I love Parisian recipes in the springtime!

1. Cut the bread in 2-inch-wide pieces. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, herbs, ¹/4 teaspoon of the salt, and the pepper. Add the bread, toss to coat, and let stand for 10 minutes, stirring gently every now and then to ensure even coating.

2. In the meantime, core the tomatoes and slice them horizontally in ¹/3-inch slices. Let stand in a colander to drain for 5 minutes. Cut the semi-dried tomato halves in bite-size pieces.

3. Preheat the oven to 400¡F and grease a large baking dish with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Arrange the tomato slices over the bottom of the dish, reserving nine of the most attractive for the top. Sprinkle with the remaining ¹/4 teaspoon salt, drizzle with a little olive oil, and top with the garlic and semi-dried tomatoes.

4. Arrange the bread over the tomatoes, pour the remaining egg mixture over the dish, top with the reserved tomato slices, and sprinkle with cheese. (This can be prepared up to 8 hours ahead, covered tightly and refrigerated.)

5.  Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until heated through. Switch to broiler setting and broil for 5 minutes, keep- ing an eye on the dish, until the cheese is golden and the bread is crisp at the edges. Serve with a salad of mixed greens.

Varation: Substitute strips of dry-cured ham for the semi-dried tomatoes.

1.Measure all the ingredients before you start. Combine the butter, salt, and one cup water in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Remove from heat, add the flour all at once, and stir quickly with a wooden spoon until well blended. Return the pan to medium low heat and keep stirring until the mixture forms a ball and pulls away from the sides of the pan.

2. Let cool for 3 minutes. Add the eggs one by one, stirring well between each addition, until incorporated. (What you have just made is a pâte à choux.) Sprinkle with cumin and pepper and fold in the cheese. The batter will be thick. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes, or up to a day.

3. Preheat the oven to 400° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the batter from the fridge, and use two teaspoons to shape small balls of batter (about 1 inch in diameter) that you will plop onto the baking sheet, leaving an inch of space between each. If you have to work in batches, cover the batter and return it to the fridge.

4. Bake for 20 minutes, until puffy and golden – however much you want to peek inside, do not open the oven door during the first 10 minutes of baking, or the gougères will not rise well. Turn off the oven, open the oven door just a crack, and leave the gougères in for another 5 minutes. (This helps prevent an abrupt temperature change, which could cause the gougères to deflate and nobody wants that.) Transfer to a cooling rack for 5 minutes and serve warm, or let cool and serve at room temperature.

Note: You can freeze the gougères for up to a month and reheat them (no thawing necessary) in a 350° F oven for 8 minutes. They won’t be as moist as freshly baked ones, but they are very convenient to have on hand for unexpected guests.  

Variations: Replace the cumin with caraway seeds, rosemary, or paprika, or omit the spices all together.

Chilling time: 30 minutes

1. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flours, cocoa powder, and baking soda. Set aside.

2. Melt half of the chocolate (2 ½ ounces) in a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring from time to time to dissolve. Set aside. Chop the remaining 2 ½ ounces chocolate into chip-size bits, combine with the cacoa nibs, and set aside.

3. Put the butter in a food processor and process until creamy (you can also do this in a medium mixing bowl with a sturdy spatula). Add the sugar, salt, and vanilla, and mix until combined. Add the melted chocolate and mix again.

4. Add the reserved flour mixture and mix until just combined. Transfer the dough into the bowl you used for the flour mix: the next step needs to be done by hand. Fold the chopped chocolate and cacoa nibs into the dough, working with a wooden spoon and/or your hands. The dough will be quite think; don’t overmix it.

5. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill for 20 minutes. (You can chill it for up to a day—the dough will be a bit harder, but it will soften as you work with it. You can also wrap it tightly and freeze for up to a month.)

6. Preheat the over to 350° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the dough from the fridge. Carve out rounded teaspoons of dough, shape them into slightly flattened balls with the tips of your fingers, and place them on the prepared baking sheet, separating them by ½ inch. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the tops are just set: the cookies will still be a little soft, but they will harden as they cool. Transfer the sheet of parchment paper cautiously to a rack and let cool completely. The cookies will keep for 4 days in a airtight container at room temperature, or they can be frozen for up to a month.

Variation: Add ½ to 1 teaspoon of ground piment d’Espelette (or any moderately hot ground chile powder) to the flour mixture: the heat of chile is a remarkable match to the warmth of the chocolate.

Chilling time: 20 minutes

1. Trim the zucchini and cut it in paper-thin slices, using a sharp knife or a mandoline. Arrange in a circular pattern (starting from the outside and working your way in, each slice overlapping the previous one) on individual plates. Sprinkle the cheese over the slices.

2. Whisk together the vinegar and olive oil in a small bowl and drizzle over the zucchini and cheese. Sprinkle with thyme, salt, and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and let it stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving.

Raspberry vinegar is made from fresh raspberries macerated in white wine vinegar for a few months. This tangy and fruity condiment can be found in fine foods stores, and will be a prized addition to your vinegar collection: a few drops will as sparkle to your vinaigrettes, sauces, and marinades, especially for fish or duck.

Variations: Use balsamic vinegar in the place of raspberry vinegar, and shavings of Parmesan or crumbled feta instead of goat cheese. You can also toss the zucchini with the rest of the ingredients in a bowl, and serve it as a salad.

Wine: FREIXENET BRUT DE NOIRS, CAVA ROSE (Spain, Catalonia, sparkling rose) This fresh and mouthwatering bubbly wine displays notes of strawberry and raspberry. It is light enough to respect the delecate zucchini flavor, but it has enough tang and acidity to stand up to the vinegar.