Recipes from the 2011 James Beard America’s Classics

Chef Vola’s is one of the most mysterious restaurants in Atlantic City — complete with a secret reservation line and unassuming front of the house — but their expertly prepared Italian-American cuisine has nevertheless kept customers lined up at their doors. A beloved staple at the restaurant, Vola’s twist on a classic veal scaloppini is made heartier than the original by the addition of thin slices of eggplant and prosciutto. See the recipe for Veal Scallopini with Eggplant and Prosciutto »

After it was founded in 1893, the Noriega Hotel quickly became the center of Bakersfield, California’s lively Basque community. One of the regulars’ favorite dishes is a zingy cod salad, served on family-style along with other Basque delicacies like pickled tongue and rabbit stew. See the recipe for Bernardette’s Cod Salad »

Watts’ Tea Shop, a Milwaukee staple with deep historical roots, has served this bright, fluffy layer cake for their afternoon tea service since the early 1900s. See the recipe for Sunshine Cake »

Even though the heydey of Le Veau d’Or, a French culinary fixture on the Upper East Side in Manhattan, is more than 50 years past, it’s still a go-to for precisely executed, classic bistro fare. In the restaurant’s pitch-perfect version of a rustic French dish called Poussins en Cocotte, spring chickens are braised in wine and stock until tender. See the recipe for Poussins en Cocotte »

Coarse stone-ground grits lend texture and robust flavor to a classic, cheesy dish with sweet shrimp and smoky bacon. Get the recipe for Shrimp and Grits »