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a proper johnny cake has to be made with the proper grits, such as those made from Rhode Island White Cap flint corn. She further specifies Kenyon’s johnny cake meal (www.kenyongristmill.com) and says that you can use their white or yellow. There seem to be lots of debates over johnny cakes, from the spelling (with or without an “h”), to whether milk or water is used for the liquid, or both. Here is Kate’s version.

1 CUP KENYON’S JOHNNY CAKE CORN MEAL

1⁄2 TEASPOON SALT

1 TEASPOON SUGAR

1 CUP BOILING WATER

1 CUP MILK

OIL OR BUTTER FOR THE GRIDDLE

BUTTER

MAPLE SYRUP

1. Combine the first three ingredients. Pour boiling water over the mixture very slowly to swell the meal. Let it sit for several minutes, then add enough milk (about 1 cup) so that the mixture will drop from a spoon.

2. Heat a lightly greased pancake griddle or cast-iron skillet and spoon batter onto the hot surface, leaving a few inches between each cake. Cook until golden, then turn to brown the other side, about 3 minutes more. Serve immediately with butter and real maple syrup.

Pickled Herring with Mashed Potatoes and Caramelized Onions

I trusted Joanne Neft’s enthusiasm as well as her food sense but couldn’t quite imagine cold herring on hot mashed potatoes until I made it. Well, it works. Add just a pinch of parsley and you have a lovely little supper. And if herring doesn’t appeal to you, replace it with sautéed spinach or lentils or both.

2 OR 3 TEASPOONS BUTTER

1 LARGE ONION, WHITE OR YELLOW, SLICED ABOUT 1⁄4 INCH THICK

2 MEDIUM-SIZE RUSSET POTATOES

SALT AND PEPPER

BUTTER OR SOUR CREAM

6-INCH-LONG PIECE OF PICKLED HERRING (NOT IN SOUR CREAM), SLICED INTO 4 OR 5 ATTRACTIVE BITE-SIZE PIECES

PINCH OF CHOPPED PARSLEY

1. Melt the butter in a 10-inch skillet. With the heat on medium-high, add the onions and give them a stir. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, then add 1⁄4 cup or so of water, cover the pan, and turn the heat to low. Every so often, give the onions a stir.

2. Meanwhile, peel and chunk the potatoes, then put them in a pan with cold water to cover and several big pinches of salt. Boil gently until they are tender when pierced with a knife, about 20 minutes. Scoop them out of the water and remove them to a bowl. Mash them with a few tablespoons of the cooking water, butter or sour cream to your taste, a splash of vinegar from the herring, and freshly ground pepper. Meanwhile, check the onions and season them with salt and pepper, too.

3. To serve, mound half the potatoes on a warm plate, making a little dome. Spoon half, or a little less, of the onions over the potatoes, then lay the herring pieces around the top. Add a spoonful of sour cream and a pinch of parsley. Enjoy with a salad, sautéed spinach, and a glass of chilled Riesling.

Maureen’s Shrimp, Feta, and Bulgur Salad

Maureen Callahan is the rare nutritionist who forges good sense with good flavor. “I’m not a nut about 30 percent fat,” she writes. “I’m more interested in just making fat the healthy variety. Add more if you like.”

1⁄4 CUP MEDIUM-SIZE BULGUR

3⁄4 CUP WATER

1 LEMON, ZEST AND 1-1⁄2 TABLESPOONS JUICE

SALT AND PEPPER

5 COOKED AND PEELED LARGE SHRIMP, COARSELY CHOPPED

1⁄4 CUP PEELED DICED CUCUMBER

1⁄2 CUP CHERRY TOMATOES, HALVED

1 GREEN ONION, INCLUDING A LITTLE OF THE GREEN, FINELY SLICED

2 TABLESPOONS CHOPPED PARSLEY

1⁄2 TABLESPOON FINELY CHOPPED MINT OR OREGANO

1 TABLESPOON EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

1 TABLESPOON CRUMBLED FETA CHEESE

1. Combine the bulgur, water, and half the lemon juice in a small saucepan. Add a pinch of salt; bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 18 to 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain and cool.

2. Sprinkle the shrimp with the rest of the lemon juice. Let stand 5 minutes, then stir in cucumber and the next 5 ingredients. Add the lemon zest and toss gently. Stir in the cooled bulgur. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with feta, and serve.

Omelet with Crunchy Buttered Breadcrumbs

Serving