Cinnamon

There's a hint of cinnamon in the chocolate filling and the whipped cream topping.

A pastry bag and large rosette tip are optional for the whipped cream topping, which can also be spooned over the trifle.

Amyrose Gill of Berkeley, California, writes: "My husband and I learned about La Note when we first moved to Berkeley to attend graduate school. Everyone raved about their Sunday brunch, and for weeks we tried to go, but there was always a line out the door. We finally braved the long wait, and it was well worth it. Gingerbread pancakes —redolent with spice, beautifully textured, and absolutely delicious —were the reward. We'd love to get the recipe and serve them at our own Sunday brunches. " In addition to their spiced flavor, these pancakes have a distinctive cakelike texture.

"During a visit to Biloxi, Mississippi, I had dinner at The Seafood Buffet in the Grand Casino," Brenda Hill of Ann Arbor, Michigan. "The bread pudding was served with a wonderful spiced rum sauce. I'd be grateful to have the recipe for this decadent dessert."

Even traditionalists will love this pie, which is accented with grated orange peel.

This tart was inspired by a plum tart often cooked by the mother of Lisa's college roommate. Due to Lisa's reckless dissemination of that recipe (which caused an overpopulation of plum tarts up and down the eastern seaboard), her recipe-exchange privileges with said mother have been revoked.

Microwaving the potatoes before baking helps cook them quickly, but the regular oven will produce a crispy skin. Have a mixed green salad garnished with Greek olives and roasted red peppers to start. End with vanilla custard and butter cookies.

At the bakery, Rather makes both cupcakes and bundt cake with this recipe. The hint of cinnamon in the batter is a nod toward Mexican chocolate, which often contains cinnamon and spices.

Susan Richardson of Edina, Minnesota, writes: "My mother worked full-time when I was growing up, so as the oldest daughter in a family of six children, I did a lot of cooking. From the time I was seven years old, my mom taught me how to cook and bake — salad, bread, vegetables, and dessert were pretty much part of every dinner. Even today, I make it a point to prepare and eat dinner with my two teenage children. Though we're very busy, we'll never abandon our dinner ritual. It's the time when we can talk and reconnect."

The Middle Eastern tone is part of this cake's appeal. A very nutty cake is suffused with a honey-citrus soaking syrup, much like baklava in concept but flour-free, making it suitable for Passover. A little goes a long way. For large Seder crowds, you can double the recipe and bake it in a 9-inch springform pan or a 9 by 13-inch rectangular pan. I serve this cake cut into small squares or diamonds placed in small muffin liner cups. Copeland Marks, in his book Sephardic Cooking, attributes this to Turkish cuisine. Joan Nathan calls it "Tishpishiti" in her book, Jewish Cooking in America and points to Syrian, as well as Turkish roots as does Claudia Roden in her book, Mediterranean Cookery. A nutty classic indeed! My version is inspired by a recipe simply called "Nut Cake," found in From My Grandmother's Kitchen, by Viviane Alcheck Miner with Linda Krinn. If you are interested in Sephardic recipes along with a very engaging family history, this book is a real find.

Trude Reder of Long Branch, New Jersey, writes: "My mother's recipe for linzertorte is one of my favorites. It brings back memories of my childhood and of my mother and grandmother busy baking in the kitchen, the delicious aroma of cinnamon and cloves filling the whole house. I've been baking this dessert for family and friends since my husband and I came to this country from Austria over 45 years ago. Now, I've started teaching my own grandchildren the recipe, hoping they will love it as much as I do." Don't substitute jelly for the jam in this recipe — it might leak from the crust. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 3 1/4 hr

To recall the miracle of Hanukkah, dishes fried in oil are prepared during the holiday festivities. The mother of our executive editor used to dazzle her family with these cookies-each one slightly different from the next.

This recipe was created for my ten-year-old friend and cooking student, Evan Chender, who used it for his Thanksgiving feast one year. Fresh ginger really spices up the sweet, meltingly tender yams.

The mangoes must be completely unripe in order to achieve the firm, chunky texture desired for this chutney. This recipe was created to accompany Lamb Stew with Black Mustard Seeds. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Serve these gingersnaps as the spoons for this Pumpkin Spice Mousse.

"An Indian friend of my mother's gave her this recipe for beef curry back in 1936," writes Bill Goodhue of Chino, California. "The recipe has been passed on to me, so I can still enjoy the sweet-spicy flavors of this stew more than 60 years later."

The coffee in this cake may be replaced with a sweet fruit liqueur or with orange juice.

Purchased pastry makes this pie a snap to prepare.