You don’t need to break the bank to feed a crowd. Though they’re not quite as inexpensive as they once were, thick cuts of oxtail go a long way. And they taste impossibly rich and indulgent when braised in red wine or a sweet Southern soda like Cheerwine, which contributes a delicious sticky sweetness. Can’t find Cheerwine? Use Dr Pepper or Cherry Coke. Or try a combo of both, which means you’ll get to drink half a can of each. This is also a great make-ahead meal. If you braise your oxtails the day before serving, cool everything at room temperature, then refrigerate overnight. The fat will congeal and harden and it will be easy to lift off the top of the liquid.

The bones in the short ribs add great flavor to this dish; however, you could also make it with big chunks of beef chuck. If you do, reduce the initial cooking time of the meat by about half. The pestata of almonds and porcini does double duty here, adding a rich earthiness to the sauce and helping to thicken it without flour. As much as I enjoy Italian wine with my meals, since this recipe contains beer, here I would accompany it with one of the good artisanal beers coming out of Italy.

Kimchi jjim is one of the best dishes in Jean’s culinary canon, if you ask me. I’ve taken her base method for braised kimchi and added short ribs to it, though you could replace the beef with a gorgeous pork shoulder. This is a great example of kimchi in its last state: cooked down and absolutely melting. You can eat the kimchi in this dish with a spoon, though you might not even find it after the meat has been shredded and threaded around long, luscious pappardelle noodles and showered with cheese. Serve with a side salad if you wish, or nothing.

The thing about using a waffle iron here is that by some miracle of physics it turns out a grilled cheese that has even more crispy, buttery surface area than you get with a flat skillet. You’ll easily want another one of these in the same sitting, so feel free to double the recipe and just make one sandwich in the waffle iron at a time. You could also make this in an electric skillet (four at a time!) or the old-school way: Wrap your sandwich in nonstick foil and hit it for about two minutes on each side with a clothing iron, set on the highest heat level, without steam. Crazy but true!

Variations

GOUDA AND APPLE: Spread some honey mustard on the unbuttered sides of the bread and add a couple of very thin slices of tart apple, such as Granny Smith,
along with 2 ounces of sliced Gouda. Proceed as above.

HAM, GRUYÈRE, AND CRISPY ONIONS: Spread Dijon mustard on the unbuttered sides of the bread. Arrange a thin slice of ham, a slice of Gruyère, and a sprinkling of store-bought crispy fried onions on top of the mustard, then add a second layer of Gruyère and ham. (The onions stay crispy this way.) Proceed as above.

SALAMI, PROVOLONE, AND PEPPERS: Instead of butter, brush the bread with extra-virgin olive oil. Put a slice or two of salami (Genoa, pepperoni, or soppressata), provolone, and a couple of chopped pickled hot peppers (such as peperoncini or cherry peppers) in the middle and proceed as above.

This quick and easy egg and tortilla rollup is equally tasty warm out of the pan or sliced up and packed in a lunchbox. Don’t hesitate to play around with the filling based on what you have in the fridge. More often than not, I grate up odds and ends from my cheese drawer and throw in a handful of greens that are a bit too wilted to eat raw but are perfectly good to eat warmed.

Get ahead: This quick and easy recipe is best made the day of, but luckily it can be quickly thrown together between sips of coffee and bites of breakfast.

I’d love to be able to tell you how the inspiration for this dish came from Zack’s annual summer trip to the family cottage in the Maritimes, where, in the rolling yard, he and his young family eat al fresco in the warm summer air surrounded by generations of Nova Scotian in-laws, and that during one such meal at magic hour, a refreshing watermelon salad with feta and lemon was served, paired with a round of ice-cold Caesars. But I can’t.

The real story behind this cocktail starts with Zack’s food nerdery, and his complete and total obsession with The Flavor Bible, Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg’s influential book, loved by chefs and bartenders the world over. It has a quote from Chef José Andres: “Tomatoes with watermelon is a simple, refreshing, and perfectly balanced combination. The acidity of the tomatoes is a counterpoint to the sweetness of the watermelon.” Zack knew right away that this passage was a drink that needed making. (And once the name Waltermelon popped into his head there was really no stopping him.) We tried a bunch of different versions (we’re talking dozens) until we fixed on the recipe here. We think you’ll be as delighted as we were by how well the flavours work together, just as The Bible foretold.

The colourful streets of Aegina, an island near Athens, are lined with lush bougainvillea trees. Their deep magenta flowers drape over the white-painted buildings throughout the summer—a sight to remember. During the summer, locals pair fresh fruits with salty halloumi cheese, a combination  I’m always drawn to. My version of this salad pairs sweet and juicy strawberries and refreshing watermelon with freshly grilled halloumi. The balsamic vinegar intensifies the flavours of the fruit, bringing out even more of its natural sweetness. This salad is the definition of summer on a plate. Perfect on its own or as a side dish for your next barbecue.