Memorial Day

The success of this dish depends entirely on the quality of your ingredients. Now's the time to use your best olive oil, freshly ground pepper, and a generous amount of a flavorful sea salt.

The colorful kebabs feature the popular Greek flavors of mint and oregano. Serve them over rice or with pita bread.

For this dessert a dramatic shape can be achieved by using molds made from foil. The mousses are equally delicious, of course, when made in 3/4-cup ramekins — they just won't be as tall.

This is the one potato salad that purists dream of-plenty of tangy dressing and just a bit of crunch. Low-fat or nonfat mayonnaise and sour cream can be used.

Squid can vary quite a bit in size. If you get lots of little squid (under 2 inches each, not including tentacles), they'll need less preparation. Larger ones need to be scored to stay tender.

A century ago, spicy English mustards like Colman's were too pungent for American tastes, even in small quantities: Back then, mustard was used only in salad dressings. George French came along in 1904 with a formula for a milder condiment he called French’s Cream Salad Mustard. Eventually slathered on everything from bologna sandwiches to soft pretzels, French’s mustard is also delicious in this barbecue sauce.

"My husband and I celebrated my fiftieth birthday on the island of St. John, where we enjoyed many terrific meals," says Eileen Hruby of Tom's River, NJ. "One day, we had lunch at Pusser's Ltd. in Cruz Bay. The coleslaw they served was extraordinary: cool and hot at the same time. I have no idea how it was made." Serrano chilies give this dish a real kick; the lime juice makes it refreshing.

In central New York State where I grew up, summertime is speidie-time. Speidies are beef or chicken kabobs marinated in a locally produced spiedie sauce. Nobody makes their own; everybody buys it by the case to make it through the summer's grilling. Now that I live downstate, I've had to devise my own speidie sauce (really nothing more than a quite acidic vinaigrette), which I'm willing to share for the very first time.

If you can't find haricots verts--thin French string beans--buy the slenderest green beans you can find. Pack the prepared potatoes and beans separately, then arrange them on a platter when you reach your destination.

A vacherin includes layers of meringue with a creamy filling; its name derives from its resemblance to the rich, round French and Swiss cheeses of the same name. Begin preparing this lovely dessert at least one day before you plan to serve it. Once assembled, the torte can be frozen for up to four days.

"The strawberry cream cake recipe from "A Swedish Midsummer Party" in your June 1997 issue reminded me of a dessert my grandmother, who was of Swedish descent, used to make," says Jill M. Kuhn of Sherman Oaks, California. An electric carving knife makes slicing this dessert a breeze.

Brunch drinks get updated with this take on the traditional duo of orange juice and champagne. Note that freshly squeezed orange juice is not the best choice here, as its intense taste can overwhelm the other juices. Topping the drink with a boysenberry "floater" creates a vibrant color contrast.

Purchased pineapple-coconut ice cream and mango and boysenberry sorbets make this dessert easy. The terrine needs to freeze overnight before serving.

Spectacular but easy, thanks to purchased ice cream and sorbet. The meringue is browned in the broiler, like a baked Alaska, just before serving.

Susan Stanley of Providence, Rhode Island, writes: "I vacationed in Alaska not long ago, and I can hardly wait to return. The scenery was absolutely gorgeous, but I must admit that the delightful ginger-root beer drumsticks at the Snow Goose Restaurant in Anchorage were the real draw. Could you track down the recipe for me?" Although these are no longer served at the restaurant, chef Ron R. Sabado was happy to pass along the recipe. Accompany the spicy drummettes with cold beer.

Larry Forgione serves this luscious dessert at An American Place, his renowned New York City restaurant. It's a great treat when local berries are in season.

Both the sauce and the ribs can be made ahead, leaving just the grilling to be done at the last minute.