Gourmet

Brushed with sweet orange syrup, filled with almond cream, and covered with toasted almonds, even the most run-of-the-mill store-bought croissants are transformed into something heavenly.

These delicate, crisp capers make a flavorful garnish. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

A food editor savored this breakfast dish in a small bistro as her first meal in Paris and has never forgotten it. We've made it easy to re-create at home. It makes a hearty breakfast, brunch, or supper dish. Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 45 min

Pack this dip next to an ice pack to keep it cold on your way to the picnic.

Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 25 min

Making your own ketchup may seem a bit over-the-top, but we promise it's worth it. It's easy to do, and homemade is so much more delicious than supermarket varieties, which are loaded with corn syrup.

This meal is reminiscent of one we enjoyed at the Lemon Grass Restaurant in New Orleans. Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 40 min

Another name for this kind of creamy caramel fudge is penuche ("puh-noo-chee"), derived from panocha, a Mexican raw sugar. We think the texture of this one is most unusual: the combination of confectioners' sugar and brown sugar results in a particularly smooth, lush, velvety quality. We adapted a recipe from Pinkie's Bakery, in Souris, Prince Edward Island; the writer Marialisa Calta brought it back from a trip to the Canadian Maritimes.

This tangy relish also goes well with chicken or pork.

Adapted from Emerson & Green