Spring

Chill glasses in the freezer for 5–10 minutes to keep the ice cream from melting into the ginger beer too quickly.

This decadent, delicious burger, featuring a 6-ounce patty, clothbound cheddar cheese, and the requisite "special sauce," comes from Ralph Lauren's restaurant (yes, that Ralph Lauren) in Chicago.

Who doesn't love a wedge? Ask your butcher to cut slab bacon into thick slices (about 1/4") to yield nice meaty pieces once they're crisped on the grill.

Egg salad and potato salad: Unite! We like how the still-soft yolks dress the salad, but you can cook the eggs a minute or two longer if you like them more set.

In case of sunshine and happiness, make this colorful ice cream float! Spiking it with some booze makes it even tastier.

You've been blessed with the year's best stone fruit. Don't complicate things! Just roast it with a sprinkling of our crunchy topping.

Why waste time with a knife? A simple whack to a cucumber yields jagged surfaces eager to soak up this tangy dressing.

Step aside pancakes; butter and maple syrup is a combination worthy of the ripest grilled summer fruits. Can't find apricots? Try this recipe with peaches or plums for a fantastic ice cream topping.

Cooking corn this way adds a depth of flavor from the husk and keeps the kernels from drying out. Tossed together with zucchini and scallions, these quesadillas make for a super-satisfying vegetarian dinner.

Spatchcocking (or splitting and flattening) this Italian-flavored chicken before grilling helps it cook more quickly and evenly.

Bacon-wrapped franks, pinto beans, avocado, and mayo are balanced by pickled jalapeños and salsa in this summertime favorite.

Everything about these sandwiches screams "backyard summer party" to me. Simmering vegetables all day really brings out the individual flavors, and I love how I can get so many good-for-you vitamins into such a delicious package.

A pandowdy is a homey American dessert of cooked fruit covered with a piecrust or biscuit crust that is often cut up halfway through baking and pushed into the fruit. We leave the crust whole here for a quicker and easier version.

This upgraded version of the classic fish sandwich has a light-as-air tempura batter, punchy tartar sauce, and spicy slaw.