Mike and I threw some rather legendary cocktail parties at our Brooklyn apartment, and one thing that always went quickly were my deviled eggs. I make several versions but this one, inspired by the smoked trout deviled eggs served at New York’s Pegu Club, is probably our favorite. The smoked trout flavor is clear but subtle, and whipping the egg yolk mixture in the food processor rather than by hand gives it a light and creamy, almost mousse-like texture which I find really appealing. These make a fine foil for an ice-cold Martini at cocktail hour, and the recipe is easy to scale up for entertaining. You can also make the filling a day in advance, and pipe it into the egg white halves just before serving.

As a general rule, I prefer to cook with recipes that use measurements that I understand. But once in a while, instead of a teaspoon of this or a half cup of that, one has to be content with the allocation of “some.” Though this recipe is written in grams, I added “some” chili powder, “some” turmeric, “some” black pepper, the juice of a small lime and some very finely chopped ginger and garlic smashed together to form a paste. I salted my cod a bit, rubbed it with the spice mix and tossed it all in a Ziploc bag for about 30 minutes. Maybe you will choose to marinate it longer; but that was my interpretation of “some” time. Then came the revelation: rice flour. Who knew? The incredibly light fry that this flour makes, the way it refuses to stick to the pan, the lovely gold it turned this fish -– seeing this was worth all my worrying. I cooked my cod about 4 minutes a side –- you can cut into it and make sure you are not overcooking.

I have a thrifty streak a mile wide, so when the local grocery sells wildcaught whole salmon for $2.99/lb (!), I can't help but buy one. But a 4 lb fish + 2 person household = leftovers. I adapted kedgeree, the great Anglo-Indian rice dish traditionally made with legumes (Indian) or smoked haddock (Brits), and turned it into a landing pad for leftover cooked salmon. This recipe can easily be adapted, depending upon the ingredients on hand. The spinach isn't traditional, but I like to throw it in to make a complete meal.

I came up with this sandwich because I love prosciutto and fruit together. They truly complement each other beautifully, as evidenced by the prosciutto e melone primi piatti on so many Italian restaurants' summer menus. I chose to add fontina to this recipe simply because I can't imagine a 'ham' sandwich without cheese, and it melts SO beautifully. And the infusion of rosemary in the bread just brings it all together; the herbal woodiness is divine with stone fruit. Salty, sweet, crispy, melty goodness! -

I love the way coffee enhances the flavor of chocolate, which is why I started doctoring up my favorite chocolate cookies with espresso powder. These cookies are not for the faint of heart, they are decadent and rich, and best accompanied with a glass of milk.

I've been making these potatoes for years and love to serve them with slow-roasted Greek chicken. The olives mellow out with the long roasting time.

Cafe enjoyment is often about strategy—where you sit, how to coax the barista into making your coffee just so, making sure you get there before your beloved cinnamon roll is snapped up by someone else. Recently, my husband Tad and I figured out that if we wanted to be able to get a table for four on the weekends at our favorite local spot—Iris Cafe—we needed to arrive just before 9 am. We've managed to do it but it's not pretty. One of our kids usually leaves the house half pajama'd, and we end up sprint-walking -- no stopping to indulge one's curiosity in a sidewalk crack! -- there. But it's worth it so we can sit, each in our own seat, and stare at each other, half awake, as we gulp coffee and eat soft-boiled eggs with mashed avocado on toast.

Lightly adapted from Melissa Clark's In the Kitchen with a Good Appetite. Her version has whole cumin, coriander and brown mustard seeds. It's a spice mixture that's very adaptable, obviously; my current version is below. Also, if you don't have sliced almonds, substitute some chopped almonds or cashews.

I saw a grilled cheese with mustard on a menu years ago, and since then, on the rare occasion that I’ll throw caution to the wind and make or order a big grilled cheese sandwich, I have to have some mustard on the side. Mustard makes almost everything better, I’d argue; one of my friends at work and I bonded over our shared love of the condiment. When an open jar is in my midst, I will put it on whatever is closest, especially if that something is a thick slice of buttery brioche with plenty of melty cheese and peppery mustard greens. Are you drooling? If it’s breakfast time where you are, perhaps consider throwing a fried egg into the mix.