I love knowing I can get oranges at the market any time of the year. I especially love seeing varieties that are new to me, particularly those that have pink or blood-red fruit inside. This is a salad that looks beautiful on a holiday table, picnic table, or even the breakfast table. Just choose some colorful oranges and cut off all the rind; then slice them and remove the seeds.

I once cooked an al fresco dinner in Santa Fe at the home of a local artist, a fundraiser supporting a community art school for children. For the appetizer I served each guest a spoon with a single scallop in a pool of a citrusy chipotle sauce. Everyone asked for a second serving, which I gladly provided, thankful I’d made plenty. I’ve since added this dish to many of my dinner menus, both as an appetizer and a main course. Sometimes I serve the scallops over pasta or polenta, but I think they’re perfect on their own. The sauce, which has a splash of cognac, not only goes well with scallops, but also shrimp and most any fish.

My friend, Diane and I made these savory fritters in her Rome apartment while we patiently waited for our osso bucco to cook on her stove. She calls them Yeast Fritters, and they’re a common late night snack in Italy since they use ingredients that are typically in the fridge or cupboard. If you’re not a fan of anchovies, you can leave them out, but I encourage you to try them.

My first experience with how the fennel, orange, and onion play together in this salad was in Morocco, but the second was with a similar version in Israel. This is just one notable example of the similarity in these regional cuisines. The most challenging task when making this salad is segmenting the oranges away from any pith.

Chutneys are a spicy condiment used in Indian cuisine to accompany curries and breads. Its also good for dipping snacks and finger foods. They’re made with a variety of fruits, herbs, spices, and chiles, depending on the geographical region.

I've never been a fan of cooked Brussels sprouts, but I love them raw. I shave them on a mandoline and toss with sliced shallots and crispy celery. I make a tangy dressing with pomegranate molasses to compliment the slight bitterness of the Brussels sprouts.

I started making this dish in a Turkish cooking class a few years ago. People were skeptical about how it would taste because of the abundance of spices, but it turned out to be one of the most requested recipes I have. It’s a beautiful dip for vegetables or toasted bread or pita. It’s not only packed with flavors, it’s very healthy and good for you!

I love mixing both fresh fruit and dried fruit in salads and desserts. The dried berries offer a tart flavor and chewy texture while the fresh fruit is juicy and sweet. While cooking with Chef Nir in Tel Aviv, we prepared fish with a salad of chopped cabbage and ripe blueberries from the Carmel Market. We set a table on the balcony of our friend, Inbal, which had a view of the Mediterranean Sea.

In Italy no bread goes to waste.“Day-old” bread is commonly put into soups and salads to absorb all the flavors it comes into contact with. I prefer to grill or toast the bread before adding it to this summery salad, vibrant with ripe tomatoes and peaches.

I never became a big fan of Kale until I had a chopped kale salad in Dallas. It was so good, I went home and created my own version with a dressing flavored with sesame oil. The key to making this salad perfect is to really chop up that kale!

This is a glorified grilled cheese sandwich that is worth the effort. Many French cafes serve this sandwich as a quick lunch or snack, and since I love many things French I do the same. The creamy béchamel sauce is both inside the sandwich and on top which makes this the the richest sandwich you may ever eat!

I first had this pasta dish at a little hotel and winery in Castellina in Chianti, Italy. It was nestled in the hills and there were tables set with white cloths under the canopies of fig trees. After ordering this dish and polishing the plate, I asked the chef if he would share the recipe.

I’ve eaten Wedge Salad at a lot of restaurants around the country, and I’m not sure I’ve ever had it as good as this recipe. Sometimes I make it with butter lettuce instead of iceberg, and it’s just as good. You might want to make a double batch of candied pecans because it’s too hard to save them all for the salad without snacking on them until they’re all gone. Trust me on this.

When I was in college I studied abroad for a semester. One weekend, my friend Piper and I went to Greece. We spent a day on a boat visiting three Greek islands. When we were at Hydra we found a small estiatório serving fresh bread and fried feta. It was covered in sesame seeds and honey that had been harvested on the island.

When I was in Cusco, Peru I had the opportunity to participate in a “pisco tasting” of thirteen different piscos. Pisco is a clear or light colored brandy made from Peruvian grapes, and depending on the way it’s made, the flavor differs just like other fine brandies. Perhaps the most famous cocktail in Peru is the pisco sour.

The Gimlet cocktail was reputedly first created in Great Britain on a ship for sailors to get their daily source of citrus to prevent scurvy. I’ve added some simple syrup and club soda to make a more festive version for the holidays. You could even add a splash of cranberry juice to give it a hint of pink. Cheers!

I’ll never forget the narrow alleyways of Lyon, France where small restaurants called bouchons were crowded with small tables and chairs teetering on the cobblestone street. People were eating sandwiches, soups, and the frisée salad that was named after the city.

It was a rainy day in Paris, and I decided to dry off by tucking into a little bistro in the St. Germaine neighborhood where I was staying. Inside, there was one vacant table waiting just for me. Everyone was happily drinking wine and snacking, while laughing in spite of the rain. I asked the maître d’ what he thought I should order. “The steak tartare, madame, without question.”

While I was in Bali I spent a day cooking with a woman named Nina. Her kitchen was outside, covered with a tin roof and surrounded by coconut trees. Next to the house was a huge pile of dried coconut shells the family used to burn for fuel to heat the house. One of the dishes we made was grilled shrimp satay, which is marinated shrimp on a skewer grilled over fire.