Brandy

Brandied whipped cream adds the perfect finishing touch to this moist, luscious cake. Leftovers are terrific with coffee the next day.

In this elegant entrée, the leeks mellow to lend a bit of sweetness to the sauce.

If you can't find the Gala variety, use Rome Beauty or Granny Smith apples.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 1 hr

Pork, always a favorite in the Midwest and the South, gained popularity early in the century. Immigrants from pork-loving countries such as Germany and Poland were crowding the cities and finding that fresh pork, a luxury back home, was abundant and affordable. Recipes of the time called for pan-frying chops, covering them with apples and baking them for an hour or so. But that would leave today’s pork, which is less fatty, very dry. Here, brining is the trick for making pork chops flavorful and juicy.

Lobster and truffle oil give this dish the true stamp of indulgence.

White, black, green and pink peppercorns add wonderful flavor to this very special prime rib. If possible, search out a butcher who carries dry-aged beef-it's more tender, flavorful and juicy than the non-aged variety. A full-bodied California Cabernet Sauvignon or French Bordeaux is the perfect wine to serve. As for vegetables, mix butter and tarragon with cooked baby carrots and green beans for a delicious accompaniment.

Gastronomic lore tells us that the forerunner of this famous lobster dish was actually created at Delmonico's, the well-known New York City restaurant, during its heyday in the latter part of the last century. Mr. Ben Wenburg (or Wenberg, as some believe), a Delmonico's habitué during this period, is said to have devised a dish made with seafood, cream, and egg yolks. It was called Wenburg on the menu until some time later when the epicurean Mr. Wenburg became involved in a dispute with the management. Thereafter, the restaurant renamed the offering seafood "Newburg," and a classic was born.

The fabulous texture and perfect balance of coffee and brandy flavors in the custard are enhanced with a crunchy brown-sugar topping. Bake the custards a day ahead so that they chill fully before the topping is broiled.

(BISCOTTI ALL'ARANCIO E MANDORLE) While all Italian cookies are referred to as biscotti, these are really "biscotti," which means they are baked twice. True biscotti are made in many different flavor combinations in many different parts of the country. These delicate ones come from the region of Lazio, where Rome is located. The secret to the cookies' lightness is not to use too much flour and to freeze the dough before forming it into logs.

The bisque is very rich, so a small serving (about two-thirds cup per person) is plenty. At the restaurant, this is baked in individual crocks, with puff pastry on top.

Individual warm chocolate cakes with soft centers appeared on restaurant dessert menus across the country late in the decade.

At the Perryville Inn chef Paul Ingenito uses the succulent bits of meat from lobster knuckles in a bread pudding, which he bakes and serves in empty lobster tail shells as an adjunct to a whole lobster. We thought the pudding was stunning enough to stand on its own and so adapted the recipe, using the meat of a whole lobster for the pudding and the shells and body for the sauce.

Brandy, apples and cream add a taste of France's Normandy region to this entrée.

In this dish, the richness of the venison is balanced by the sweet-tart fruit compote.

This cake, also called fraisier (French for "strawberry plant"), is usually made with almonds, but pistachios are used in this rendition. The delicate cake is layered with fresh strawberries and a mousselike white chocolate buttercream and then topped with marzipan.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr