How to make Sri Lankan hoppers »

This spicy crab casserole is a specialty of Sting-Ray’s in Cape Charles, Virginia.

Our recipe for this towering dessert, featuring eight layers of buttery yellow cake with chocolate-fudge icing, was inspired by a decadent version served at Becca’s Smith Island Cakes in Tasley, Virgina.

Chef Tom Valenti of Manhattan’s Ouest uses the foreshank, a meatier cut than the hindshank, for this recipe for shanks braised in a stock flavored with wine, aromatics, and anchovies.

Cheese tortellini dot a rich umami broth well-worth a lengthy cooking time. Get the recipe for Beef Broth with Tortellini and Parmesan (Brodo) »

These spicy, soy-marinated chicken wings get their elegant “lollipop” shape from a technique called frenching. See the recipe for Chicken Lollipops »

We cook these meaty ribs using indirect heat, meaning not directly over the coals. That way, the meat is infused with pure wood smoke rather than with smoke from fat dripping on the coals. Get the recipe for Baby Back Ribs »

Scallops and Truffles with Beef Marrow (Mare e Monte)

Watercress lends a peppery kick to this elegant springtime soup from The Paris Cookbook by Patricia Wells; garnished with heavy cream and caviar, it’s a luxurious first course. ** See the recipe for Cream of Watercress Soup »**

Flavored with molasses, maple syrup, and rum, this filling bean dish is simple to prepare; all it takes is time. Six hours of cooking yields thick, rich results.

Ciorbă_ (from the Turkish çorba) is the Romanian name for a soup that has been soured — in this case, with a generous shot of fresh lemon juice. Pork-and-rice meatballs bring savory flavor and substance to the paprika-spiced broth. See the recipe for Ciorbă De Perisoare (Pork-and-Rice Meatball Soup) »

This traditional Romanian sweet bread studded with rum-laced candied walnuts, makes a delicious dessert, breakfast bread, or teatime snack. Romanian Walnut Panettone (Chec Cu Nucă) »

This rustic, rib-sticking chicken stew is full of warming paprika, cumin, and chiles. Pair it with something starchy, like buttered potatoes or Romanian polenta with sour cream. See the recipe for Csirkepaprikas (Chicken with Paprika) »

This polenta-like pudding, a staple across Romania, has a firm texture and a briny flavor from a salty, feta-like cheese mixed in at the end of cooking. A topping of more cheese and sour cream makes this a satisfying side dish.

Small skinless sausages like these (pictured top left)are cooked on charcoal grills in Romania and in other parts of eastern Europe and the Balkans. Fragrant with garlic, paprika, and caraway, the Romanian version, called mititei, or “wee ones,” are delicious served with zesty mustard. See the recipe for Mititei (Grilled Sausages) »

This simple sour cream cake is brightened by lemon zest and dotted with ripe apricot halves that cook down to intense tangy sweetness in the oven.

In Transylvania, it’s not unsual to be offered a shot of homemade brandy as a gesture of hospitality upon arriving at a home or guest house. This one has a spicy caraway flavor that balances nicely with the rich walnut cake, Chec Cu Nuca. Get the recipe for Secărică (Caraway Brandy) »

Airy semolina dumplings bob in the fragrant, paprika- and caraway-spiced broth of this warming chicken soup, along with tender chunks of carrot, parsnip, and celery. See the recipe for Supă Cu Găluşte (Chicken Soup with Semolina Dumplings) »

Tender slices of pork loin in a sumptuous cream sauce get tartness from apple cider and apple wedges and a pleasant twinge of heat from red Holland chiles.

Fruit-steeped brandies like this one, common throughout Transylvania and Hungary, are easy to make at home: Plums and sugar are simply left to ferment for two weeks, and then infused into brandy.

Buttery layer cake draped in caramel fudge, with its over-the-top grandeur and unapologetic sweetness, is a Southern classic.

Fresh coconut and its sweet water are the keys to this cake, passed down from pastry chef Ben Mims’ grandmother, Jane Newson.

Lemon infuses this layered masterpiece in three ways: zested into the batter, in a tart syrup that get drizzled over the cakes, and in a thick lemon curd frosting.

Though cream cheese frosting is typically used nowadays on red velvet cake, classic whipped cream frosting makes for a more balanced sweetness.

Alternating layers of white and brown spiced cake are delicious sandwiched with a rich, chocolate fudge icing.

These cheesy rice fritters, often made with leftover risotto, are an addictive snack. Get the recipe for Venetian Rice Fritters (Arancini Veneziani) »

This creamy codfish mousse is delicious served with char-grilled squares of polenta.

Sea scallops on the half shell are seasoned with herbs and a dusting of Parmesan in this classic Venetian chicheti. See the recipe for Cappesante al Forno »

Thyme and white wine bring out the sweet flavor of mussels in this classic dish.

Everything’s better wrapped in bacon, including artichoke hearts.

These pancetta-studded shrimp are ready in minutes. Serve them with extra bread to mop up the garlicky wine sauce. Get the recipe for Shrimp with Pancetta and Rosemary (Gamberi al Rosmarino) »

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Capers, tuna, and anchovies balance the heat in these small, stuffed cherry peppers.

Rich ground veal and potatoes are seasoned with garlic and parsley and fried for a classic Venetian snack.

Our favorite fillings for light, dainty Venetian tea sandwiches are asparagus and eggs, tuna and olives, and arugula with cured beef. Serve a selection open-faced for a colorful, eye-catching presentation.

This dish of zucchini stuffed with prosciutto, tomatoes, and cheese is a hearty finger food.

This spiced vegetable soup is made with reshteh, Iranian noodles.

Eggs cooked with dill-scented lima beans is a comforting northern Iranian specialty. See the recipe for Baghali Ghatogh »

Garnished with walnuts and garlic chips, this creamy dip makes a great appetizer.

Fenugreek, an aromatic dried herb, lends a distinctly floral flavor to hearty veal stew.

A marinade of orange, cumin, and saffron flavors these juicy chicken and tomato kebabs. Get the recipe for Spiced Chicken and Tomato Kebabs (Jujeh Kabab) »

Pomegranate molasses and walnuts bring sweet, sour, and bitter notes to this classic stew.

This herb-laced frittata of eggs, potatoes, and leeks is a popular Iranian side dish.

These tender meatballs are simmered in a sweet-tart tomato and dried plum sauce.

Topped with rose petals and golden raisins, this simple dip is an elegant mezze.

This rice pilaf is famed for its thick, crisp tah dig crust and crown of sweet garnishes. See the recipe for Shirin Polow »

This northern Iranian specialty is topped with dried barberries, a tart local fruit. See the recipe for Tah Chin »

Serve this tart, herbaceous eggplant pickle with Persian rice dishes and stews.

These spicy cabbage pickles offset the richness of roasted meat. See the recipe for Torshi-e Kalam »

These tarragon-flavored pickles pair well with Iranian meatballs and other meat dishes. See the recipe for Torshi-e Piaz »

We love this now-classic dish served at the Blue Ribbon restaurants in New York City, in which the marrow is spread over grilled toast and topped with fried parsley.

Brown bread gets its signature shape from a coffee can mold and its acidic tang from buttermilk and molasses. Get the recipe for Brown Bread »