Monica Kass Rogers

Anyway you slice it, there is nothing quite so refreshing as chilled fresh citrus with mango, pineapple, and banana. Arranged in rounds on the serving platter, the oranges make a pretty surround for chunks of mango, pineapple, and banana piled in the middle. Add a cloud of whipped yogurt-cream on top and you are in

Kleicha (various spellings) is ubiquitous at religious holidays and special occasions in the Middle East. There are many variations of recipes for the pretty roll-ups of crispy yeasted dough around a smooth date filling. But the cookies always include dates, cardamom, and sometimes nigella (often labeled Black Seed or Kalonji in Middle Eastern grocery stores.)

Sunny June Saturdays just beg for excursions. Whether hiking, biking, or boating through the woodlands, it’s the right time for a good long wander followed by a celebratory picnic! These British-style picnic pies put me in mind of a storied Wind in the Willows repast with loyal Mole, adventurous Ratty, and the intractable Toad. Both

Cuban immigrants to Tampa and Key West who came to work in the cigar industry are credited with the creation of this perfect grilled ham and cheese, although exact provenance is a little hazy. There are records of it being a worker’s lunch in Cuba first, where it would have been made with Cuban bread

Low and slow. There is no better way to cook a nice, big pork shoulder roast—one that you have marinated in a delicious rub of garlic, rosemary, mustard, and miso. At 250 degrees, the oven seems barely on. But as the hours pass, four … six … seven, the house fills with the most delicious