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Seasonal: Spring
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1. Lemon zest is lemon squared, an intense hit of citrus. Combined with garlic, olive oil, and black pepper, it makes a perky coating for pasta, or a delicious counterpoint in a risotto made with spinach or asparagus. It is wonderful as a garnish for vegetable soups, in dressings for grilled vegetables, fish, or meat, and a strip of peel is a classic addition to a cold martini.

2. To zest a lemon, use a very sharp knife or a lemon zester to peel the yellow away from the bitter white pith beneath. If using a knife, mince or finely shred the peel. If using a grater, use the finest-grade size. Be gentle: you want only the yellow, not the white, part of the peel. Lemon zest is best raw or barely warmed.

3. Lemongrass is like a lemony, spring morning. It imparts a gentle, sunny spirit that is wonderful in soups or broths, particularly broth for poaching chicken, delicate fish, lobster, or shrimp. To get the most flavor, peel the dry outer layers of the stalk, smash the stalk with the side of a knife, and then cut it into long thin strips. Unless it is very fresh and tender, lemongrass should be removed prior to serving.

4. Basil is a vigorous herb; it lends muscle and spice to a dish. It has a citrus sort of heat, sometimes orangey, sometimes lemony, with faint hints of licorice and pepper. Superb with tomatoes (or almost any summer vegetable), chicken, seafood, or fish, basil adds a sassy, bold note of summer.

5. Chervil evokes a late-spring morning near a beach. It has delicate, fernlike leaves and an herbaceous, grassy taste with undertones of anise, which makes it a terrific herb to use with lobster or other shellfish, particularly in salads. It is most potent--and prettiest--raw and makes a great addition to salads of any kind, especially cucumber ones. Fennel leaves or tarragon can be used in its place.

6. Coriander tastes like a long, dry heat wave. It is also called cilantro and Chinese parsley, but resembles parsley only in appearance. It is a peppery, searing, love-it-or-hate-it herb used in Mexican cooking to add spice to gazpacho or salsas and also in hot Indo-Chinese salads and cooking. Along with fresh mint and basil, cilantro forms a sort of Indo-Chinese trilogy. It adds a macho, adolescent swagger to a dish with its sharp, herbal tang.

7. Dill tastes like summer. The feathery, fresh dill leaf is pungent, tangy, and has a mild caraway flavor. It is a wonderful complement for fish (especially salmon), chicken, eggs, carrots, cucumbers, and potatoes. Consider dill in a yogurt and cucumber soup, a cream sauce for mild fish, an egg or chicken salad. Dill lends a dish the spirit of a rushing river and sun through shady trees.

8. Earthy and mildly minty, oregano is the softer mint. It brings a rounded sort of brightness to tomatoes, Greek dishes, lamb, chicken salad, potatoes, or bread, and it pairs well with basil in tomato sauces, pizza, lasagna, or marinades for meat destined for the grill.

9. Spicy and sweet, marjoram is a girlish, summer herb that makes a great addition to salads, fish stews, and many Italian dishes, but remains in the background, like a warm, friendly acquaintance in a crowd.

10. Mint is like a sunny afternoon. There are more than 600 kinds of mint, of which the spicy peppermint and slightly less assertive spearmint are the most widely used in the kitchen. Mint contributes a fresh note to fish, shellfish, or lamb, a jolt to asparagus, and an unexpected bit of spicy heat to salads or cold soups. Mint adds cheer to a dish.

11. Parsley is like a summer morning in a dish. Mild, curly-leafed parsley is used for its fresh green taste; flat-leaf or "Italian" parsley has a richer, spicier flavor. Used for garnishing, parsley is also delicious in salads, and tossed with olive oil, it becomes a salad unto itself. It's a jolt of freshness in soups, sauces, or cold grain dishes such as tabbouleh. Parsley adds a sense of life, a little note of vibrancy to a dish.

12. Rosemary is autumn in the woods. Its blue-green spears taste minty, peppery, and piney, but rosemary is a strong flavor unto itself. It does wonderful things for roasted chicken, potatoes, focaccia, wintery soups, lamb, and meaty stews. It is excellent in marinades for grilled food, but adds a cool-weather soul to a dish.

13. Sage is the herb of winter, smoky and musty with a sharp edge that complements rich game and meat. In turn, sage gives a meaty quality to winter vegetables, is delicious deep-fried in the Italian manner, and contributes a wonderful flavor to pork or lamb. It is a common ingredient in the stuffing for Thanksgiving turkey.

14. Long, slender tarragon, the anise of leaves, gives a summer spice, a hint of sun, to shellfish, fish, or chicken. Its potent flavor and sharp edge make it a wonderful foil for rich sauces, such as béarnaise or mayonnaise. Tarragon leaves are a great addition to salads, add an elusive licorice taste to grilled or marinated vegetables, and lend a sunny note to fish stews.

15. Sweet-tasting thyme carries undertones of wild brush and pine. It is a mainstay of European cooking, a soldier in bouquet garni, an instinctive addition to any stock, and an automatic choice for seasoning chicken, lamb, or even full-flavored fish. The leaves make a great marinade for fresh cheese or vegetables.

16. Ginger juice gives kick and fire to smooth salad dressings--particularly for summer chicken, grilled meat, fresh tuna, or hearty seafood salads--as well as to marinades for grilled food. Ginger juice couples well with soy sauce: try using soy and ginger to make vinaigrette for fresh tuna salad or a dressing for rice or buckwheat noodles.

17. To make ginger juice: Grate ginger root and twist it in cheesecloth to extract the liquid. Try using it with a dash of soy sauce to make a spicy vinaigrette. Or add the juice, along with garlic, salt, and pepper--to taste--to yogurt for a sassy dip.

18. Spices like ground coriander, cumin, and curry blends have more flavor if briefly toasted in a very hot heavy skillet before using. Heat the skillet well, add the spice, stir constantly for one minute, and remove from heat. Allow the spice to cool before using it in a recipe.

19. The longer you cook garlic, and the larger the pieces you cook, the less powerful its taste becomes. If you like a mere hint of garlic, leave the cloves whole and toast them gently in oil or simmer them in a slow-cooked stew. For a little more garlic flavor, crush the clove before cooking; for an even more potent taste, mince the garlic and cook it briefly. The most powerful garlic taste comes from raw minced cloves.

