Cinnamon

Nothing melts in the mouth like baked bananas. Served with any kind of cream topping, it is a simple, unsurpassed dessert. Adjust the ingredients and flavors to your personal taste.

Kuchen, a German yeast cake, acts as a golden pillow for ripe pears and a cinnamon, sugar, and hazelnut topping.

Though many people see smoking as a process meant for professionals, or at least for doing outdoors, this procedure—done mostly in a wok—is simple and produces a mean smoked duck. Try thin slices over a salad, or make smoked-duck sandwiches for a picnic. When smoking, be sure to seal the foil tightly to keep the smoke from infusing more than just your duck.

Editor's note: The recipe below is excerpted from Cal-a-Vie Living: Gourmet Spa Cuisine and is part of a healthy and delicious spa menu developed exclusively for Epicurious by Cal-a-Vie.

The bay leaves give a faint flavor akin to allspice, and the cinnamon stick contributes its own subtle note.

Eating one of these individual pies is quite different from your basic fork-and-plate experience. A bite through the crisp pastry, sparkling with sugar, reveals a thick filling of sweet-and-tart fruit.

The sweet, creamy comfort food is traditionally made with the short-grained "amber" rice favored by Egyptians; arborio makes a good substitute.

Crisp toppings may vary as to how much sugar, butter, oats, nuts, and flour they contain, but one thing's for sure: All have a crumbly topping that crisps up during baking.

Buckles are aptly named: Fruit is baked along with a layer of cake batter that rises to the top, buckling as it cooks. Don't skimp on the garnish: Vanilla ice cream or lightly sweetened whipped cream is great with this.

Cinnamon and a dash of cayenne give the sauce a south-of-the-border vibe.

If you like, drizzle amaretto or balsamic vinegar over the grilled peaches just before serving.

Galatopita, or milk pie, has a crisp phyllo crust and a dense, satisfying custard filling made with semolina flour. It is among the dairy specialties of Epirus and Thessaly; we like this version from Ioannina.

Beware of packaging announcing a product is "100 percent wheat" — this designation can be used on foods made with refined wheat flour. To be sure of a product's nutritional value, read labels carefully: The first ingredient should be a whole-grain product. Check the fiber content — if the product doesn't contain a minimum of three grams per slice, you are probably dealing with an impostor.

Though not quite as tender, lamb shoulder chops have deeper flavor than rib chops and won't break the bank.

Tart rhubarb pairs with the sweetness of oranges to create a tangy sauce for roasted black sea bass. Cinnamon and ginger add a lovely background flavor.