Port

"My husband and I discovered a restaurant called Abbie Lane when we were on vacation in Newport, Vermont," writes Beth D. Fisher of Middleton, Wisconsin. "He ordered the special—a duck breast with cherry sauce—and really enjoyed it. I would love to make this dish for him at home."

From the Williamsburg Inn's Regency Room.

You get a quick sauce when you let compound butter melt on a hot steak.

Watch how to prepare and carve your bird with our streaming video demonstration.

Chef Kenny, of the Crookedwood House, in Mullingar, Ireland, prepares this entrée in the winter with fresh cranberries. We call for canned cranberry sauce, which is available year-round. The chef likes sautéed currants as a garnish, and braised cabbage and baked potatoes as side dishes.

Miss Toklas frightens her readers when she says this dish takes four days to prepare. Actually, the labor involved is insignificant.

A hearty combination of textures and flavors.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

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 fruity, not-too-sweet barbecue sauce is terrific on any type of grilled poultry, pork, or even salmon. For convenience, it can be made one day ahead.

The following recipe calls for semiboneless quail. This means that the rib cage and backbone have been removed, but the wings and legs are left intact.

The hens should marinate at least 12 hours, so begin preparing a day before serving.

A delicious entrée from L'Apogée.

Begin preparing the turkey a day ahead, as it needs to soak overnight in brine, which makes the roasted bird exceptionally juicy. Watch how to prepare and carve your bird with our streaming video demonstration.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

At Mirabelle, chef Reuge serves the paillards, in this case thin slices of strip steak, on a bed of red cabbage braised in red wine and garnishes the dish with fresh herbs.

"I spent a weekend in North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains," writes Elizabeth Haworth of Columbia, South Carolina. "The Riverwood restaurant in Blowing Rock was a real treat—I especially enjoyed their fig and Stilton salad with Port dressing. Would the chef share the recipe for this unusual salad?" The sweet-tart dressing paired with creamy Stilton cheese strikes a great balance in this winter salad.