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The sweetness and creaminess of this cheese celebrate the breaking of the traditional Russian dairy-free fast that precedes Easter and provide a nice contrast to the salty meats and bold flavors of the rest of the holiday menu.

In manor-house cooking, meat, poultry, and fish were preserved by being "potted" — minced and combined with seasonings, then packed in a container and covered with a layer of fat or butter. The fat was removed before serving, and the contents of the container spread on toasts or crackers.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 45 min

This cinnamon-and coriander-spiced chutney combines wine, raisins and citrus. Serve with the Barbecue Turkey with Maple-Mustard Glaze, or as an appetizer with goat cheese and crusty bread.

A brandied custard filling makes a wonderful backdrop for ripe apricots.

The bisque is very rich, so a small serving (about two-thirds cup per person) is plenty. At the restaurant, this is baked in individual crocks, with puff pastry on top.

The Scandinavian liquor aquavit adds unique flavor to this appetizer. Pour Champagne and chilled Alsace Riesling with the meal; offer lemonade with a touch of grenadine, too.

A conserve usually consists of a mixture of fresh fruits, often with raisins, currants or nuts added. New England seafarers prized citrus fruits, which are perfect with native cranberries.

Texans like their barbecue spicy, in the tradition of the Southwest, which is chili pepper country. For this recipe, you'll need to order a U.S.D.A. "choice" grade, packer-trimmed brisket: That's a brisket with none of the fat cut off. Before being cooked, the meat is seasoned with a dry rub; during cooking, it is brushed regularly with a beer-based mop. You'll need to use a smoker for the brisket (a converted barbecue won’t maintain the very low heat required), and to get the most authentic Texas flavor, seek out the natural lump charcoal specified in the recipe; it's available at barbecue stores, some natural foods stores and some supermarkets.

Inspired by a trip to Scotland, where some cooks make their Christmas pudding and hard sauce with their favorite Scotch.

The texture of this spicy Brazilian dish falls in between a soup and a stew. Cook it down if you prefer it thicker.

"The last time I was in Texas, where I'm from originally, I had dinner at Zuni Grill on the San Antonio Riverwalk. I felt right at home when I took a bite of the pecans in the clever, southern-style crème brûlée," says Linda M. Dunn of Sparks, Nevada."I'd like to try making it at home." Toasted pecans are sprinkled over the crème brûlée after the sugar is caramelized so that the nuts don't burn. Note that the custards can be prepared two days ahead of time. Caramelize the sugar on top of the custards up to two hours before serving, if you like.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Frying the lime wedges gives them a pleasing golden color and enables the juice to squirt out with the slightest pressure.

Pitted prunes replace the more customary mushrooms in this delicious variation.