Grape

Until powdered gelatin came on the market in the 1890s, making gelatin molds was a labor-intensive endeavor. By the twenties, electric refrigeration and the Jell-O brand made the salads so easy to prepare that cookbooks were filled with recipes for them. This one incorporates the flavors of sangria. Serve it as a side dish or as a dessert.

"I literally didn't know how to boil an egg until I was in my 20's — when I tried to impress a guy by making dinner for him," writes Sally Siegel of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. "I didn't have much success with the dinner or the guy, but I regrouped and put together a repertoire of fairly elegant dishes I felt confident making. Over the years, my cooking style has become more casual; I make dishes that are not too demanding, but still special for company."

Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 2 1/2 days The USDA recommends cooking foie gras to an internal temperature of 160°F to be sure any harmful bacteria are killed. Though we prefer the results of chef Laurent Manrique's French method, we've included both options in the procedure.

A favorite test-kitchen Muscat wine is Bonny Doon's Muscat Vin de Glacière from California.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 25 min

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less, but requires additional unattended time.

For optimum browning, roast this dish in the upper third of your oven.

At the restaurant Charlie Trotter bakes these small soufflés in thimble-shaped molds and sets them atop rounds of his own dried-fig brioche. Although he likes to use white Muscat grapes for the sauce, the recipe works well with any color or variety of grape. We used red seedless grapes, and they yielded a beautiful dark-pink sauce.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less, but requires additional unattended time.

An easy side dish for ham or chicken. The dressing can be made a day ahead.

A pretty garnish for the Caramel-Coated Pumpkin Flan , these grapes could also dress up a platter of cheeses.

When we think of gazpacho most of us think of a cold chunky tomato-based soup. But this world-renowned export from the Andalucian region of Spain is actually one of many different types of soup — cold, hot, thin, red, green and white — which share the name gazpacho. White gazpacho remains closer than most modern varieties to the soup's origins as a simple combination of bread, nuts, salt, olive oil, and vinegar. Cucumbers, grapes and a pinch of cayenne elevate what was once a poor man's meal to a refined soup.

This dessert traditionally should have twelve different fruits to represent the Apostles. But as long as you have a good variety, it will be delicious.

A low-fat but tasty version of a typically calorie-laden favorite.

Grapes marinated in Port with rosemary and them combined with the mild garlic and the creamy cheese lead to an inventive appetizer. Use both red and green grapes for a pretty presentation.