White Wine

Serve these clams with some crusty bread for sopping up the sauce, or spoon them over linguine or rice.

Serve this rustic dish with French bread or rice to savor every last drop.

If you prefer, the eggs can be fried instead of poached. Do-ahead steps make this dish very manageable — even for six. The sauce can be prepared the day before.

"Recently I had dinner at a fine restaurant with a peculiar name: The Place Next to the San Juan Ferry," says Beth Fogarty Day of Redmond, Washington. "It's right by the water in Friday Harbor, Washington. I'd love the recipe for the mushroom and goat cheese appetizer."

"Not long ago I dined at the Cobalt Tavern in San Francisco's North Beach," writes Georgia Ewing of Edina, Minnesota. "The sage-roasted chicken by chef Guy Ferri was excellent. Any chance he'd share the recipe?"

The slightly sweet sautéed shallots add a twist to the classic Swiss cheese fondue. In addition to the bread, boiled red-skinned baby potatoes cut in half make great dippers.

The blend of dried herbs known as herbes de Provence usually consists of basil, thyme, rosemary and oregano. Sometimes lavender is also included, which adds a flavor that is the most evocative of Provence. An accompaniment to Herb-and Spice-roasted Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine-Shallot Sauce . Sharpen your chopping and mincing skills with our technique video.

Truffle oil adds earthy nuances to this summer soup, but don't worry if you don't have any on hand: The soup will still be good without it. Open a nice bottle of Champagne to go with the meal.

The tender nut crust and a vanilla bean syrup make these cheesecake-like tartlets extra special. Top with more nuts, if you like.

Fresh fennel, fennel seeds and the anise-flavored liqueur Pernod are combined here.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 40 min

This entrée from Chateau Lake Louise at Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada, would be perfect for a dinner party. The fish is especially good accompanied by broiled red onion slices and steamed asparagus. To make this even easier, have the salmon skinned and boned at the fish market.

Here, turkey stands in for the traditional veal in a do-ahead entré. Have your butcher bone, roll and tie the turkey breast.