Cookthink

A quinoa salad is one of our favorite ways to use up fruit that might otherwise be neglected. Any stone fruit will work, as will grapes, apples and pears (though the last two might lose some color). Ripe apricots are best, but even unripe ones can add a nice, textured tartness to the salad.

Quick-Braised Kale With Oil And Vinegar

Here's a quick, easy way to cook kale (or just about any green). Adding the oil and vinegar at the end of cooking keeps the flavors fresh and bright. Add more or less oil and vinegar to suit your taste.

Champagne-Poached Pears with Saffron and Cinnamon

It was a last-minute thing. We had a guest for dinner, and the notion of dessert tiptoed quietly across my mind, just a few minutes before said guest was due to arrive. Suddenly there were four peeled pears simmering gently away in champagne, saffron, and cinnamon. Read more about this recipe at hogwash.

Fiddlehead Salad

Fiddleheads are immature ferns. When they first emerge in the spring, the are coiled like the head of a violin. They have a flavor and texture similar to asparagus. Read more about this recipe in Denise Landis' Dinner for Eight.

Scrambled Eggs With Champagne Vinegar And Dill

In Claudia Roden's New Book of Mediterranean Cooking, she includes a short recipe called Beid bi Khal (Scrambled Eggs with Vinegar). In this variation of that recipe, we used a top-quality Champagne vinegar and chopped dill to give it a little French feel.

Heirloom Tomato And Herb Salad

This is a great summer salad to serve alongside any grilled meat. We also love to serve it with quesadillas and burritos in lieu of homemade salsa. If you have any leftover, chop it up and use it the next day in a sandwich.

Vesper

A true Martini is made with gin and vermouth garnished with an olive or a twist. Since the Vesper has vodka as well as Lillet, it naturally follows that this superb cocktail is not a Martini. This recipe comes from Rob Chirico's Hair of the Dog. For more of Rob's great cocktails, buy his Field Guide to Cocktails.

Chilled Blueberry Soup

Add 1 or 2 teaspoons of this to a glass of Champagne or Prosecco for a sweet summer sparkler. You could also use it to top crêpes, pancakes, or ice cream. Serve for dessert in chilled espresso cups. Read more about this recipe in Kim Sunée's Trail of Crumbs.

Sauerkraut With Champagne

This simple dish is inspired by James Beard's classic recipe. The sauerkraut is traditionally cooked with salt pork, but ham makes for a lean substitute. If you don't have Champagne or don't want to sacrifice a whole bottle, substitute dry white wine.

Champagne Cocktail

The inherent beauty of the Champagne Cocktail goes beyond its suave appearance and silken palate: it can also be 4 to 20 times cheaper than Champagne. This recipe comes from Rob Chirico's Hair of the Dog. For more of Rob's great cocktails, buy his Field Guide to Cocktails.

Quick-Braised Chard With Oil And Vinegar

Here's a quick, easy way to cook chard. Adding the oil and vinegar at the end of cooking keeps the flavors fresh and bright. If you like, thinly slice the stems and add them to the pan for a couple of minutes before the leaves.