Spring

You can use frozen baby lima beans (with the same delicious result) instead of the fresh favas, which are harder to find.

A lovely do-ahead pasta salad for spring.

A treat for mint julep fans. Traditional silver mint julep cups or frozen parfait glasses add a nice accent at serving time.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A light, lemony sauce makes this entrée great for spring dinner parties. Round out the menu with the Chive Jive New Potatoes and Sesame Asparagus. Pour a slightly chilled full-bodied Chardonnay throughout the meal. Conclude the evening with angel food cake from the bakery and fresh berries.

These potatoes are great with the fish - and with just about any main course.

From Reading House innkeeper Rita Newell Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

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

The secret to a perfect brûlée crust is using both the turbinado sugar and a blowtorch.

Artichokes, an Old World food, came to America with Italian immigrants and found a happy home in the near-Mediterranean climate of California. As "ethnic" fare, artichokes took their time catching on outside the Golden State. They finally did in the thirties and became something of a fad. Artichokes were not limited to the vegetable course, either. Sometimes the center "choke" was scooped out and the hollow filled with a stuffing for a fashionable light lunch entrée.

"There are three recipes I like for strawberry jam," says Caroline Bates. "My mother’s long-cooked one may be too much trouble for some people; the sun-cooked version is impractical for city dwellers ('First, find a sunny rooftop....'). But this soft strawberry jam (also my mother’s) is simpler and good, too." Its flavor depends on the berries' being fully sweet, completely ripe yet firm, and with not a trace of white near the stem. Such berries have less pectin than underripe ones, so the jam will be loose. Just spoon it out of a jar and dribble it on biscuits.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A simple salad with a tangy dressing-perfect for and April picnic.

The dumplings can be assembled and chilled up to eight hours before steaming.