Cranberry

Jennifer Wickes of Pine Beach, New Jersey, writes: "I grew up in Bermuda learning to make English sweets like these scones. You can adapt the recipe to any season by adding a different mix of berries and nuts. This combination is perfect for fall."

Sweet and tart, this robust fruit ice cream is a perfect finish for any holiday feast.

This meltingly tender jelly is to that stuff in the can what a fine Barolo is to supermarket cooking wine.

The bright, tender fruit of Fuyu persimmons mellows the intensity of cranberries while lending this sauce a beautiful jewel-like hue. Using Fuyus, which can be eaten hard or soft, removes the guesswork of finding ripe fruit.

This sauce, a mix of everyday and exotic, provides a sweet and tart contrast to rich meat or poultry.

Chunks of fresh cranberries and dark, milk, and white chocolate chips dress up oatmeal cookies for the holidays.

Jan Schroeder of Corvallis, Oregon, writes: "A great thing about my job is that I get to do a lot of cooking. I work for the berry industry and one of my duties is developing recipes. I often get ideas from local chefs, but it's also rewarding to see what I can come up with on my own." Ribbon-tied jars of this chutney would make a nice holiday gift.

This is a sweet dessert compote — it does not go with the turkey. The oranges are cooked to make sure all the bitterness is released, so it's important that they're sliced very thin — an extremely sharp thin-bladed knife is best for the task.

This chutney, which would be at home in India or England, goes well with turkey, pork, or venison.

An Italian salad of squash, chicory, pancetta, and chestnuts gets an American spin from a tart cranberry vinaigrette.

This bright, flavorful fall preserve is best when allowed to stand overnight. It's great on toast or alongside sautéed duck breasts.