Pastries

"My mother, who's affectionately called Muffin, was craving chocolate muffins, but the local bakery had stopped making her favorite ones," writes Julia Bursten of Columbus, Ohio. "I tried to re-create the recipe, and she claims these are the best she's ever had." Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 1 hr

A modern recipe from a modern woman: This is based on a recipe from my friend Joanne Rosen, a high-powered attorney who balances her torts and tarts, her husband and her children, with great finesse. Accompany the scones with English clotted cream (or crème fraîche) and honey.

"There is a very special bakery in New Orleans that I visit on my many trips south," writes Lisa Despirito of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. "Piece of Cake serves luscious pastries of all sorts, but I always drop in for a maple-pecan scone and a cup of coffee." Serve with whipped butter sweetened with a little maple syrup, if desired.

Unlike oven-baked versions, griddle-cooked scones get a wonderful golden crust, which is a delicious contrast to the soft, tender interior. Active time: 35 min Start to finish: 35 min

Larry Forgione serves this luscious dessert at An American Place, his renowned New York City restaurant. It's a great treat when local berries are in season.

Juana Vázquez-Gómez of Redondo Beach, California, writes: "Growing up in Cuernavaca, just outside Mexico City, I remember my grandmother cooking elaborate Mexican meals every day. My mother continued that tradition, but not in such an all-consuming manner. For her it was a great joy to plan a menu and then invite people to help with the preparation. "The women in my life taught me the beauty of a good meal. I still use many of their recipes today, but unlike my grandmother I don't spend an entire day in the kitchen. Fortunately, my husband and kids like to cook, so I've found a balance between my grandmother's time-intensive recipes and my mother's practicality. " Juana serves these fritters for dessert, but they make a great breakfast dish, too.

"The scones from Bon Bonerie in Cincinnati are moist, light and sweet," says John Van Eeckhout of Norfolk, Virginia. "When I lived in the area, one of my favorite ways to spend a Saturday morning was to read the newspaper in the bakery's adjacent tearoom while enjoying a raisin scone with clotted cream, preserves and a cup of coffee." Raisin Scones are also delicious served with butter and jam.

Berries are in top form here; the filling is a cool, tangy crème fraîche sorbet rather than the usual whipped cream.

"My grandmother, who emigrated from Sweden to the United States when she was a little girl, passed on to our family a taste for cardamom," writes Lisa Tracy of Marion, Iowa.

Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from Diane Kochilas's book Meze: Small Plates to Savor and Share from the Mediterranean Table. Kochilas also shared some helpful cooking tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page. To read more about Kochilas and Greek cuisine, click here. Onions, cheese, and yogurt pies abound in the north of Greece, especially in shepherds' communities where dairy products are daily staples. This recipe is culled from that tradition, but instead of preparing a whole sheet pan with homemade phyllo, I have reworked it to make it accessible and more in tune with the meze style of eating.

These fresh-from-the-oven rolls are made with frozen bread dough.

Traditionally served with tea in the afternoon, scones are lovely at brunch, too.

Poach the pears and serve with traditional anise-flavored fried pastries. Start the pears one day ahead.

Anadama bread, a traditional New England yeast bread made with cornmeal and molasses (said to have been created by a woman from Massachusetts named Anna), is the inspiration for the following muffins. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 45 min