Buttermilk

A modern recipe from a modern woman: This is based on a recipe from my friend Joanne Rosen, a high-powered attorney who balances her torts and tarts, her husband and her children, with great finesse. Accompany the scones with English clotted cream (or crème fraîche) and honey.

Among favorite desserts of the decade were waffles, served with ice cream and syrup, as well as this easy cake's ancestor. The treat reached its maximum popularity with the increasing availability of canned pineapple and the marketing efforts of the Dole Company. Today's widely available fresh fruit-spiked with ginger, macadamia nuts and orange zest-gives a great result.

This southwestern version of fried chicken needs only two sides: purchased Mexican-style rice pilaf and a sauté of bell peppers and carrots. Flan with sliced kiwi would be a nice finish. Look for ancho chili powder in the spice section of your supermarket.

Buttermilk and blue cheese make this slaw rich and tangy.

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

Cornmeal gives these blini a slightly crunchy texture that is perfect with the salsa.

For easy serving, ladle the soup into pretty bowls, and set them on the buffet table.

"Coyotes Deli & Grill in Banff makes the most amazing blue corn bread," writes Donna Sanché of Toronto, Ontario. "My husband and I had dinner there not long ago, and enjoyed the entire meal — but the corn bread was definitely the highlight. I've told all of my friends about it, and now I'd like to make it for them." This sweet corn bread is best served warm. If you can't find blue cornmeal, don't worry: Yellow cornmeal works well, too.

In these easy scones, cumin seeds complement the sharp cheddar, and self-rising flour eliminates the need for baking powder or baking soda. If you prepare the dough the night before, you can just pop the scones into the oven when guests arrive.

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

These layered biscuits require a little more effort than the conventional kind, but they're worth it. The recipe calls for White Lily all-purpose flour, which is made from an extra finely ground softer wheat than regular all-purpose flour and results in a lovely, tender texture. Active time: 40 minutes Start to finish: 1 1/4 hours

This recipe is an accompaniment for Southwestern Corn Pudding . This is also great on its own.

On a recent trip to California, Susan Livingston of Marblehead, MA had a caramelized garlic and onion bisque at the Edna Valley Bistro in San Luis Obispo. It was so unique and outstanding that she made a point of complimenting the chef, Herbert Norton. Active time: 50 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

"When I was a small child, my father used to take my elder brother and me to New York City for St. Patrick's Day," writes Stephanie Foley of Massapequa, Long Island. "We would spend the morning marching in the parade while my mother, back in Long Island, prepared a feast of corned beef, cabbage, and potatoes. But what we all truly looked forward to was her Irish soda bread. It's savory and substantial — and unlike any other I have tried. I hope you all enjoy it as much as we do."