Manchego

There's something about salty-sweet treats that we find irresistible (and we know we're not alone). Here, as the dates bake they get deliciously sweet and caramely. And the salty part? That comes from the crispy pancetta-and the warm cheese.

Lee believes that classic dishes are far from being precious artifacts; they are inherently adaptable, and that's what makes them timeless. The starting point here was his "very Italian" wine importer, Enrico Battisti, but instead of polenta, Lee uses quick-cooking stone-ground grits from Anson Mills, in Columbia, South Carolina."They're better than any polenta," he says, "because they're so fresh. I call them hero grits."

A roasted garlic and red pepper relish replaces the usual pickle in this Spanish take on hot dogs.

Grilling the pizza dough adds a smoky flavor to the crust.

The egg-dipped ham sandwiches are even better with Spanish ingredients: salty Serrano ham, Manchego cheese, and sweet membrillo (quince paste), which is available at some supermarkets, at specialty foods stores, and from igourmet.com.

Spicy, cheesy, and moist! I love this cornbread for dinner on a warm summer night, whether with barbecued meats or just a big old salad. If you don’t have Manchego, you can substitute cheddar, Monterey Jack, or Gouda.

If you're under 30, you've probably never heard of rumaki—unless you saw Betty Draper serve the appetizer during the second season of Mad Men. In the 1950s and '60s, the best hostesses wrapped bacon around slices of water chestnut and bits of chicken liver, then broiled the nibble until the bacon was crispy. Rumaki fell out of favor decades ago, but we've noticed that bacon-wrapped dates—the darling of restaurant menus everywhere—have a lot in common with the old-school app. In our version, we stuff the dates with Asiago and brush the bacon with smoked paprika.

Jamón Serrano, a salty cured Spanish ham, is the traditional pairing for Manchego cheese. The ham is sold at specialty foods stores and at Spanish and Latin markets, and the cheese can be found at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores.

This mix is everything you want with a drink—a little bit salty, but with a nice variety of textures and flavors.

The softly fried eggs are a wonderful counterbalance to the rich ingredients in this Spanish take on salade lyonnaise. Migas are Spanish croutons.

Here, a classic Spanish pairing gets reinvented as a bite-size cheese course. We're particularly enamored of the added textural contrast provided by the sliced almonds.

This comforting side would also be great for brunch.

This is an intriguing mix of sweet and savory. Sharp white cheddar is a good substitute for Manchego cheese.

Produced in the region of La Mancha, Queso Manchego is among Spain's most noteworthy cheeses. It is often served with quince paste (membrillo) — an inspired union of flavors. Spanish Manchego can now be found in many supermarkets. Quince paste is available at some supermarkets and specialty foods stores and online from thespanishtable.com.

The empanadas can be put together ahead of time and popped into the oven to bake just before serving.

Linda Forst of Mukilteo, Washington, writes: "I attended a conference in Anaheim, California, and went to dinner at Catal Restaurant & Uva Bar in Downtown Disney. The whole meal was outstanding, especially the 'compressed salad.'" For a "compressed" presentation, the chef uses a three-inch ring mold to mound the salad in the center of each plate. You can use a cleaned-out can, with top and bottom removed, as a mold.