Calvados

This aphrodisiac-laden mocktail comes from NYC's Museum of Sex and is a perfect way to set the mood on Valentine's Day. This recipe makes enough cinnamon and cardamom elixirs for eight drinks; if you're making only two, refrigerate both elixirs and they will last up to two weeks. If you can't find granulated honey, substitute raw cane sugar. The saffron rock candy garnish is optional, so feel free to skip it—the Lucky Devil still has plenty of aphrodisiac power without it. To make the Lucky Devil alcoholic, add two ounces of rum, Calvados, or vodka to each drink.

Naturally sweet, fresh figs get an all-over taste treatment with tangy goat cheese, smoky pancetta, slightly bitter fruit liqueur, and heat from black pepper. Serve these figs as finger-food appetizers or place them on top of dressed greens for a salad. High-heat planking caramelizes the figs and burnishes the goat cheese, adding another level of flavor. The high heat cooks the fruit quickly, resulting in an outer charred fruit and warm center that has texture and bite but is not mushy. This is an excellent way to plank most fruits and vegetables. Keep a spray bottle of water handy to lightly douse flare-ups. Suggested plank: 2 maple or oak grilling planks, soaked in water for at least 1 hour

These individual desserts feature layers of tender spiced chiffon muffins; a mix of caramelized apples, pears, and cranberries; and a rich custard laced with apple brandy. To show off the pretty layers, assemble the trifles in clear bowls or dessert glasses. Enjoy the extra muffin for breakfast the next day.

Two quintessential autumn ingredients—sage and cider—flavor this turkey-gravy combo.

Calvados—Normandy's celebrated apple-cider brandy—is heady stuff, and by that we mean it has the power to transport you to a French bistro or farmhouse kitchen. This digestif-and-dessert combination would be sensational after a roast pork dinner.

Like a classic tarte Tatin, this cobbler begins with apples being caramelized in a rich mix of butter and sugar, but we've upped the ante by adding apple brandy and raisins. Tender biscuit rounds take the place of traditional pastry to create a true home-style dessert. (And a drizzle of cream never hurts.)

Whipped cream becomes light—yet richer—with the addition of Calvados. It echoes the apples in the torte but also goes beautifully with the pumpkin plum tart.

The sidecar takes a wonderful turn toward autumn, with Calvados, Normandy's apple brandy, standing in for regular brandy. Coating the rims of the glasses with sugar tames the drink's lemony potency.

Adding the cranberries in three stages, along with crumbled nuts, results in a wonderful conserve with layers of texture and flavor. The turbinado sugar imparts subtle caramel undertones.

Happy birthday to us—and what better way to celebrate than with our very own cocktail?

Though these tarts look and taste as if a French grandmother had slaved over them, the abbreviated cooking time is more suited to an American's pace. The apples, cooked first in syrup, are juicy and intense.

We are happy to announce that Marla Orenstein has won our February 2006 "Cook the Cover" contest with her delicious variation on our Chocolate-Glazed Hazelnut Mousse Cake. Marla Orenstein explains her variation:
To me, this rich, heavy chocolate dessert is enhanced with the addition of a complementary tart or sour taste. In this recipe, I have added a new layer—a reduction of sour cherry jam mixed with balsamic vinegar and brandy—between the chocolate shortbread and the chocolate mousse. I find the taste of the whole cake to be more complex and enjoyable as a result.

Fresh apple juice and Calvados, a dry apple brandy, make the sauce something special.

These warm little drinks are delicious — you may want to make a double batch.

Light and fluffy, these impressive desserts look, smell, and taste extraordinary — meringue gives them a cloudlike texture, while quince adds a delicious fragrance and beautiful pink hue. And they're very manageable for a small dinner party if you make your crêpes and prepare the quince ahead (see cooks' note, below). Bring them both to room temperature when you sit down to dinner; when it's time for dessert, you'll only need to beat your egg whites and assemble the soufflés for baking.