in our recipe makes these airy rolls especially tender.

Corn bread sweetened with sugar must be a Yankee invention, because corn bread in the South is always a savory staple. We like to keep it simple, but don't stint on the fat, whether butter or bacon fat (or oil, if you must). Corn bread, corn muffins, and corn sticks should all be cooked to a dark shade of golden brown and turned out while hot, the steam rising fragrant with the aromas of corn and bacon, as you break into them.

This delicious bread, which has been part of Egyptian cuisine since the time of the Pharaohs, gets beautiful color and vibrant flavor from dukka, a blend of spices and nuts widely used in the Middle East.

The longer you wait to use the proto-dough, the tangier the bread will be.

Inspired by Monsoon Wedding Monsoon Wedding is an intensely colorful chronicle of a wealthy northern Indian family's preparations for their daughter's marriage. During the run-up to the event, the bumbling wedding planner falls in love with the family's maid. Food plays a central role in the nuptial festivities.

The big bowl and tireless motor of a standing mixer take the heavy work out of preparing these tender brioche loaves.

Make the potato sourdough starter for this tender, crusty bread one day ahead.