Orange

This luscious pound cake is not as rich as the traditional version. Note that the cake batter will come only half way up the sides of the pan.

Velvet restaurant in SoHo serves a pork tenderloin that is the best I've had in this city," says Erika Ferszt of New York, New York."I would like to make it at home."

These hors d'oeuvres should be served warm, so reheat the arepas in batches as platters need replenishing.

Founded in 1912 in the city's historic district, Café Tacuba is a Mexico City institution. The beautiful Talavera tiles that decorate the 19th-century colonial-style building are worth a visit in and of themselves. The extensive menu offers a little something for everyone — from huevos rancheros for breakfast to roast beef for dinner. The popular buñuelos (sweet fritters) are particularly delicious.

Use a mixture of green and black olives such as picholine, Niçois, and Kalamata. Soaking the olives in water for ten minutes removes excess salt.

Poires au Four avec Sabayon de Sauternes Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Autumn has officially arrived, and after a summer of cool, light cooking, it's time for some homey, hearty meals. Braised meats, with their rich flavors, tender texture and intense, reduced sauces, are definitely homey, but you may never have tried to make them at home. They sound as if they might be complicated to prepare—like something best left to a restaurant chef—and what exactly is braising, anyway? Relax. Braising is easy—there are only two steps: The meat is browned first, then covered and simmered in seasoned liquid. According to Cory Schreiber, the chef at Portland's super-popular Wildwood Restaurant & Bar, braising is a great way to cook lamb shanks. In the recipe here, he does something slightly unusual: He simmers the shanks uncovered in the oven. That way, he says, "the dry heat caramelizes the top of the meat—giving it a bit of a crust—which adds nice texture and color." The lamb is accompanied by a roasted squash purée and wilted Swiss chard. With this recipe in hand, you can actually have your next homey meal at home. Add a salad and crusty bread, and you've got your first dinner party of the season. Use a pot that's at least 12 inches across.

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.

Traditional flavors (honey and orange) and contemporary ones (cumin and chilies) come together in the glaze, which also gives the gravy some heat and zip. See how to carve a turkey.

This is a simplified version of Havana Harry's recipe; at the restaurant, they deep-fry the pork after braising it.

Serve this dish with brown rice.

This recipe is an accompaniment for Blood Orange Tart with Orange Caramel Sauce.

For an extra burst of orange flavor, mix some unsalted butter with grated orange peel to accompany these homespun biscuits.

The tart-sweet flavor of this sorbet is particularly refreshing after a rich dinner.