Parade

This homey sauce complements the savory tastes of the turkey and stuffing.

When cleaning any fresh berries, place in a strainer, rinse very lightly with the sink spray hose, shake the strainer to drain water and gently pat dry with paper towels.

If you cut up the potatoes ahead of time, keep them in cold water so that they don't discolor.

This dish uses three vegetable-bin staples: onions, celery, and carrots. If you don't have any canned broth on hand, dissolve a bouillon cube in water.

Cooking the curry powder over low heat for a short time eliminates any raw taste and sweetens the spice.

The salsa should be very fresh. You can prepare the ingredients ahead of time, just do not combine them more than 2 hours prior to serving. Also, never spoon the salsa atop the tuna until just before serving.

Grilled lamb (how special!) is best when marinated overnight. For a less salty flavor, use light soy sauce.

This recipe is an accompaniment for Summer Vegetable Curry.

Cover the potatoes in plenty of dressing. Save extra, as the potatoes absorb it quickly and may need a retoss.

Todd English — the chef/owner of Olives and the four Figs restaurants, all in and around Boston — was named Best Chef in the Northeast by the James Beard Foundation. He's also the author of two cookbooks. For his "clambake" extravaganza, you'll need a grill with a lid.

I line the buttered pans with buttered wax paper, then flour them, to make unmolding the cakes easy after baking.

I find that littlenecks or tiny cockles are the best shellfish for this dish, because they are delicate. Tarragon complements them, as does parsley or dill.

Tossing the peaches in lemon juice brightens their flavor.

Cut and toss the avocado garnish in lemon juice just before serving to prevent discoloration. Then sprinkle it over the top without tossing, or the salad will be mushy.

When slicing the cabbage, try to go nice and thin. Toss with the dressing and let it rest before serving, so the vegetables will soften. The slaw becomes creamy then.

Prick the pastry with a fork so that it doesn't puff up during baking. This tart works as an entree or, cut into smaller pieces, as hors d'oeuvres.

These peppers flavor up Fireside Lamb Stew as well as a simple sandwich.

Maude Emhoff, Stafford Springs, Conn.
Watch the heat carefully, lowering it as necessary. Do not let the casserole boil, or the pork ribs will toughen.

Seedless watermelons are on the market these days, but I prefer the old-fashioned ones with big black seeds — easy to see and remove. Then proceed with the recipe.