Winter

Coffee Semifreddo "Drowned" in Coffee We have served this dessert at Pó for six years and it is consistently my favorite—a kind of adult milkshake. Be careful to use decaf for the bathing liquid, or your guests may be up yakking all night.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Rum and spices-classic Caribbean ingredients-also happen to be the classic ingredients in the traditional English steamed pudding. This lovely version of the Christmas dessert is from the Grand View Beach Hotel, Villa Point, St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Begin preparing it at least one day before serving.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This recipe is an accompaniment for Buttermilk Ice Cream with Spiced Fruit Compote .

The French often serve flavored wine as an aperitif. This one has a base of red wine infused with orange, lemon, vanilla and cloves; it is later mixed with raspberry brandy and sugar. The drink is best at cool room temperature, accompanied by nibbles such as olives, almonds and crudités. It also makes an excellent Christmas present—just double or triple the recipe, and pour the drink into pretty bottles. Be sure to begin the "winemaking" process at least three weeks before you plan to have the wine or give it as a gift.

Terrific when served with vanilla or coffee ice cream, and a very appealing breakfast or snack cake on its own.

In this version of the classic holiday dessert, a croissant bread pudding is steamed in the oven instead of on the stove top. Ignite the finished product in front of the guests for maximum effect.

Lane Crowther, a contributing editor at Bon Appétit, says, "Every year, I try to get my tradition-bound family to eat something new at Thanksgiving. This year, I'm hoping everyone will accept this dish in place of yams with marshmallows. It will take a lot of convincing, but I think they'll be pleasantly surprised. The orange juice gives the acorn squash a nice sweetness. Besides, Asian ingredients have become such an important part of American cooking lately that I thought it would be nice to fuse Pacific Rim flavors with a classic of the American table in autumn."

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.