20. Roasted garlic has a sweet, nutty taste and a soft, gooey texture. It is wonderful as an appetizer spread on bread or crackers. As an ingredient, it can add nutty, lightly caramel tones to dishes such as long-simmering stews, risottos, pasta sauces, or pizza. Roasted garlic vinaigrette is wonderful on full-flavored greens and can be used as well as a marinade for chicken or beef.

21. To make roasted garlic, rub bulbs with olive oil, season them with salt and pepper, and roast in a 350-degree oven for 30 to 45 minutes until the cloves are soft. Cool. Press the cloves from their shells and store, covered with butter or olive oil, for up to two weeks in the refrigerator.

22. Flavored oils can give pizzazz to food. Herb oils, mushroom oils, and garlic, pepper, and spice oils should be matched with the flavor of the dish to accentuate existing tastes or add a compatible taste. The aroma of flavored oil dissipates in cooking, so add the oil when you remove the dish from the heat.

23. To boost the unassertive taste of pasta, salt the water well before you add the noodles. The salt adds flavor and helps keep the pasta from clumping.

24. To boost the flavor of plain white rice, add chicken or beef glaze, a dash of cayenne, or a sprig of a fresh herb like thyme, rosemary, bay, or marjoram to the cooking water.

25. To revive the flavor of dried herbs, moisten the herbs slightly with water, vinegar, or lemon juice--whichever will be least disruptive to the flavor of the dish you have in mind. Let the moistened herbs stand for 25 minutes before using them.

26. To boost the waning flavors of dried herbs, mince them with fresh parsley and let them stand for 15 minutes prior to using them. The parsley freshens their flavors and aromas.

27. To revive canned vegetables and erase the metallic taste, drain, blanch in well-salted water, and completely cool them under cold running water before using in a dish.

28. The lighter the color of the soy sauce, the sweeter its flavor. Light, sweet soys are best in vinaigrettes and marinades. Darker, thicker soys are best for stir-frying, making sauces, and basting roasting meats.

29. To deepen the flavor of the worst winter tomatoes, cut them in half, season with salt and pepper--or even a flavored oil--and dry them in a 250-degree oven for an hour.

30. Asparagus. There is something brave and willful about the wispy, pale spears of spring. You can't eat just one. You need them by the bundle. And if the spears are similar in size, a bundle of asparagus will cook evenly. Stand them stem end down in boiling water, cook until barely tender, drain, and cool them under running water. Fresh mint, lemon zest, or nutmeg do wonderful, unexpected things to asparagus.

31. Grilling asparagus: The race of the human heart at asparagus rising is equal in fervor to the annual race for the backyard grill. Indulge the impulse to combine the ritual of white coals with the season's first asparagus, but stop in the kitchen first. Asparagus should be blanched briefly, drained, and completely chilled before being roasted over slow coals. Dress them with oil, lemon, or vinegar after grilling, if you dress them at all.

32. Coiled like tiny watch springs, fiddlehead ferns are edible when tight and young; unfurled, they are unfit for human consumption. Grab them early. Clip their dark ends and clean each by unfurling under running water. Blanch, drain, and chill them. Then douse them with butter, bake them in cream under a sprinkling of breadcrumbs, or toss them with pancetta or bacon, a bold olive oil, or soy sauce and sesame seeds.

33. Pea shoots and pea greens--the leaves and stems of snow pea plants--must be handled gently and cooked quickly to preserve their tender nature. With crisp stalks and buttery, rich leaves, they have a subtle pea taste and act a lot like spinach, whether added to salad, stir-fried in sesame oil and garlic, or sautéed in butter or olive oil. Pea shoots can withstand strong seasoning or flourish with none at all. They are delicious served with lobster, shrimp, salmon, or soft-shelled crabs, and can also be tossed with pasta or added, at the last minute, to risotto. More, please!

34. The sound of a soft-shell crab sizzling in a pan is like the sound of fans cheering for the home team. It means spring. Captured between incarnations, the crabs are toothsome and sweet. To crisp their shells, dust them lightly in flour--or soak them in milk and then dredge them in flour--and cook them quickly, please, in screaming hot butter or olive oil. They are delicious in brown butter with lemon, almonds, sesame seeds, or black bean sauce, or can be seared in a wok and piled high with a spicy Asian salad of scallions, basil, coriander, and mint.

35. Also known as broad beans, fava beans are in season starting in April, and beneath their tough skin have a tender texture unique among legumes. Available dried but exceptional when fresh, they need to be stripped of their skins (blanching helps) before being cooked gently with a little butter or cream and a sprinkling of herbs, such as savory, thyme, or sage.

36. Leeks' gentle flavor is often besmirched by the sand and dirt that lurks between the layers. A good offense is your best defense. Trim the dark green top and the root end from the leek, lay it flat, and, beginning 1/2-inch from the root end, slice the leek in half, turn, and repeat. Fan and swish the leek in a bowl of water. Change the water and repeat until the water is grit-free.

37. Unlike any other mushroom, a morel's charm lies more in its snap than its substance. The hollow, honeycombed mushroom lacks girth, but, if cooked with alacrity, the morel delivers a hint of the earth--or hazelnuts and sometimes nutmeg--to a dish. Since they have defied commercial propagation, their discovery is always a treat.

38. Morels are wonderful baked in heavy cream with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese, tossed with cream and fettuccine, sautéed quickly in nothing but butter, or tossed with potatoes and leeks in vinaigrette laced with truffle oil. Yum.

39. Wild ramps, garlicky wild onions, are synonymous with spring. They can be blanched, steamed, boiled, baked, or grilled. But for a vernal party, try this technique: clean the ramps, allowing about a pound per person. In a big, heavy casserole, braise the ramps in a lot of good olive oil, seasoning liberally with salt and pepper over lowest heat for 40 minutes. Cover the pot, remove it from the heat, and allow to sit for up to two hours.

40. Ramps can be served as a first course with boiled new potatoes or rice; tossed over pasta with garlic, olive oil, and Parmesan cheese; or mounded on croutons or focaccia. They also make a fine companion to lamb, chicken, salmon, or tuna.

