Anthony Frederick's Crawfish Etouffeé
Olive Hershey's Peach Ice Cream
John Leeper's Watermelon Pickle
Anne Gile's Vegetable Pie
The Whistler's Orange Pancakes
Robert Tabak's Smoked and Grilled Shrimp
Garry Olah's Clay-Pot Orange Duckling
Chris "Whip" Layton's Two-tone Chili

A collection of home cooks share their culinary triumphs -- from those secret recipes on fading index cards to those word-of-mouth favorites that everyone envies. Everybody's got one -- a famous recipe. Whether presented at a dinner party, at a family supper, or as a holiday gift, it's a formula that instantly makes folks feel at home, a recipe so close to the person who owns it -- and sometimes so closely guarded -- that it has become synonymous with its cook. Like Mom's apple pie.

We wanted those secret recipes. For our first annual "Speciality of the House," we solicited nominees -- no professional chefs, caterers, or cooks -- from all over the state. And with a little cajoling, we were able to pry entrées from architects, condiments from collectors, and pancakes from patrons of the arts. Our search turned up a selection of home cooks with recipes that range from haute cuisine to comfort food. Each of these individuals has at least one culinary star turn.

And each of the recipes has a bit of the creator's personality shining through, from the simmering intensity of a blues musician's chili to the elegantly sensible vegetable pie of an accomplished hostess. From first course to last, these dishes are kitchen signatures.