Blender

Being the northernmost city in the South, Louisville has a complex blend of relatively unsung ethnicities, one of them being old-world German. The convergence of sauerkraut soup—what families in neighborhoods like Schnitzelburg call home food—and barbecue-rubbed scallops is both quirky and logical in a very Louisville kind of way. The flavor combination is extraordinarily delicious—one taste and you'll understand what Edward Lee is all about. For sources for sumac.

Sold at Mexican street stands in large, clear barrels—the better to show off their festive colors—agua frescas, or "fresh waters," can be made with all kinds of fruits and herbs, the riper the better. Here, Feniger tops a traditional cantaloupe cooler with a decorative swirl of vivid beet purée. Roasting the beet heightens its sweetness and intensifies its color.

A candylike sweetness and a crunchy exterior transform these skewers into adult lollipops. Zak Pelaccio, who brings Southeast Asian street food to a restaurant setting at Fatty Crab, explains that the recipe, despite the fact that it takes a long time, is actually quite easy. "You cook it in advance, then you just crisp it, and you know it's going to be good."

Chilaquiles are a traditional Mexican peasant dish of fried tortillas bathed in green or red salsa (depending on the region) until tender. Slightly tart green tomatillo sauce is preferred in Mexico City, Jimmy Shaw's hometown, and is very simple to make. Chilaquiles are most commonly eaten at breakfast time (not uncommonly as a hangover cure). Unlike nachos, chilaquiles are a meal to be eaten with a fork. Nothing is wasted in the Mexican home, so this dish was born as a clever way to revive yesterday's tortillas and leftover salsa. At ¡Lotería! you can ask for chilaquiles to be topped with a fried egg, frijoles negros, or shredded chicken or beef. If frying your own tortilla chips seems too involved (I recommend you try it, though—it's really very easy!), as a shortcut, this dish can be made with store-bought tortilla chips, but choose an unsalted variety.

Cool to the eye as well as on the palate, this gazpacho-like starter gets its body and buttery undertones from cashews. Yes, the Cubanelle pepper was initially chosen for its starting letter, but its mild sweetness and juicy crunch clinched the decision.

Celebrate the last of the hot weather with a spirited, chunky gazpacho in the Mexican mode. Tomatoes give the soup their characteristic rich, rounded flavor, and tomatillos—an Aztec and Mayan staple—lend fruity tartness and great body.

Heaps of leafy cilantro and the crumbly Mexican white cheese known as queso fresco update a classic side dish. Cornstarch thickens the cream quickly and imparts a velvety gloss.

Time to dust off that bottle of cream Sherry lurking in the back of your liquor cabinet: Its nutty, plummy nature rounds out the flavor of the melon, and its alcohol content helps produce a granita that feels smoother, less icy, on the tongue.

Effervescent and floral, this drink is ideal for afternoon sipping. Purée the fruit with the skin on to capture the color of September.

This bravura sandwich stimulates all the senses. Grilling eggplant instead of frying it adds lightness and smoky complexity.

Yes, buttermilk is good for tender griddlecakes and baked goods, but as these delicate individual puddings show, its tangy flavor is not to be taken for granted. The sauce that tops the puddings begins with a red-wine syrup mulled with citrus and a bay leaf and then puréed with strawberries. A final scattering of mixed berries gives a down-home touch to something that is, at heart, wonderfully curious and complex.

Although uva means "grape" in Italian, Concords are native to North America. A velvety sorbet brings out their inky, foxy intensity. It will, in fact, swing you right into autumn.

Garbanzos con espinacas Native to Iran, chickpeas were introduced in the eastern Mediterranean by the Greeks and Romans, but most scholars believe the Carthaginians carried chickpea seeds to Spain. Spinach arrived with the Moors. This classic pairing, from the kitchens of New Castile, began as a Lenten dish. In time, the combination was rounded out with the addition of salt cod and became an everyday dish, with the faithful sacrificing the salt cod during Lent. Today, the salt cod is sometimes replaced with a ham hock during the cooking of the beans and/or diced cooked ham to the finished dish. (If you opt to include the salt cod, be sure to omit the ham hock.) The stew is enriched with a picada of fried bread and garlic and is fairly thick and substantial. It may even be topped by fried or hard-boiled eggs.

Timing note: You'll need to start this recipe two days ahead.

Serve this hearty entrée with boiled potatoes and steamed carrots.

Here's a recipe for green soup. It's the easiest thing ever.

Using beefsteak or other juicy tomatoes makes for a light, delicately nuanced soup that works in hot weather. Plum tomatoes will result in a more intensely flavored soup that's good for the chilly fall months. It's impossible to play favorites: They're both wonderful.