41. Rhubarb. For the most toothsome pies, chutneys, or jams, the stringy parts should be removed from rhubarb stalks. You can make short work of it by slicing a thin disc from the bottom of the stalk, leaving it partially attached, then using the disc as a handle to pull the strings off one side of the stalk. Reverse the stalk and repeat to remove the strings from the other side.

42. White, tender little button mushrooms--so humble, so common, so taken for granted. Yet what better way to add a hint of buttery earthiness to a delicate meat like chicken or veal or a plain substance to pasta or rice? Blanched briefly and marinated in a lemony vinaigrette, mushrooms are a wonderful thing indeed.

43. Fresh cheeses, such as un-aged goat cheese, feta cheese, mozzarella, and farmer's cheese, can be bathed in olive oil and herbs, spices, or lots of black pepper and served with warm bread and drinks before the party. They are filling. They are easy. They are good.

44. Fragrant steams: Young spring ingredients have a delicate flavor. Exotic steaming liquids can add pizzazz without masking the subtle flavor of the ingredients. Consider steaming spring things over an intense broth of lemongrass, chili peppers, and mint, a bouillon with roasted lemon and garlic, or a broth spiked with orange and chili and rosemary. For easy, seasonal entertaining, serve several pots of steamed treats with fluffy white rice. Expect applause.

45. To sauté means to quickly fry an ingredient in a smidgen of oil or fat. It seals in flavor and moisture and is well suited to delicate fish or meat. The secret is speed: get the skillet medium-hot, get the ingredient in, cook it briefly, flip it, and take it out of the pan. Then add the ingredients for the sauce. Because it is a last-minute technique, sautéing is a challenge when entertaining. The basic ingredient can be sautéed a few minutes ahead of time, kept in a warm place, and then, just before serving, napped with sauce.

46. Artichokes for company. Leaf by messy leaf. As a first course, an artichoke turns guests from audience to participants. The finger-food aspect prompts even the most decorous to roll up their sleeves. The metaphor--peeling away the spiny leaves to find the gentle heart--sets a hopeful social stage. The fact that artichokes can be made well in advance and served at room temperature makes them a boon for the harried host.

47. Artichokes turn black when cut or peeled. To preserve the vibrant color, put them in a mixture of 1 quart of cold water and 1/2 cup of white-wine vinegar after cleaning and before cooking. Lemon or vinegar in the cooking water also helps preserve the green and limit the browning.

48. Steamed, braised, or boiled and doused in a subtle vinaigrette, leeks are a good choice for company dinners. They can be made ahead and served cold, at room temperature, or barely warm. As a first course they can stand alone; flanking a roast, they make a gently sweet counterpoint. Leeks are amiable--they may inspire the same quality in guests.

49. Spinach adds a blast of brilliant green to a party menu and can be made ahead of time in this way: Heat butter or olive oil in a large skillet, quickly stir-fry the clean spinach, remove from heat, cover, and let sit while the spinach absorbs the flavor of the butter or oil for up to 30 minutes before serving. A pound of spinach wilts to serve two.

50. Spinach is a durable green, as greens go, and is therefore a smart choice for a party menu. The spinach should be well cleaned ahead of time and kept refrigerated under a damp cloth. To make a warm, substantial salad, toss it with a hot vinaigrette just before serving--try bacon fat and balsamic vinegar, hot garlic oil with fresh lemon, or diced smoked chicken, turkey, or duck sautéed in walnut or hazelnut oil.

51. A single large thing, roasted and shared, makes a splendid statement and gives guests something in common. If the center of the meal also evokes the season--a meat, fish, or vegetable that appears for a short time--the party feels timely and special. Seasonal ingredients also connect people to the weather, the earth, and each other.

52. A company dinner built around a seasonal ingredient makes an awesome statement. In spring, likely candidates include whole roasted salmon or a fat side of salmon, rack of lamb, veal loin, and butter-roasted chicken, flanked by heaping platters of asparagus, fiddlehead ferns, ramps, or buttered baby carrots.

53. Presenting a roasted side of salmon to company in the spring evokes the memory of a limited, and therefore precious, bounty. Fortunately, a fatty spring salmon is also forgiving. The fish can be slathered with a teriyaki-style marinade, a delicious olive oil, a basil or rosemary oil, a mixture of sesame oil and soy sauce, or with a chervil, dill, or parsley butter, any of which will add flavor and moisture. Roast the fish in a 400- degree oven until halfway cooked, turn off the oven, cover the fish with foil, and leave for up to 30 minutes before serving. It will look beautiful and be moist and full of flavor.

54. Small, plump chickens--trussed, butter-basted, and roasted very slowly--make a wonderful centerpiece for company meals in the spring. There is something dear and familiar about the meal that establishes a familial intimacy among strangers around a table. Allow half a 2- to 3-pound chicken per guest and present the little birds surrounded by boiled and buttered new potatoes and carrots or mounds of asparagus, spinach, or other spring greens.

55. A boneless loin of veal, roasted or oven-braised, makes a tender centerpiece to a spring dinner for company. Veal makes an occasion special and echoes the young, innocent feeling of spring. Slather the veal with scallion, chervil, or shallot butter, a fruity olive oil, or an herbed oil--the meat is lean and needs help to stay moist. Sear it on every side. Roast it briefly in a hot oven, then cover it--with wafers of ham, a nest of braised spinach, lettuce leaves, or foil--and turn off the oven. The veal will remain toothsome for up to half an hour and will elicit oh s and ah s when presented whole, surrounded by vegetables and potatoes.

56. Spring vegetables for company: As the world warms and comes back to life, the human heart beats a little louder. It's only human to feel a certain rising sap. A brilliant host matches the mood with a menu. In spring, consider vegetables: the younger the better, the more the merrier. Asparagus, fiddleheads, baby greens, artichokes, fava beans--an array of youth and hope unites guests in a feeling of being forever young.

57. The new potatoes of spring are ideal for entertaining. They trumpet the season, require no last-minute intervention, and can be turned into almost anything. The little potatoes can be split and roasted, topped with fresh cheese, sour cream, caviar, or smoked fish--or perhaps stuffed with a mélange of spring vegetables and enriched with truffle oil and a single morel--to make a delicious hors d'oeuvre. For a first course, they can be boiled and roasted, combined with artichoke hearts, mushrooms, asparagus, fiddlehead ferns, or shiitake mushrooms, and served on baby greens. They can also be tossed with butter, olive oil, or herb or mushroom oil as a companion to a main course.

