White Wine

Silky zabaglione, warm from cooking but also imbued with deep heat from the wine, cloaks the vanilla-scented fruit with a heady richness. Though it's normally made with Marsala, this more subtle version gives the season's first apricots a chance to shine.

Scallops halved horizontally cook fast and make a meaty, substantial meal — especially when accompanied by this rich white-wine sauce studded with peas and chopped chives.

This recipe was created by chef Mark Franz of Farallon restaurant in San Francisco. It's part of a special menu he created for Epicurious's Wine.Dine.Donate program.

This recipe was created by chef Michael Kornick of MK Restaurant in Chicago. It's part of a special menu he created for Epicurious's Wine.Dine.Donate program.

Pearl barley makes a wonderful risotto: It retains its distinct chew while easily releasing its starch to create a risotto as creamy as one made with Arborio rice — and with barely any stirring. Since I can't be bothered to make vegetable stocks ahead and I don't like canned versions, I've made the most of the asparagus in this dish. Using the stalks, tips, and even the cooking water makes the risotto sing with asparagus's springtime flavor.

This dish is finished with a delicious (and super-easy) basil and tarragon butter.

Long on flavor and short on time, this classic French dish makes a smart weeknight dinner. Bright with tarragon, it's a great way to welcome spring.

Paired with the pea tendrils, chanterelles, and fingerling potatoes, this main makes the most of spring's best ingredients.

Guava and sautéed mango add subtle sweetness to this elegant dish. What to drink: A crisp, dry white wine with tropical fruit notes, like Pinot Gris.

This dish is great alongside the Lemony Chicken Milanese .

The duck marinates overnight in a spice rub, so start this recipe one day ahead.

The sweet grapes and tangy capers work beautifully with the fish.

It's all about the interplay between cake, syrup, and pears in this sophisticated dessert. The rosemary syrup would also be delicious in a cup of tea.

After the porcini mushrooms add their flavor to the broth, you can use them in an omelet or a sauté.

This soup combines two separate recipes attributed to the agriculturalist and linguist Varro. As a remedy it could be drunk to aid the digestion, and it also served as a soup with the chicken included. I choose to leave the meat in, to give some texture to the soup. The dish is quite unusual in not using fish sauce. The sweet/savoury balance is surprisingly good.