In Léa Karsenty’s North African family, challah is studded with anise seeds, which infuse the loaves with a sweet, licorice flavor. This recipe is part of the family’s Yom Kippur break fast, but is wonderful to bake for an al fresco summer meal.

When artist Vivian Reiss was growing up in New York City in the 1950s, her parents would serve this spread at fancy cocktail parties. It works just as well at a picnic.

Smooth and creamy j’ben is similar to ricotta and is ubiquitous in Morocco. Pair it with jams or cooked salads like kamfounata. For a picnic, be sure to pack it in a cooler.

Similar to the beloved ratatouille Niçoise of Nice, France, this Moroccan dip called kamfounata is made with eggplant, tomato, and zucchini —  it’s stewy, saucy and perfect for dipping into at a Shabbat dinner, weekend brunch, or picnic.

Time is a key ingredient in this jammy Moroccan tomato and pepper dip. But once it's made, it will hold well in the refrigerator for a few days, so you can make it in advance for a Shabbat dinner or a picnic.

Sasha Shor grew up snacking on these Russian hand-pies and explains: “The potato gives it a weighty creaminess broken up with the lightness of chopped egg, while the scallion and dill bring a fresh, bright, herbal flavor punch to each bite.”

These Greek leek fritters have been a favorite in cookbook author Shaily Lipa's family for generations. Her grandmother and great-grandmother brought the recipe from Thessaloniki with them to Mandatory Palestine in the 1930s. 

In Lisa Capelouto’s family, savory Sephardic stuffed pastries called pastelikos are a key part of their desayuno (Shabbat breakfast) spread. This recipe from her mother Vivienne is filled with a mixture of eggplant, parsley, and tomatoes.

An integral part of Sephardic desayuno or breakfast, boyos are Judeo-Spanish flaky pastries. Traditionally, they are served alongside long cooked eggs known as huevos haminados.

Cristina Sussman-Marcos explains: “Mallorcan Jews created this iconic look for their panades as a Shabbat food, where they could be popped into the oven before sundown on Friday until the next day."

If you are lucky enough to have a small portable grill or campfire for your picnic, these lamb shish kabobs from Sasha Shor’s family are excellent. Alternatively, you can cook them at home. Just be sure to allow them to cool a bit before packing up.

We first featured this recipe for spinach fritters from a Bulgarian family in 2018 and it has remained a favorite of our team since then.

A North African omelette is thicker and fluffier than the one many of us know — more like a Spanish tortilla or Italian frittata. This one with potatoes, peas, and spinach, comes from Elle Brosh’s Algerian great-grandmother.

Tamar Moradoff’s kuku sabzi is loaded with fresh herbs, leeks, and spinach. It’s wonderful served warm or at room temperature the following day.

While grape leaves are often filled with meat or rice and vegetables, in this recipe from the late great cook Tamar Moradoff, the filling is studded with dried fruit like raisins and dates.

When Sarina Roffé was little, her family made this salad as part of their mazza spread, small dishes served at the start of celebratory meals, but it packs up perfectly for a picnic.

Chef and writer Peter Hoffman’s recipe for potato salad is loaded with fresh herbs like tarragon, parsley, and dill and lashed with bright apple cider vinegar.

This light tomato salad that’s punctuated with briny capers was served over couscous during summers in Kathy Berrie’s childhood home in Morocco. It’s best when tomatoes are at their peak.

Loaded with thinly sliced carrots and quinoa, this salad from cookbook author Erin Gleeson is hearty and crunchy.

This spicy and bright cherry salad from food writer Hila Alpert is a revelation. JFS editorial director Devra Ferst makes it on repeat during warmer months.

When Christina Whittaker was growing up, her grandmother Gloria would buy her gizzada, sweet and sticky coconut tartlets, as a treat. These days, Christina makes her own version of the classic Jamaican sweet.

Ensuring a summer peach tart, like this beautiful one from Gabriella Stern’s family, arrives safely at a picnic in one piece requires some care — and a good cake carrier.

This summer cake recipe makes the most of the season’s fresh fruit. While it’s wonderful with cherries, it can be made with almost any fruit you have on hand.

Cookbook author Julia Turshen’s grandparents owned a bakery called Ratchick’s for decades, but it sadly closed before she was born. Inspired by their recipes, she developed her own marble loaf recipe and added three punches of coconut.