Some of the sweetest strawberries I’ve ever eaten was at a trattoria just outside Rome. It was the beginning of summer, and the tiny berries were just going out of season. In fact, the chef told me I had been given the last ones he had in his kitchen.

When I was in high school home economics class, we spent two days making fried pies. At that time, I thought fried pies only came in little packages at the convenience store. I had no idea you could actually make them yourself. Although I love nearly everything fried, I prefer my hand pies baked with coarse sugar on top. Blueberry hand pies are probably my favorite dessert of the summer, especially when blueberries are ripe and sweet at the farmers market.

Oh how I love a perfectly sweet and ripe peach during the heat of the summer! I also enjoy plums and nectarines, as well as other stone fruits. When I’ve got my grill fired up I love to throw on some fruit so they can absorb a smoky flavor that elevates just about any dish, whether sweet or savory.

In parts of southern Italy pine nuts and oranges grow in abundance, and are used in many different dishes, both sweet and savory. I happen to love the combination of chocolate and oranges, so this is one my favorite desserts. It uses no flour, so it’s perfect for those who are gluten-free. The eggs cause the cake to be light and airy with a fudgy texture that is impossible to resist, especially covered in whipped cream!

Peloponnese is a region of Greece about an hour’s drive from Athens. There are coastal villages and rustic villas on cliffs overlooking the Aegean Sea. The cuisine is simple and fresh, with lots of fresh fruits, nuts, and some of the best wine and olive oil in Greece. While visiting the area, I had my share of baklava in various cafes and restaurants, and was eager to try something new for a sweet snack.

It’s rare that I post a recipe where most of the ingredients are not home-made, but sometimes it’s just not necessary to go to the trouble. My favorite gingerbread mix is from Williams Sonoma, but I’m sure there are other great boxed mixes.

Many cultures have some version of rice pudding, but this one from Indonesia has become one of my favorites. It is typically served at breakfast, but it's also a nice dessert treat. It's made from glutinous black rice, a common ingredient in Indonesia that can be found in most Asian grocery stores. I first had this dish in Bali at the home of Nina, a beautiful woman who cooks all day for her entire extended family.

It had been raining all day in Barcelona, and it finally let up at nightfall. The streets were filled with people strolling and enjoying the evening after a late-night dinner when I spotted a line of people standing in front of a small stall where a woman was filling paper cones with hot fried churros. As she handed out the bundles of fried dough her daughter poured hot chocolate sauce into small cups for dipping the churros. I learned that churros and chocolate are not only a treat for ending the day, but they’re often enjoyed for breakfast.

One of my favorite flavor combinations is orange and cardamom. They just seem to go together perfectly, especially with cream, which is why this ice cream is so refreshing. Moroccan summers are hot, and often unbearable. I first had orange ice cream at a small café near the souk in Marrakesh, and it was perfect relief from the heat.

When my daughter was in high school she had a small business in our kitchen called Little Cakes By Meredith. She made several different flavors of cupcakes and frosted them perfectly with her collection of pastry tips. Chocolate Ganache Cupcakes was the most requested, and she made a lot of them for her customers.

When I was in high school home economics class my teacher, Miss Craig taught us how to make fried hand pies. At that time, I thought the only way to get a hand pie was from the supermarket in a commercial plastic bag. That day we made all kinds of berry pies and fried them in hot oil until they were golden brown. It was so difficult to wait for them to cool enough to eat.

If you’ve ever been on a cruise in Mexico you’ve probably been to Cozumel, the port city known for its Mayan ruins and the Festival of El Cedral, similar to a Mexican state fair. There were fantastic costumes and stalls of many food from all over the island. My friends and I didn’t spend a lot of time at the festival, but we stopped for some mango hand pies made by a beautiful Mexican woman dressed in a colorful dress covered in ruffles and lace.

Crème brûlée is one of my treasured desserts for its minimalism and elegance. Whenever I order it at a restaurant, I quietly anticipate the blissful feeling of cracking its sugar coating just before digging into the velvety center. I mastered the art of getting every morsel into my mouth at a wine bar in the St. Germain district of Paris, where the pastry chef squeezed it in a thin shot glass with velvety chocolate on the bottom.

I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, but I love a good carrot cake. I’ve tried many different recipes, some with pineapple and raisins, and others with nuts. I like them all, but this one has no fruit and plenty of pecans.