58. To preserve the shape of peeled potatoes while boiling for salads, add a dash of white vinegar to the boiling water. The vinegar causes the peeled spuds to form a thin crust and limits flaking, breaking, and morphing.

59. A roast is a host's best friend. Prime rib, tenderloin, pork loins, veal loins, racks and saddles and legs of lamb, even sides of large fish can be roasted ahead of time and kept warm for up to half an hour before serving. The resting time allows the natural juices to disperse from the center of the cut, making a juicier meal. It also grants the cook some wiggle room in timing the meal.

60. One-pot meals are a host's best friend. In the spring, consider a veal stew with wild mushrooms or artichoke hearts; chicken poached in stock with baby vegetables and new potatoes, served under a bouquet of fresh chervil; thick salmon filets poached in a spicy Asian shellfish broth, finished with fresh sugar snap peas and showered with a mixture of chopped basil, coriander, and mint.

61. Finger food and company. A little mess can turn strangers into co-conspirators at the table. Consider a first course meant for fingers. Artichokes to be plucked, dipped, and nibbled. Vegetables to be dipped in hot garlic olive oil. Handheld herbed focaccia, blini, mini-quiches, bruschetta, or heaping croutons. Shellfish mounded on ice, just begging to be plucked, cracked, or peeled, sucked, slurped or dipped. The possibilities are endless. Warm towels or finger bowls are essential. An initially shy humanity is emboldened, united by sticky fingers and fears for silk blouses and ties.

62. Participatory meals break ice. Every culture has meals in which guests cook, or at least assemble, their meal at the table, bite by bite. It breaks the ice, banishes reserve, turns strangers into family--and gives the cook a break. Consider Swiss fondue, Cambodian hot pot, Italian bagna calda, a classic French aïoli, Vietnamese grills for wrapping, fold-your-own Chinese dumplings--and you'll be able to consider yourself a guest.

63. Salute the season--and buy yourself extra minutes in the kitchen while guests sip and converge--with nibbles that are easy to make ahead. Some spring winners: fresh cheese marinated in olive oil and herbs and served with croutons, split roasted new potatoes with truffle or chive oil, bruschetta topped with braised ramps, steamed fiddleheads wrapped in pancetta and skewered on toothpicks, asparagus spears wrapped in pancetta, individual Greek-style spinach pies.

64. A smart host establishes commonality among her guests, and feasts that have a place in the national (or regional) heart have a way of reminding strangers of something they share. In the spring, consider a traditional Louisiana crayfish boil or planked salmon from the Pacific Northwest.

65. Spring vegetables such as asparagus, leeks, ramps, watercress, fiddleheads, and baby greens lend themselves to simple puréed soups. Another first course for company is a composed salad: little greens tangled with a more substantial delicacy--baby potatoes with morels or shiitakes, fresh baked cheese, or even marinated spring vegetables--spell the season and set the stage.

66. Time-pressed hosts take note: The simplest dinner--revitalized take-out, an easy pasta or risotto, a simple piece of chicken or fish--can become the prelude to a fabulous dessert. Guests leave feeling wowed and sated.

67. You can turn an ordinary meal into a special occasion by ending it with an "oh wow" dessert. In the spring, consider rhubarb pie, cobbler, or fool; raspberry tart or crisp; or anything made with lemon: mousse, charlotte, meringue pie, or a sumptuous lemon curd tart.

68. Anyone with a garden knows that at some point, you've got to figure out what to do with all those tomatoes; even the neighbors get sick of your "gifts." A classic Neapolitan pizza--pizza dough topped with nothing more than fresh tomato slices tossed with a little olive oil and oregano--will make you wish for a year-round surplus.

69. When the bounty of eggplants starts piling up, look to the grill: whole eggplants left on a low-heat grill to cook through are easily peeled, and can be turned into a smoky baba ghanoush you won't find in a restaurant. Thick grilled slices can also be the foundation of a great summertime sandwich.

70. Time was most people knew zucchini from their appearance on bar-food menus, deep-fried beyond recognition. But slicing them up, blanching, and then lightly sautéing them in olive oil makes them a perfect addition to a pasta primavera. Their bright green color will turn an ordinary plate of fettuccine into an elegant lunch.

71. Sorrel is not to be missed in the summertime; it adds a lemony tang to dishes in which you might otherwise use spinach. Folded into soups or sauces, the bright, crisp yet tender leaves evoke the warmth of the season.

72. Avocados are wonderful in salads, dips like guacamole, and seafood salads, or simply diced in the shell and topped with salsa. Lime juice protects the flesh from browning better than lemon juice.

73. To avoid blackening vegetables on the grill, blanch sliced or cut veggies briefly, or zap them in the microwave before brushing them with oil and grilling them. Maximum flavor, minimal char.

74. Fruit, glorious fruit--nothing is better for ending an easy summer meal. Berries and melon can be tossed with a few drops of good balsamic vinegar to add spice and depth. For a fresher, zingier taste, use lemon or lime juice instead.

75. Don't salt the water for boiling or steaming corn on the cob: salt toughens the kernels. Instead, add a pinch of sugar. Sugar emphasizes the corn's natural sweetness and helps keep the nibs tender.

76. For the tenderest corn on the cob, try simmering the shucked ears in a mixture of equal parts water and milk. The cooking liquid makes a great base for corn chowder the next day.

77. To reduce the acidity in canned tomatoes, add a touch of sugar as they cook. For a deeper flavor, simmer the tomatoes slowly with carrots, onions, or bell peppers--their natural sugars will also balance the tart, acidic tastes.

78. Scallion brushes make a playful garnish, a spicy crudité, or an edible implement, handy for brushing sauce over barbecued foods or hoisin sauce over Peking duck. Trim the roots and the dark green tops to create a 2- to 4-inch brush. Lay the scallion flat and make a cut that begins 1 inch up from the root end to the tip of the leaves. Turn the scallion and repeat four times. Chill in ice water until serving.

