Grape

Our food editors loved shavings of Stilton cheese on these tarts. We understand that nobody has much room for dessert after a big meal, much less one with cheese, but these tarts are actually quite light and refreshing: The Stilton lends depth and provides a savory counterpoint to the sweet grapes and crust.

This classically simple milliard is similar to a clafouti - both desserts are a cross between a cake and a custard and are about as thick as a thin cake layer.

Salsicce con l'Uva While this dish makes for excellent dinner fare, I personally prefer it served on a crusty roll for lunch along with a glass of Chianti Colli Aretini.... If you don't have good crusty bread on hand, make a few mashed potatoes while these sausages are roasting in the oven.

An added pleasure of this salad lunch is that you can mix your own. Take a large tray and line it with grape leaves or large flat leaves of leaf lettuce. In the center place a shallow dish piled high with heart leaves of lettuce, watercress and spikes of French endive. Around this dish, on the grape leaves, arrange fruits according to your liking, such as:

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Kir royale, the French aperitif of Champagne with a splash of cassis, becomes a sophisticated sorbet or granita. If you have them, Champagne coupes or martini glasses make elegant servers.

A refreshing dessert on its own or spooned over vanilla ice cream. This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Sweetened mascarpone cheese is a rich counterpoint to the refreshing grapes.

This bread uses a yeast starter that needs to be made at least one day ahead.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Packaged Near East tabbouleh mix, available at most supermarkets, is a good source of bulgur, but we don't use the accompanying seasoning pouch.

(GATEAU DE BEAUMES-DE-VENISE AUX RAISINS) Named after a town in the Vaucluse and the sweet, fortified wine produced there.

Schiacciata means "flattened down," and in Tuscany the term generally refers to flatbread—what everyone else in Italy calls focaccia. During the wine-grape harvest, Tuscans make a not-too-sweet dessert or snack of bread dough and grapes, said to be of Etruscan origin. Realistically, at this time of year in the United States it will be hard to find a grape flavorful enough for this recipe. If you can't find great grapes, save this recipe for next autumn, when Concord grapes are in season, and substitute the almond cookie recipe.

The lavish efforts involved — the vegetables are braised, then marinated, and finally sautéed — result in a succulent savory casserole that's spicy with pepper and juniper berries and sweet and sour with cherry nectar and vinegar; each vegetable gives the sweet and sour a slightly different twist. The chestnuts, cooked with salt pork, are particularly wonderful, salty and satisfying. Begin preparations at least 7 hours ahead of serving, since the vegetables must marinate for 6 hours.

Here's a colorful and delicious addition to a brunch menu. It also makes a lovely light dessert on its own.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

To get the look we wanted for this tart, we used grapes in assorted colors and shapes and halved the larger ones. Taste grapes before making the pastry cream. Their flavor will determine how much sugar you use— if the grapes are tart, use 1/3 cup sugar; if sweet, use 1/4 cup.