Simmer

This classic Roman soup appears on many menus in the city, but we were disappointed with the versions we were served. Our recipe is more of a crowd pleaser. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

Toss salad with the Sunshine Vinaigrette just before serving, so that the greens won't discolor.

Buttermilk and lemon juice add some tang; carrots and celery add crunch.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 40 min

This recipe makes more honeydew ice than you'll need for the soup, but it's also terrific spooned into our plum limeade. And this dish, like the limeade, is one that you'll want to serve right away so that the soup won't begin to darken.

This sherbet in waffle cups is the creation of Jorge Rocha Carmona and his wife, Claudia Mendez, owners of Rome Pasteler‭a, Billy Cross's favorite pastry shop in Oaxaca.

A natural with pork, the compote is also a sweet topping for ice cream.

To bring out the best in this dish, buy or order the finest cheeses from a cheese shop or Italian deli: fresh ricotta, mild imported provolone, and Parmigiano-Reggiano.

This delicious custard sauce, which accompanies the Rote Grütze, also goes well with summer fruit tarts.

This simple seasonal soup depends on a single farm-fresh ingredient: corn. Its essence is captured in this purist's purée.

This elegant first course is ideal for entertaining, because everything can be prepared a day ahead (just chop up all the toppings and refrigerate them until ready to use).

"I used to go to central New Jersey frequently on business and always made time to stop at Eccoqui, an Italian restaurant in Bernardsville," writes Bobbi Reed of Denver, Colorado. "Since I no longer travel to that area, I miss the restaurant — and especially the pappardelle con salsiccia." Try any of your favorite pasta shapes with this sauce. Pappardelle or mafaldine — broad, flat noodles with rippled edges — work particularly well.

"When my ancestors left Spain and settled on the Greek island of Rhodes five hundred years ago," writes Rebecca Levy of Los Angeles, California, "they brought with them their Sephardic culture. Likewise, when I fled Greece during World War II and eventually relocated to Los Angeles, I brought with me the traditions of my home. Many of my recipes are centuries old, and since each one is connected to a story, I always try to tell a little anecdote about the food so that the history will not be lost." Serve the stew over rice to soak up the juices.