Gourmet

Schat begins by making a biga — a rather stiff dough that ferments in the refrigerator overnight. He incorporates a portion of the biga into another, wetter dough made the next day. The biga adds a deeper flavor and extra strength to the final dough. Schat, like all professional bakers, measures his ingredients by weight, which is far more precise than volume.

Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 10 hr (includes soaking raisins)

Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 2 hr

Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 5 hr

Glazed turnips make a nice side dish for roasted meats or poultry. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 35 min

Watch everyone’s eyes open wide when you serve this big four-layer cake.

Chimichurri is a thick herb sauce that in Argentina is typically served with steak.

In her cookbook Fiesta!, Anya von Bremzen included a recipe by the Jackson Heights (Queens, New York) "arepa lady," known simply as Piedad. Though arepas are a common South American breakfast item (as well as a lunch and dinner starch), what makes hers so special is the luxurious inclusion of butter in the dough and the use of milk instead of water. We've adapted the recipe slightly.

Active time: 5 min Start to finish: 10 minutes

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 45 min

With boiled potatoes and grilled vegetables, you have an easy dinner. Lemon sole or red snapper could be substituted for grouper. The sauce—our take on a Spanish classic—can also be used as a dip for vegetables or to spread on grilled bread.

A sweet snack, full of chewy dried cherries and apricots, to nibble or wrap as a gift.

Roasted fries complete this quick take on fish and chips.

"I got the inspiration for this recipe from a dish we made in a cooking class I took recently," says Tracy McGillis of San Francisco, California. "I added a few twists and came up with my own tasty version."