Hazelnut

Alice Medrich, founder of the Berkeley chocolate shop Cocolat, started the craze for these intense little nuggets.

Waffles put on their black-tie best in a treat that is both elegant and homey.

My mom worked full-time as a physical therapist, yet prepared dinner each night for our family of five. By necessity, she was the queen of the shortcut. Mom served these quick and simple hazelnut cookies when we had company. The dough freezes well, so the recipe can easily be doubled to keep on hand for entertaining. Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 2 hr (includes chilling)

For a savory and simple dinner, serve this trout with some roasted potatoes and a green salad tossed with pears and crumbled blue cheese.

The following pesto — created for Sherried Parsnip Soup with Hazelnut Pesto — would be great on pasta (use about 3/4 cup for 1 pound pasta, thinning the pesto with some of the pasta cooking water), grilled fish and meats, or vegetables. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Hazelnut liqueur adds zip to the sauce in this easy dessert.

Lemon marmalade provides the instant filling for these buttery treats.

For another food editor 'tis the season to make shortbread. She adapted the following recipe from Richard Sax's Cookie Lover's Cookie Book. These cookies are out of this world.

This decadent dessert is even better made a day ahead, so the flavors can mellow overnight in the refrigerator.