[Photo: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt]

Better than Olive Garden: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt makes a mean "muffuletta" pizza with leftover olive salad.

Politically Charged: Caroline Russcock tries out D.C. chef Spike Mendelsohn's Prez Obama Burger.

So Provencal: Our French in a Flash columnist, Kerry Saretsky, makes a red pistou pasta, then makes it a serious meal with shrimp and herbes de Provence crumbs.

Asian Inspiration: Nick Kindelsperger cooks up a flavorful dish of curried-pork noodles and splashes on some Sriracha.

Curry Best: After a lifetime eating Japanese curry, Aya Tanaka applies her expertise to writing an authoritative curry rice tutorial.