Recipe courtesy of Lobel’s Meat Bible (Raincoast Books).

There’s a difference of opinion on this one: some of my tasters preferred a sharp wedge of Gorgonzola with the salad, others favoured the milder Brie. You decide what’s best for you. To make this a dinner salad, add grilled chicken and a baguette.

A decidedly different cranberry sauce. Serve warm or cold.

Christine Sharp submitted this recipe for Tidings' Maple Syrup Recipe Contest

She makes a simple applesauce to accompany pork that all of her guests rave about.  It has a certain je ne sais quoi, except that only she and her husband know exactly what the "quoi" is. She likes the fact that no one can really tell what makes it taste so good.  The secret is a tablespoon each of maple syrup and calvados.

Recipe adapted from Great Foods of the World -- Regional Italian, Mexican and Asian Cooking by Evan Kleiman, Susan Feninger, Mary Sue Milliken, Joyce Jue (Fog City Press).

Recipe adapted from Great Foods of the World -- Regional Italian, Mexican and Asian Cooking by Evan Kleiman, Susan Feniger, Mary Sue Milliken and Joyce Jue (Fog City Press).

Go back to the future with a retro White Castle sensibility — petite hamburgers for the chi-chi crowd, designed to down in a bite or two, pinkies raised. These little wonders can be embellished with blue cheese, roasted tomato, grilled onions, minced and sautéed Portobello mushrooms, hot peppers and the fantabulous “Secret Sauce.” Vary this recipe according to your taste with ground veal, pork or sausage and your own mix of spices and seasonings.

Recipe courtesy of Oster.

If the basil sprigs in the grocery store are looking a little tired, pick up a package or two anyway, and whip up some fresh pesto.

Serve with roast meats and seafood.

Recipe courtesy of John Besh’s My New Orleans – The Cookbook. Serve over any kind of bird, venison or pork.

Recipe courtesy of Lobel’s Meat Bible (Raincoast Books).

Recipe courtesy of Lobel’s Meat Bible (Raincoast Books).