An upside-down cake made with pears instead of pineapples. I used a combination of Bosc and Clapp pears.

Vietnamese sandwiches, or banh mi, stuffed with succulent pork meatballs.

cherry tomatoes are slowly roasted in the oven on low heat. A little goes a long way.

Shrimp and pork dumplings with napa cabbage and scallions.

A moist banana bread filled with walnuts and chocolate chips.

These pork chops cook up wonderfully, seasoned with garlic, sage, and rosemary.

Scallions are quickly sauteed in oil to add an extra dimension to their flavor. Mixed with lots of ginger. Delicious.

Caponata is an Italian eggplant appetizer

Imagine ice cream that’s taken on the properties of ginger: it’s creamy but cool, subtle and ever-so-spicy.

From Yotam Ottolenghi’s book Plenty, eggplant is accompanied by soba noodles, mango, a tangy lime dressing, and lots of herbs.

Using a simple method of jam making, I made a small jarful of ruby jam.

Made with David Lebovitz’s chocolate ice cream base, this ice cream is better than anything you’ll buy in shops.

Cook’s Illustrated thick and chewy chocolate chip cookie recipe is a hit.

Lamb’s quarters, a wild edible, tastes like spinach and is really healthy like spinach. I sauteed it for a frittata.

An apricot raspberry galette made using Tartine Bakery’s flaky tart dough recipe

Kim Boyce’s olive oil cake is offset by the subtle flavors of rosemary and dark chocolate. It’s a rustic, everyday.

Louisiana Barbecue Shrimp – Not actually barbecued, this Cajun-style shrimp dish is tangy and flavorful.

This salad is the essence of ‘salad’ in my mind. Featuring kale, with tomatoes and ricotta cheese rounding it out.

These buns are versatile: I made mine with all purpose, whole wheat, and rye flour, and they came out hearty but light.