Winter

Fresh blackberries are plentiful in July and August, but since we must use frozen in the winter, be sure they're individually quick-frozen (available in plastic bags in the supermarket). Don't use berries packed in syrup.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 3 1/2 hr

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Mulled wine is also known as vin chaud and glühwein. In the past, the drink was usually served in a pewter mug and often heated with a red-hot poker.

This can be made with maple, lemon or rum extract instead of almond. It's great on any cookie that calls for a piped icing. This recipe originally accompanied Christmas Tree Shortbread .

To make this borscht into a full meal, serve the butter-braised oysters as a starter, or vice versa.

A wonderful cookie to bake with kids. Have them cut out their own snowflake stencils, then let the powdered sugar fly. Lace doilies also work well as stencils.

David Barber, chef at Three Square Grill in Portland, Oregon, writes: "Even though I cook for a living, I still enjoy having friends over for dinner. My wife, Barbara, and I actually have the worst kitchen in the world. But that doesn't matter when you have what I consider the basics, like a good sharp chef's knife and a stand mixer. And because Barbara is a gardener, we've learned how to make impressive meals using fewer, but fresher, ingredients."

These replace the more familiar Hanukkah latkes that are prepared with grated raw potatoes. The croquettes are made with bolbess, the Jewish mashed potato stuffing for goose. But like latkes, they are fried in oil to symbolize the miracle of the oil that is the basis for Hanukkah. In the second century b.c., a one-day supply of oil burned for eight days and nights after followers of Judah Maccabee captured the Holy Temple of Jerusalem from their Syrian oppressors. Fried foods are served at Hanukkah in commemoration.

The generous amount of cinnamon in this recipe makes for especially flavorful cookies.

(Braised Chicken with Vinegar and Tarragon)

(Apple Walnut Cake) This cake's unusual name was taken from the relative who originally passed down the recipe.

This dish known, as pastitsatha, is one that evolved from Corfu to stretch scant supplies of meat. Consisting of chicken, turkey, beef or veal braised in tomato sauce fragrant with spices, it is served over thick tubular pasta from Corfu called "perciatellli" (if you can't find it, use spaghetti). Kefalotyri is a nutty tasting hard cheese similar to Parmesan. It is available at Greek markets.

Be sure to start the brisket at least a day before you plan on serving it - although it can be made up to three days ahead.

Here's an updated version of the ice cream pie — a dessert popular in America for years. It has a parfait filling instead of ice cream and is assembled in a springform pan. The familiar cookie crust and fudgy topping are still part of the recipe, but the dessert is now sophisticated enough for company.