79. There are cherries, there are the pits, and there is a solution. For minimal mess and maximum yield of juice and pulp, pit them this way: Press the stem end of the cherry with your thumb until you feel the stone, then press the side walls below the pit, urging it upward through the stem end. Your fingers will be stained. Oh, the pies and cobblers and clafouties you will make!

80. A cold soup is the summer host's best friend. It can be made ahead of time and is always refreshing. But a cold soup without a punch is misery. Chilly things numb the tongue, so seasonings have to be more pronounced. Use vibrant chili peppers, cumin, crushed coriander seeds, and fresh chopped herbs to season a cold soup. Spike the acidity with a splash of vinegar, lemon, or lime. Be wanton with salt. Summer is a time to err on the side of excess.

81. Cold bean and lentil salads: Dried bean and lentil salads can supply substance and savvy to a picnic or a backyard dinner. Summer heat makes the flavors bloom. The key is to cook the beans or lentils until barely tender, drain, and toss while still warm in a well-seasoned vinaigrette so that the flavors of the dressing permeate the legumes as they cool.

82. Cold grain salads: When turning a grain--bulgur wheat, rye or wheat berries, Italian farro, rice or wild rice--into a cold salad, let the grain do what it does best. Let it soak up the sauce. Mildly undercook the grain and toss it while still warm with a dressing or vinaigrette. As they cool, each grain will absorb maximum flavor. These salads can withstand rising mercury and blazing sun.

83. Day-old bread: A big bread salad makes a terrific centerpiece for a summer buffet and a shallow dent in the budget, and it requires no last-minute fuss. Grate the stale crusty bread, soak it in water, and combine it with a finely chopped tomato, cucumber, and herb salad in olive-oil-rich vinaigrette. To Italians, it's panzanella. To Americans, it's a summer version of Thanksgiving dressing.

84. Is your bread a bit too stale to serve with that outdoor barbecue? Here's an idea: use your grill. Soak the slices in cold water, wring them out but keep them intact, and then slap them on the grill for a couple of minutes. The smoky flavors of the grill and the steamy interior will make you think you left that bread on the counter for a reason.

85. Memory meals: A smart host tries to establish commonality among guests, and feasts that have a place in the national heart can remind strangers of something they share. In the summer, consider Low Country barbecue, a Cape Cod clam bake, or a Maine lobster boil.

86. In summer, consider the traditional feasts of hot-weather cultures. The Middle Eastern mezze, the Italian antipasti table, and the tapas of Spain are all composed of little dishes, allowing guests to please their own appetites. The dishes are typically prepared in advance and served cold or at room temperature. Heaven for the harried host.

87. There's nothing like a participatory meal to make friends out of strangers. In summer, consider laying out chopped salads, grilled vegetables, grated cheese, marinated tomatoes, various herbed oils--things that can be made well in advance. Serve an olive-oil foccacia from the grill and let the company slather, sprinkle, and top their own meal.

88. A participatory meal turns a dinner party into a common cause. In summer, consider serving iced beet soup and passing the fixings for borscht--dill, sliced beets, potatoes, sour cream, chopped onions, and hard cooked eggs. Minimal hostess intervention, maximum guest interaction, and a main-course summer soup make for a lovely party.

89. A participatory meal can make any dinner party into instant family. In the summer, consider serving an icy tomato broth with bowls of minced onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, a profusion of herbs, toasted olive oil croutons, chopped almonds, minced chiles, and sweet peppers for a have-it-your-way main-course gazpacho.

90. Reinvent the salad bar and turn a company summer meal into a guest-supported feast. Far in advance, make platters of marinated vegetables--zucchini with basil and lemon, eggplant with garlic and chiles, grilled sweet peppers bathed in olive oil, tomatoes and red onions tossed in olive oil, maybe cucumbers with lemon and herbs. Offer several fresh cheeses macerated in olive oil and herbs, heaps of toasted crusty croutons, and a huge bowl of greens, and set guests loose. It's summer. Living should be light and easy.

91. One great grilled thing--spicy marinated flank steak, a sirloin thick enough for a crowd, a marinated leg of lamb, a thick slab of marinated tuna or swordfish--can become many different dishes when sliced and heaped on a platter with many different salsas. Consider a spicy traditional salsa; a melon, chili, and peanut salsa; a cucumber, mint, basil, and cilantro model; even fresh cherries macerated in balsamic vinegar and black pepper. Add good bread, couscous, or rice for a backyard buffet with pizzazz.

92. For ease--and an added smoky flavor--grill big cuts of meat before the guests arrive and leave them covered on the grill to coolly smoke until dinner is called. A leg of lamb, split chickens, thick cuts of sirloin, pork or beef loin, and ribs will all thrive with this treatment. So will the host.

93. Spray misters are a grill master's friend. Fill one with water to address small flare-ups, another with a light basting sauce, flavored oil, or a good olive oil to moisten food as it cooks.

94. A simple one-dish notion for summer entertaining is a chopped salad--perhaps it is minced arugula, black olives, and Parmesan cheese, tomatoes with basil and red onions, or shaved fennel with chilies, orange segments, and black olives--tossed with hot pasta. The greens melt, as will the hearts of guests at such flavor, such ease.

95. One-pot meals are a host's best friend. In the summer consider gazpacho topped with fresh lobster; succotash made with grilled corn and fresh lima beans topped with grilled salmon, chicken, or lobster; or grilled ratatouille topped with slices of grilled chicken.

96. Corn on the cob is dear to the American heart. Served grilled in the husk with melted sweet, lime, or chili butter, corn on the cob can break the social ice as a main course, and it passes the task of husking and de-silking from cook to guest.

97. Standing around the grill, waiting for the coals to whiten. Guests are getting hungry. Abate appetites with ease: brush pita bread with olive oil, lightly toast it, and serve with fresh feta doused with olive oil, black pepper, and herbs. Or grill thick slices of bread and offer them with chopped tomatoes, basil, and olive oil for an easy bruschetta. The evening is young.

98. Unlike mayonnaise, which can be undone by the sun, olive oil or a mixture of olive oil with lemon or vinegar will imbue vegetables, rice, pasta, grain, and bean dishes--even meats, cheeses, and seafood--with flavor. This strategy also provides more warm-weather protection than egg or cream-based dressings.

