Mint

Feel free to experiment with the combination of herbs in this refreshing dessert — we were surprised to discover that even adding a sprig of something assertive like cilantro or oregano to the mix can be delicious. Serve it with the five-spice cones or topped with fresh berries.

Be sure to use fresh spring peas for this classic side dish. Save the frozen ones for something else.

Just in time for Derby Day, this dessert has fewer calories than a mint julep (and you can drive home afterward).

Mint-chocolate truffles frozen in vanilla ice cream create a polka-dot dessert.

Your butcher can butterfly the lamb for you. What to drink: Bordeaux-blend reds, such as Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon, are the perfect match.

This recipe is a variation on mushy peas, a beloved British street food. Ours have a much brighter color and flavor, making them sophisticated enough for entertaining.

These good-for-you sandwiches are low in fat and meatless.

This "salsa" is actually a sort of fruit salad, but it does contain the quintessential salsa ingredients, lime juice and jalapeño peppers. The jalapeños are certainly unexpected, but they have an interesting way of intensifying the sweetness of the pineapple.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again—the grill was the original toaster. And there's nothing like a quick sizzle on the grill to transform ordinary pound cake into a singular, even extraordinary dessert. Especially when paired with a pineapple "salsa" and tequila-scented whipped cream.

Editor's note: This recipe is from Brini Maxwell's Guide to Gracious Living. For Maxwell's tips on throwing a summer pool party, click here. Pineapple is the international symbol of welcome, and this light dessert is prepared in advance so all you have to do when guests arrive is serve it. I first had it at the beach. It originated with my friend David Mandel, and he's made many variations of it with different fruits.

Food editor Ruth Cousineau learned this technique in Seville; it ensures the eggplant maintains its shape and flavor perfectly.