Snack

Sweet potato purée and banana bind the ingredients together (so you can skip the eggs), while adding a light, natural sweetness to the batter.

Mince pies, basically rich tarts filled with dried fruits and spices soaked in alcohol, were once a status symbol because only the rich could afford these delicacies. The combination of fruits and spices is often diverse, but raisins, currants, and candied lemon, citron, and/or orange peel are standard. Some old recipes also contain prunes, dates, figs, or candied ginger. Spices are usually cinnamon, cloves, mace, and nutmeg. There is always grated apple or pear and sometimes also lemon or orang.…

These spiced nuts are tangy, spicy, and the perfect thing to nibble on during the holidays. With extra crunch from cornflakes and a determined kick from cayenne, these will keep you coming back for more.

Crisp up salami slices in a skillet, mix with store-bought potato chips, drizzle everything with spiced honey butter, and build a tower as high as you can go.

Though perilla look like large mint leaves, they are tender and mild, with notes of sesame. I love using them for salads and in this focaccia.

This take on a very popular Thai bar snack—freshly fried cashews tossed with salt, chiles, scallions, and fragrant lime zest—is simple but so good with an ice-cold beer.

Onions are the star of the show: sweet and lightly scented, in pride of place on a layer of light, puffy pastry and delicious crumbled blue cheese.