99. The summer appetite lusts for salads, and what's the backyard host to do? Hot nights are death to crisp green things. To keep a salad perky, nest the bowl in another bowl of well-salted ice and toss it occasionally to spread the cool.

100. The secret of a perfect hamburger is simple: don't mush the meat. Handle it gently, season it wisely, and form it carefully into patties, spreading your fingers as you gently pat. The higher the fat content of the beef, the juicier the burger. Sybarites add a pat of butter to the center.

101. Use common sense when grilling the common hamburger and you will have uncommonly juicy results. Don't press it, prod it, push it, or flatten it--leave the patty alone. The press of a spatula pushes juices out of the meat and onto the coals.

102. The most mundane summer meal can be saved with a killer dessert. Consider variations on shortcakes. Set out bowls of strawberries macerated in sugar, peaches in brown sugar, or raspberries and blueberries gently mushed with sugar, with a bowl of good whipped cream. Serve biscuits, hot from the oven. Let the guests do the rest.

103. Setting the summer table is a pleasure--there are so many flowers, vivid greens, even herbs this time of year. Go for profusion: Use sap buckets or tin pails and fill them with a wild array. If serving outside, put stones in the bottom of the pail. Even summer has its wind.

104. Hands-on meals can make an intimate, informal, even rollicking dinner party. They also make for messy hands. Buy cheap towels or washcloths, soak in lemon water, wring, roll tightly, put on a tray, and nuke briefly in the microwave. Guest will thank you.

105. Those who love fennel for its licorice taste--or anyone who buys a bulb past its prime--should remember this. A dash of Pernod on raw fennel, or added during the early stages of cooking, will amplify the anise flavor. In dishes cooked slowly, crushed fennel seeds will work the same magic. Orange, fresh thyme, chile peppers, and garlic are fennel's other best friends.

106. To rekindle a sense of the sea in shrimp long frozen, arrange them in their shells on a tray, cover with a layer of sea salt, and refrigerate for an hour before cooking. If boiling in the shell, salt the water well.

107. Overcooked shrimp is sorry, dry, and tough. For maximum juice and flavor, watch the shrimp as you cook it. When it begins to curl into a semicircle, it is done. Tightly coiled shrimp are overdone.

108. Your eyes and nose are the best guides to cooking fish. But a little timer can be handy, too. Whether grilling, frying, poaching, boiling, or steaming, measure the steak or fillet at its thickest point and allow 10 minutes of cooking per inch.

109. To avoid dry, overcooked fish, cook it just until it begins to flake. As soon as you see the fatty grooves between the pieces of flesh melt and the flakes emerge, the fish is cooked. Take it off the heat.

110. Browning a roast creates a great flavor and a beautiful presentation. You can brown the meat in a heavy-bottomed skillet on the top of the stove, or in a 500-degree oven for 5 to 10 minutes, turning to brown evenly on every side. For faster browning, brush the meat with melted butter.

111. To give roasts a deep brown finish with a delicate crunch, rub with flour seasoned with salt and pepper, place in a 450-degree oven for 5 minutes, and then reduce the heat to 350 until the meat is cooked.

112. Delicate, boneless roasts--such as veal, beef, or pork tenderloins--need a little protection in a hot oven. A light dusting of seasoned flour or a roll through fine bread crumbs insulates the meat and helps keep it juicy.

113. The old skewer trick does puncture the meat, but it is also one of the surest tests of doneness. Insert a skewer in the thickest part of the roast, count to 30, and remove. If the skewer is cold, the meat is not cooked. If the skewer is warm, the meat is rare. If the skewer is hot, the meat is well done.

114. When roasting meat, use tongs or a sturdy metal spatula to turn the meat. Before turning, lift the end of the roasting pan up, so that the meat and hot grease are further from you. Forks puncture the roast and precious juices get lost.

115. When roasting, do like the pros: make a bed of diced carrots, onions, and celery, put the roast on top, and, throughout the roasting, stir the vegetables and serve them along with the meat. The vegetables absorb the juices from the meat and make a great side dish or a base for a delicious sauce or a soup.

116. A smart host seeks a common thread between guests, and meals inspired by American regional cuisines can provide such a connection. In the fall, consider a main course of New England clam chowder, Texas-style ribs and corn, and a dessert buffet of various apple pies.

117. One-pot meals are a host's best friend. In the fall, consider a chili-fired beef stew served in baby pumpkins or acorn squash, venison mole served in acorn squash or over split fresh corn muffins, or pork loin braised in apple cider and served with spiced, roasted apples.

118. Roasted, boiled, or caramelized, an onion is a tasty, durable vegetable for company meals in the winter. Cooking curbs its sharpness and brings out the sweetness. Onions should be partially boiled before roasting and will cook more quickly and evenly if a deep "X" is cut into the root end of the vegetable.

119. Cauliflower is a great choice for winter entertaining. Sturdy and snowy white, the vegetable is amenable to a panoply of seasonings from curry to herbs. It can be finished with olive oil, butter, cream, a range of sauces, or even a salty cheese like feta, plus it can rest in a warm oven without suffering. To keep cauliflower white, add 2 tablespoons of white vinegar to the cooking water.

120. Brussels sprouts are best when hard and wrapped tight. Unfortunately, this state can lead to uneven cooking. For best results, cut the stem end close to the sprout and use a sharp knife to cut an "X" in the tip of the stem. Steam, boil, or blanch them and serve with butter or olive oil and pine nuts or minced pancetta.

121. Ruby red beets and red cabbage lend dramatic color to a winter dish. To brighten the color of either, add vinegar or lemon juice to the cooking water.

122. Dried beans make great winter dishes. To keep them tender, avoid cooking them with acidic foods, particularly tomatoes. If a bean recipe calls for tomatoes, vinegar, or any acidic ingredient, add it at the very end of cooking. Salt also toughens their skins, so wait to add it to the cooking water until about half an hour before they're done.

123. Squash is heaven's gift to hosts in the fall and winter. Squash purées can be made well in advance and kept warm in the oven. Cubed squash can be roasted ahead and kept warm, too. Either way, squash adds color and a sweet flavor to a meal.

124. A meat glaze provides body and depth to winter soups and sauces and can easily be made ahead and frozen in ice-cube trays to deploy portion by portion, like so many bouillon cubes, throughout the winter. Other sources of instant flavor--homemade mushroom, shellfish, or chicken broths, clam or mussel juice--can be made and stored the same way.

