Rum

(Chocolate Rum Cookies)

"One thing I cannot get out of my head" said Ben Moskovitz, owner of Star Bakery in Oak Park, Michigan. "Was the food better growing up in Czechoslovakia or were the people hungrier there? My mother made a honey cake for the holiday, and it was so delicious. Honey was too expensive for us, so my mother burned the sugar to make it brown. Here I use pure honey, but I still think my mother's cake was better and I know I am wrong. The taste of hers is still in my mouth." Mr. Moskovitz's European honey cake follows, with a few of my American additions. Other European Jewish bakers interviewed for this book also bake with white rye flour and cake flour when we would use all-purpose flour. I have included both choices.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

The classic almond mixture known as frangipane fills an almond crust. Sweet plums and a brandied glaze top it off.

A different take on favorite Thanksgiving flavors, this beautiful do-ahead pumpkin dessert is made even easier by the use of purchased sauce.

LaVerl Daily, director of Le Panier cooking school in Houston, suggests supplementing this slightly tropical entrée with rice, black beans and buttered green beans sprinkled with chopped macadamia nuts. Finish with sweet potato pie or coconut cream pie.

The coffee in this cake may be replaced with a sweet fruit liqueur or with orange juice.

The recipe below was based on the apricot soufflés served by Sally Darr at her former New York City restaurant, La Tulipe. This recipe calls for five large egg whites. When separating your eggs, serve the yolks for the accompanying crème anglaise.

Start this at least one day before serving.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A bar specialty at Hotel Hana-Maui, in Maui, Hawaii.