Orange

Here's a warming drink for a chilly day.

Lesley Renner of Denver, Colorado, writes: "There is a funky little eatery called Bump & Grind Cafe near my office. I go there often to enjoy a latte and one of their shortbread cookies with chocolate chips and a touch of orange — it's called a Miss Emma Peel cookie. Would you ask chef Cliff Trubowitz for the recipe?" This recipe calls for double chocolate chips, which have a deep, rich chocolate flavor because they are made with bittersweet chocolate. Regular semisweet chocolate chips can be substituted.

Fresh mint, cilantro sprigs and strips of orange peel make a nice garnish for a platter of these Asian-accented skewers.

This is exactly the kind of dish that conjures up visions of Greeks spit-roasting lamb on rocky hills above the sea, and basting it with branches of thyme dipped in olive oil. (Which is not a bad recipe itself, especially if you have the rocky hills and sea.)

The size and thickness of lamb chops can vary greatly, so you may have to adjust your cooking time (see cooks' note, below).

Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 25 min

"My first real job was as a paralegal — but I hated it," writes Marcia Porch of Winter Park, Florida. "There were plenty of signs that my interests lay elsewhere; it just took me a while to recognize them. My co-workers caught on faster: They would tease me because there were always cookbooks on my desk. So I started moonlighting at a bakery on the weekends. Eventually this led to a culinary career that has included owning a catering business. These days, what I make at home has to have do-ahead steps and no complicated ingredients, and be healthful and simple to assemble. " Try this effortlessly elegant dish with steamed rice. Sesame oil can be found in the Asian foods section of most supermarkets.

The name of this cake derives from the flavors that are reminiscent of the classic mole, an aromatic, delicious chocolaty savory sauce that originated in Pueblo, Mexico. I have always thought that dried chiles were a surprisingly good match for chocolate, and with the addition of canela, cloves, and pumpkin seeds, the full mole flavors emerge. For a shortcut, substitute sectioned grapefruit for the orange caramel.

Fresh cranberries make a tangy, slightly tannic, and very refreshing sorbet. Infused with the fruity aroma of orange, lemon, or English thyme, the sorbet is a delightfully unique cranberry dish to serve before, during, or after Thanksgiving dinner.

This technique works best with a charcoal grill, but you can also use a gas grill as long as it has a built-in thermometer or a hole in the top for inserting the candy thermometer.

The fruit juices blend with the sugar, spices, and orange-flower water to create a lovely syrup. What to drink: Orange Muscat wines (such as Essencia) would be perfect with this.

All the wonderful flavors and textures of summer berry pie à la mode in an ice cream sundae. For a casual party, offer the individual components buffet style and let guests make their own.