Dairy

The hearty greens in this dish retain a bit of their pleasing crunch.

This dish was the surprise of the year. The ingredients might seem ordinary, but trust us — it's fantastic.

Amaretti cookie crumbs, sprinkled between layers of phyllo, give lots of satisfying flavor and texture this this apple-cranberry pastry.

Frittata di Ricotta The best ricotta is a farmer's jewel—thick, tangy, and, contrary to health regulations, unpasteurized. But we eat it anyway, at room temperature with a spoon, like kids skimming cream off the top of milk. Around Garfagnana, the mountain town where my mom grew up, this frittata is a staple, but is never served as an individual dish; the frittatas they made were huge and were sliced into single servings. You can't beat it for a buffet. It's also great with tomato sauce on top. Make sure to use the highest quality ricotta you can find.

What to drink: Try these with a lightly chilled Oregon Pinot Gris.

Farro is often said to be the Italian word for "spelt," but it is actually a different strain of wheat.

The syrup is also used to coat the apple wedges and grapes that garnish each plate.

Every visitor to Paumanok Vineyards enjoys a warm welcome from owners Ursula and Charles Massoud. She learned viticulture in her parents' vineyards in Germany; he taught himself to make wine when his job with IBM took the family to the Middle East. Ursula, who is known for her outstanding comfort food, pairs Paumanok's semi-dry Riesling with an onion tart she makes at harvest time. "It's traditional in my hometown to serve it when the Riesling juice is still fermenting. The sweetness of the onions matches the sweetness of the new wine."

This recipe isn't easy, but if you're looking for the wow factor, here it is. Coming at the end of the meal, the dish reprises the flavor of the stuffed dates because each bite packs enormous punch as the sweet, savory, and acidic flavors come rushing forward.

Verjus is a tart grape juice made from unripe wine grapes. Milder than vinegar, it can be used in salad dressings without competing with an accompanying wine the way vinegar does. Look for it at specialty foods stores or online at chefshop.com and terrasonoma.com. What to drink: Pour an Oregon Pinot Noir with the salad and the Herbed Lamb Chops with Pinot Noir Sauce.

Use the season's first wild mushrooms in this satisfying vegetarian pasta.

Produced in the region of La Mancha, Queso Manchego is among Spain's most noteworthy cheeses. It is often served with quince paste (membrillo) — an inspired union of flavors. Spanish Manchego can now be found in many supermarkets. Quince paste is available at some supermarkets and specialty foods stores and online from thespanishtable.com.

Made with crisp radishes, salty olives, and feta, and dressed with minted olive oil and lemon, this salad really sings. Not technically a grain, but rather the seed of an herb, quinoa hails from South America. (It is often called a "supergrain" because it contains more protein than any grain.) Bulgur comes from the hulled, cracked berries of whole wheat, and has a nutty flavor.

The grits mixture will almost fill the entire baking dish and will puff up when baking, but don't worry — it won't overflow. Also, switching sides, these grits can take the place of mashed potatoes anytime.

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