125. For winter dinner parties, think of hors d'oeuvres that warm and fill. A demitasse of bouillon on a snowy night. A fragrant bowl of smoked nuts, warmed in the oven. Roasted baby potatoes, topped with sour cream and caviar or slivers of smoked fish. Toasted olive-oil croutons topped with baked cheese. Anything warm and bready from the oven.

126. A wise host tries to establish commonality among guests, and feasts that have a place in the national heart are a way of reminding strangers of something they share. In the winter, consider remodeling the national dishes of childhood--meatloaf, mashed potatoes, macaroni, even baked beans. Cassoulet, after all, is another form of baked beans, meatloaf is a pâté, and fabulous cheese can do wonders for macaroni. If the concept of the meal is familiar, the variations--and the conversation--can abound.

127. One-pot meals can turn a host into a guest. In winter, consider a classic bouillabaisse or zuppa di pesce, cassoulet, or roasted chicken finished in a roasted chicken consommé with root vegetables.

128. In the winter, a great idea is to make three big soups and then allow the guests to serve themselves. Make one vegetarian option like a wild mushroom soup, minestrone, lentil soup, or a white or black bean chili. Add to the mix one wildly indulgent soup like lobster chowder, a rich creamy potato soup with shaved truffles or truffle oil, or a creamy vegetable bisque. Complete your selection with one clear broth, like a double chicken, smoked turkey, or beef consommé, and fill it with vegetables and the appropriate meat, along with little dumplings, spaetzel, noodles, or rice.

129. Stew is a host's best friend, but rarely a looker. The key is to distract, so here are three ways: serve the stew showered with a vivid garnish, like an abundance of fresh herbs or shaved cheese; warm the stew in individual serving bowls under a puff pastry or phyllo crust; divert guests from the visual to the aromatic by serving fragrant, oven-hot biscuits, bread, rolls, or popovers.

130. Homemade vanilla extract: For unmitigated vanilla flavor, make your own extract. Split a 6-inch vanilla bean and steep it in 1/2 cup of vodka in a tightly closed jar for at least one week, or indefinitely. Vodka has little aroma or flavor so the resulting extract is pure and powerful and will be very pronounced in cakes or simple butter cookies. Bourbon, rum, or brandy can also be used, but will lend their flavor to the extract, which will be best suited to wintry desserts like gingerbread, spice cake, or hot fudge sauce.

131. Sugar imbued with vanilla adds a wonderful accent to baked goods. To make your own vanilla sugar, split a vanilla bean in half, bury it in 2 cups of sugar, and keep it for at least three days in an airtight container. Your cakes and cookies will thank you.

132. Lemon or orange sugar add a subtle perfume to summer fruit salads, cobblers, pastries, or pies. To make citrus sugar, bury strips from one lemon or orange in 4 cups of sugar in a tightly sealed jar and shake it every day for one week.

133. To remove the skins from 1 cup of hazelnuts, drop the nuts and 1/4 cup of baking soda into 3 cups of boiling water and boil for four minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. A quick rub will slip the skins right off. Afterwards, toast the nuts in a 350-degree oven for 10 minutes. The toasting dries the moist nuts and deepens their flavor.

134. Superfine sugar makes superfine sweets. The sugar, granulated sugar that has been processed further and has a much finer crystal, makes the most delicate cakes, pastries, and meringues. If you can't find it at the store, grind regular sugar in a food processor or blender for two minutes.

135. The precisely split cake is beyond the common kitchen knife. The pros use dental floss. Use toothpicks to mark the halfway point in a cake, grasp the ends of the floss, position it on top of the toothpicks, and let it rip. The technique is foolproof--but not yet approved by the American Dental Society.

136. To bake pies with a crisp, well-cooked bottom crust, bake the pie on a pizza stone, which will absorb the moisture in the crust, the pie, and the oven. For dark-gold pie crusts, use dark-metal pie tins. The darker the tin, the more they absorb and hold the heat. Thin, shiny pie pans reflect the heat.

137. To minimize the shrinkage in a pie crust, and to maintain the shape of the edges or the clarity of a lattice top, freeze the pie for 10 minutes prior to baking.

138. To minimize the mess in rolling a pie crust, roll the dough between two layers of plastic wrap. This method also makes it easier to roll the crust evenly, without tearing and ripping.

139. If you don't have time to refrigerate a pie crust prior to rolling, add a teaspoon of mild, clear vinegar such as rice or white-wine vinegar to the dough. The vinegar relaxes the gluten and makes rolling easier.

140. An egg glaze makes breads, pastries, and cookies bake to a fine golden brown. For the smoothest gloss, beat an egg with 1 teaspoon of cold water and an 1/8 teaspoon of salt, strain through a fine-mesh sieve, and use a pastry brush to apply the glaze just before baking.

141. A well-warmed plate broadens the cook's margin of error. Warmed in a 200-degree oven for 15 to 30 minutes, the plate will reheat food that was less than perfectly timed. Then make like a waiter: use a napkin, side towel, or underliner to protect your fingers when you serve.

142. Nothing can reduce the stress of being both cook and host. But you can put a time limit on the schizoid pull. Serve the main course first, so the pressure is off and the party can begin. Follow it with salad--that's easy. And then a dessert, made well in advance.

143. When entertaining, think like a caterer: choose durable ingredients. Imagine dishes that can be made in advance and kept warm. Plan one or two courses that can be served cold or at room temperature.

144. The smartest thing a host can do is finish all the cooking before the guests arrive. Choose recipes that can be completed a day ahead. The flavor of a stew deepens with age. The same is true of marinated meats, smoked meats, and vegetables in light vinaigrettes.

145. To avoid Bermuda Triangles of silence around your company table, space lively, extroverted guests strategically around the table, and flank each talker with more reticent guests.

146. When combining old friends with a new acquaintance at a dinner party, "assign" the newcomer to the care of a trusted pal and seat them next to each other. This gives the newcomer an anchor in the group, a new best friend for the evening, someone who can make introductions and conversational links.

