Vegetables are more versatile than many people may know. Steaming or sautéing vegetables might be among the most popular ways to cook veggies, but grillmasters know that it’s not just main dishes that taste great when cooked over an open flame. As the following recipe for “Charred Green Beans with Lemon Verbena Pesto” from Karen Adler and Judith Fertig’s “The Gardener & The Grill” (Running Press) can attest, grilled vegetables make for simple yet satisfying side dishes.

It’s been said that baseball is the emblem of the American spirit: Simple in concept, complex in reality. You start with a ball and a bat and end up with a game that ignites passions for generations.

Dessert and summer are a match made in heaven. Sweltering summer afternoons might not be comfortable, but any discomfort can be quickly washed away with a refreshing dessert, such as the following recipe for “Kiwi Fruit Sorbet” from Lou Seibert Pappas’ “Ice Creams & Sorbets” (Chronicle Books).

Traditional mole sauce typically gets some of its depth from the addition of bittersweet chocolate. This recipe for “Sweet Potato Chorizo Mole” from Joy Manning and Tara Mataraza Desmond’s “Almost Meatless” (Ten Speed Press) utilizes bittersweet chocolate as well. The result is a flavorful dish that’s sure to please.

When people look for the perfect beverage to pair with food, many may assume wine earns that distinction.