Nut

Chestnuts are a big industry in the Languedoc; the region provides most of the French supply of the chestnut confection marrons glacés.

This recipe brought to you by Bertolli.

A scoop of ice cream, a spoonful of whipped cream, or a dollop of crème fraîche would be great with this.

Basil Tsiokos of Newburgh, New York, writes: "My best friend and I recently spent a week at Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain, a spa resort near Scottsdale, Arizona. Our goal was major exercise and minor calories, but on the last night we splurged at Elements with the richest dessert we could find — slices of chocolate-glazed frozen peanut butter mousse." Don't use natural-style peanut butter for this recipe; do start making it the day before serving.

Chef Sal Passalacqua of Dimaio Cucina in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, writes: "My father's family is from Sicily and I spent my teenage years there, so that's where a lot of my culinary influences come from. At first glance, Sicilian cooking seems very simple, but that simplicity depends on using the freshest ingredients and often the combination of sweet and tart flavors. The anchovy pasta is a perfect example." This dish is a variation on the traditional Sicilian pasta made with sardines. Anchovies have replaced the sardines, but the flavors are still very authentic.

The pears give this pretty pizza fresh flavor and texture.

These rich cookies, a little like freestanding brownies, are the creation of Chris Gargone, the talented pastry chef of Remi, one of New York's most popular Italian restaurants. Before you start, a word of caution: chews are addictive.

Lapsang souchong tea imparts a subtle smokiness to these nuts; though you may not detect it immediately, the smoky flavor will set in as you eat more.

Xinxim de Galinha We debated whether to simmer or boil the coconut milk for this dish, fearing flavor loss or curdling. We ended up adding it at room temperature, with great results.

This soup looks thick but doesn't taste at all heavy. In fact, it has an almost billowy texture, but with enough substance to still be satisfying. The addition of just a small amount of toasted almonds adds some crunch to the equation.

Spear fruit with skewers and dip it into the butterscotch, then dip into the nuts and crème fraîche.

If you buy fresh game hens, ask the butcher to cut them in half for you. To halve frozen thawed game hens, first cut out the back bones using poultry shears, then cut hens in half.

One of Cat Cora's signature dishes is a watermelon, feta, and mint salad (a nod to her Greek heritage). Here, she gives the recipe an Italian accent.

Doris Jacobson of Anaheim, California, writes: "I host many family gatherings, and I always get requests for my lemon bars and my caponata appetizer. They're easy to make and perfect for picnics at the beach or an evening at the Hollywood Bowl. Plus, both recipes can be made ahead. Fresh basil brightens up this traditional eggplant spread. Serve it on baguette slices or crackers.

These icebox cookies are perfect for a party because the dough can be made ahead and chilled or frozen until you are ready to slice and bake.

This dip is our version of a Catalan sauce that has many variations and tastes great with almost any type of grilled meat or fish. It's worth the extra trouble to use hazelnuts (which need peeling), as well as almonds. Even though 2 tablespoons of hazelnuts seems a small amount, they round out the flavor of the sauce.