147. If you've put together a dinner party of people who don't know each other, ask the guests to tell the table who they are and what they do, and to give a whimsical piece of information such as the one thing they are most proud of, worry about most, or hope to do in their lives.

148. To maximize the number of guests you get to talk to at a dinner party, plan to change places with your spouse or partner halfway through the meal.

149. A great dinner party is usually the result of a great plan. Plan the menu and décor to evoke the mood you want to set. Plan the seating to maximize interaction around the table. Plan ahead to share tasks such as serving and clearing with your spouse or partner.

150. Between couples, planning who will do what at a dinner party is as important as planning the menu. Couples should choreograph the evening: who is taking coats and serving drinks? Who is getting the first course on the table? Who is clearing the first course and serving the second? Who is topping water and wine glasses? For maximum pleasure and minimal fuss, plan ahead.

151. Hospitality can get lost in the mechanics of getting dinner on the table, so plan ahead. Split the guest list with your partner, each taking responsibility for a short private conversation with half of the guests and for finding out one thing that each guest is currently involved in. The host can then "showcase" guests by announcing his or her current interests or accomplishments or steering the conversation in a likely direction.

152. To maximize the number of people each guest gets to talk to at a dinner party, ask the men present to move down two seats between each course. It prevents the conversational chemistry from stagnating.

153. To reduce the pre-dinner tasks, set up a self-service bar with glasses, wine, liquor, mixers, bottled water, juice, and soda. Rather than passing nibbles, set them out on a coffee table and invite guests to dig in.

154. If hosting a large party, you have three choices: (1) Serve a buffet, (2) hire a waiter, or (3) resign yourself to being the hired help.

155. Even the best chefs in the world know better than to experiment on guests. If you are comfortable with what you are cooking, your guests will be comfortable eating. Even if a new notion works, the cook's apprehension will affect the diners.

156. Part of a dinner party is the ooh-la-la factor. A host wants to impress. But one ooh-la-la dish is enough. Choose one course to show off--one course that requires fussy presentation or lots of culinary know-how. For the rest of the meal, simplify, simplify, simplify.

157. When planning a dinner party, plan to do the possible. Nobody needs to know that you bought prepared food from a caterer, that someone else made the recipes you are serving, or that you bought that show-off dessert from the best pastry shop in town. All they'll know is that you've created an evening in which ease and warmth prevail, a respite from the stress of achievement.

158. The best hosts plan a dinner that is consistent--the menu, table setting, wine, and atmosphere, right down to the lighting and music, are designed to set one mood. A clear, coherent mood helps guests immediately orient themselves and removes the anxiety of the unexpected.

159. You can signal the mood of a dinner party in the way you set the table. Placemats or a funky table covering spell a casual evening. Linen or damask is more formal. Low lights spell a quiet, intimate evening. Bold lights ask for a raucous crowd.

160. You can set the style of dinner party chat in the way you decorate the table. Looming centerpieces mean that the table will have various small conversations. Low-riding décor opens the table to one conversation. Highly arranged flowers signal a more formal note. Potted flowers, bunches of wild things, or little nosegays spell casual.

161. A dinner party of people who don't know each other needs one bold, clear thing to serve as a common thread. Family-style service, which forces interaction; a participatory meal in which guests cook or assemble their food; a strong theme such as a holiday, birthday, or other familiar celebration; or a host who directs conversation--these can all turn strangers into friends.

162. When inviting guests for dinner, ask if they have any dietary restrictions. If possible, plan the meal around their needs. The little community that springs from a dinner party comes from sharing a meal, not from sitting next to each other while eating different things.

163. Invite guests by telephone two weeks to one month before a meal. A week before the party, call to confirm and let guests know who else will be attending. Guests, like cooks, are at their best when they are best prepared.

164. Unless it's a family gathering, or a Big Chill evening, a seating plan is helpful for balancing the conversation by spacing out the talkers and the listeners. Place cards can be fun: write slips of papers and put them in baby Slinkies, cheap Lucite frames, florists' "frogs," or oversized paper clips.

165. Don't bring cut flowers to a hostess--it makes for a last-minute scramble for a vase. Bring flowers arranged in a fanciful container or send them the morning of the party or the day after, with a thank-you note.

166. Lighting on the table sets a mood. Think past the traditional tapers. Cheap glass votive candleholders can be wrapped in gauzy fabric or ribbon for elegant parties, or in mesh screen, vine leaves, autumn leaves, or greenery from the florist for a funkier feel. Carved pumpkins or gourds lend a nifty light. So do multicolored or stained-glass-like votive candleholders.

167. For table-wide conversation, think low-rise, rather than high-rise, centerpiece. In the spring, consider an assortment of tiny potted plants, low trays of wheat grass, or masses of shot glasses, each with a single blooming stem.

168. High centerpieces block conversation. In the summer, try bundles of herbs with a single bloom as a nosegay at each guest's place or votive candleholders stuffed with dandelions, wildflowers, or garden blooms.

169. To keep the conversation table-wide, choose a low centerpiece. In the fall, consider lots of votive candleholders stuffed with vivid leaves, baby jack-o'-lanterns flickering, or little vases of rosemary, sage, or bay leaves studded with flowers.

170. High-rise centerpieces cut the table--and the conversational prospects--in half. In winter, consider low vases stuffed with evergreen or holly; an arrangement of potted blooms; low glass containers with forced bulbs; cut bamboo in little containers; or mounds of pine cones.

171. Don't limit yourself to flowers when decorating a table. Vegetables and fruit add life. An arrangement from your collections or travels--shells, stones, toys, or curios--personalizes a table and gives guests something to talk about.

172. To create symmetry between food and the feel of the table, use fabric as a tablecloth. Choose a fabric that echoes the menu: yards of rustic farmhouse prints for country-style cooking, Indonesian batiks for spicy Asian meals, sarongs or Indian prints for Indian meals.

173. For summer parties in the backyard--or messy, funky dinners any time of the year--invest in some wild-looking oilcloth to cover the table. The bolder, brighter, more hideous the better. You can tame the look with sedate plates and conventional napkins.

174. An oversized napkin, or a new kitchen towel, is the best bet for setting the table when a hands-on meal is on the menu.

175. Mismatched dishes, placemats, or napkins set a funky, informal tone for a dinner party. A different-colored flower in a bud vase at each plate does the same.