Pork

Go completely southern: Serve the chops with cornbread, coleslaw, and ice-cold beer.

Both the peach relish and the pork benefit from an overnight rest in the refrigerator; the relish mellows in flavor, and the pork becomes even more tender in the fiery marinade.

Jan Esterly of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, writes: "Even though it gets cold where I live, I love grilling outside year-round. This recipe makes a regular appearance at our dinner table."

Be sure to remove (or score) the membrane on the underside of the ribs so that the seasonings can penetrate and fully flavor the meat. Even better, ask the butcher to remove the membrane. What to drink: Kenwood Vineyards 2003 Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley ($17).

If you get a package containing two tenderloins of uneven size, you may have to cook the larger one a little longer than the smaller one. Prepare all the sauce ingredients before grilling the pork, then cook it while the pork stands.

Great for a summer party, this recipe doubles easily, and most of the elements can be done ahead. "This dish exemplifies the lively and engaging nature of the Vietnamese table," says Mai Pham, "the ritual of wrapping meats in crisp lettuce with fresh herbs, then dipping them into a zesty sauce." Provide each person with a little bowl of sauce, as well as the usual plate to make assembly easier.

To pit a cherry, place the flat side of a large knife on the cherry; press gently until it splits open, then pull out the pit.

We all have memories either of great or terrible meatloaf meals from childhood. My mom's meatloaf is a fond food memory. It was always moist and juicy, with a touch of Italy from the tomatoes and pecorino Romano cheese. It also passed the test of any respectable meatloaf: it made good sandwiches the next day.

Orzo with lemon zest and Italian parsley would be lovely alongside. What to drink: Viognier or French Chardonnay.

Serve this pork on hamburger buns for delicious sandwiches.

Xiao Yang uses Italian eggplant (not Asian) in this recipe.

If you're making this entire menu in a single oven, you will have to make the cracklings ahead (see cooks' note, below) and reheat them in the upper third of oven during the last 10 minutes of roasting the Roasted Potatoes with Lemon Salt Roasted Potatoes with Lemon Salt. Cracklings are commonplace in Britain, and we hope these crisp bits gain more popularity here, too.

Joan and David Oswalt of Pasadena, California, write: "David and I both love to cook, but our approaches couldn't be more different. He'll start from scratch and spend months perfecting a particular dish, while I prefer to take a basic recipe and just add my own touches."