Buttermilk

This recipe was inspired by the irresistible onion rings served at two classic New York City restaurants, Lindy's and Junior's. We tested the rings with both vegetable shortening and oil; although both yield a crisp, crunchy coating, our food editors preferred the fuller flavor the shortening imparts. For dramatic effect, we only used the larger rings of the onion, but feel free to use the smaller ones, too. Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

Taller, heavier-weight paper molds — typically used for individual panettone, the Italian holiday bread — are used instead of regular muffin papers to create a more elegant look. Vanilla and Almond Frosting is an accompaniment for this recipe.

You can use these pancakes for the caviar pancakes and save the remaining batter for breakfast. Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 15 min

Whenever you serve this lightly spiced, moist buttermilk layer cake you'll turn dessert into a celebration. The spices in the cake mellow as it stands, so it's even better the day after baking.

This recipe makes very dark, mahogany-colored drumsticks. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Tender Iowa corn was the inspiration for these terrific biscuits. They are best eaten the day they are baked; extras can be warmed up the next morning for breakfast or brunch. Be sure to serve them with plenty of butter.

Moist, with subtle heat from the chipotles.

A quick one-bowl cake perfect for a last-minute birthday celebration or part dessert. Use the Sour Cream Chocolate Frosting recipe that follows or your favorite purchased one.

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

This recipe makes more dressing than you'll need. The remainder makes a great everyday dressing for any type of green salad, or a delicious dip for chicken wings or raw vegetables.

With just two ingredients, this has to be one of the simplest-not to mention tastiest-recipes ever devised.

Swedish cooks use lots of buttermilk, and the lingonberry jam suggested as an accompaniment to these incredibly light pancakes is a typical Swedish condiment.

These bran muffins bake up moist and chewy. They're so good that my in-laws, Reed and Nancy, make a batch every couple of days for snacking. This is another recipe that shows how buttermilk works to tenderize and lighten many baked goods. Bran retains much of its natural oil and can quickly turn rancid, so always store it in the refrigerator or freezer. I like to use unprocessed sugar crystals (don't confuse this with brown sugar) to complement the bran's whole grain taste. Each muffin has over 2 grams of fiber.

Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

The silky texture and tangy buttermilk flavor of this panna cotta are irresistible. Start preparing the dessert one day ahead.

"On a trip to Longboat Key in Florida, my fiancé and I ate at Pattigeorge's," writes Wendy J. Harbart of Forest Hills, New York. "The five-spice calamari was out of this world."