Banana

The following is an adaptation of a recipe originally appearing in Gourmet, August 1958.

To bake these puffs all at once, you will need 6 mini-muffin pans, each containing twelve 1 3/4- by 1-inch cups. However, you could also make them in batches using fewer pans.

The filling of coconut, bananas and cream is sweet, chewy and absolutely delicious. Coconut also makes an appearance in the cookie-like crust.

Named for the four fruits that go into this recipe, the drink is a refreshing accompaniment to brunch at Sarabeth's restaurant in New York.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This comforting side dish is a love letter to the sweet tooth in all of us: Unpeeled sweet potatoes and bananas are roasted together, then peeled, pureed, and topped with a crunchy pecan streusel.

"Inventing desserts is my passion," says Laura Gambrill of Washington, D.C.. "This is a twist on an all-time favorite, bananas Foster. The mango, crystallized ginger and pineapple complement the banana and rum nicely — and so does the toasted coconut that I sprinkle on top."

Pass a pitcher of cold low-fat or nonfat milk to drizzle over this cereal.

These are great with maple syrup, honey, marmalade, or even cottage cheese.

Wemonrat Pok, an immigrant from Thailand, opened Siam House 11 years ago near the campus of Indiana University in the lively college town of Bloomington. It's a family business — Wemonrat is the chef, and her aunt and cousin help out with the cooking. The elegant restaurant with several small dining rooms occupies a lovely old home. Thai sculptures and creaky hardwood floors add to the charm; great food and an accommodating staff keep locals coming back. The batter and bananas can be prepared ahead of time, leaving only the frying to do at the last minute.

Ambrosia is fruit dessert that is also a salad. We Southerners always add it to Thanksgiving and Christmas menus to allow us to have the illusion that we're not in too much trouble with our diets, because after all, "We only had ambrosia for dessert!" The better the oranges in it, the better it is. Splurge and get flavor-filled navel oranges if you can. In any case, seedless oranges are a must. If there are going to be children at the meal, you can add maraschino cherries—sans stems. My mother always did, perhaps because one of my treasured memories from childhood was when my father took me to the men's club and ordered me a Shirley Temple with a maraschino cherry. I ate nearly a whole bottle, thanks to the indulgent waiter.