Papaya

The sweetness of a ripe papaya brings a Caribbean taste to a classic English dessert.

Round out your dinner: Add 1/2 cup cooked wild rice, 1/2 cup steamed spinach; 3/4 cup cream of carrot soup.

A delicious recipe from the eat-right doc Sure, this dish is heavy on the fat, but it's the healthy omega-3 kind found in salmon, says leading health researcher Walter Willett, M.D. The recipe comes from his new book, Eat, Drink and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical Guide to Healthy Eating (Simon & Schuster Source).

Kerabu Bok Kwa This fresh, zesty salad cuts through the richness of the heavier main courses. Sambal belacan is a classic Nonya dressing. We've reduced the amount from what would traditionally be used because belacan (shrimp paste) can be rather strong for those who aren't used to it. The paste has a salty fish taste and pungent smell (the odor dissipates once it's added to the dish), but it lends a dimension of flavor very characteristic of Nonya cuisine — were you to eliminate it, you wouldn't really be eating Nonya food. For a more authentic version, use 2 tablespoons belacan and 4 tablespoons lime juice.

The zombie cocktail was invented by Donn Beach in Los Angeles—a tiki drink so strong that drinkers at his Don the Beachcomber restaurant were limited to a maximum of two. 

Made from yuca (pronounced "YOO-ca"), pearl tapioca can be found at Asian markets and specialty foods shops. Active time: 2 hr Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr

Look for Gold or Strawberry papayas. Their sweet flavor complements this tangy crab salad beautifully.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

Subscribing to the theory that epicurean cooking should, ideally, be easy and inexpensive, I submit this recipe, which I obtained during the summer I taught school on Guam. It's for a dressing of mine that is excellent on fruit salads and even makes an outstanding dressing for coleslaw as part of a summer picnic. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Fruit simmered in cinnamon syrup is a typical after-dinner treat throughout Mexico.

The word chutney comes from the Hindustani chatni, which means "strong spices." The sweet juiciness of golden pineapples — much more intensely flavored than ordinary pineapples — balances the spices with the lusciousness that only tropical foods possess. But you can substitute regular pineapple if you cannot find the golden variety, and the chutney will still be complementary. Serve it with Jerked Pork Chops or any grilled meat.

Fragrant smoke from the mesquite wood chips makes a fine counterpoint to the sweetness of the lobster in this salad. Finish the meal with lemon ice drizzled with tequila, and pass a plateful of sugar cookies.

There's a rich cream cheese base in this simple yet sophisticated dessert.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.