For this item on the chef’s tasting menu at Bresca in Washington, D.C., executive chef Ryan Ratino makes a slightly smoky rye tart shell with milk that has been scalded with embers from the restaurant’s hearth.

He takes Red Devon dairy cattle from Autumn Olive Farms in Columbia, Va., dices it finely and mixes it with minced cornichons, capers, shallots, chives, and an aïoli made from rendered fat from the cattle and dehydrated and powdered shio kombu. It’s topped with a fudge made with comté cheese set with egg yolk and then torched to caramelize the surface. Finally it’s finished with grated comté.

Price: Part of the $158 tasting menu

This clarified at The Delphi Lounge & Coffee | Tea Bar was developed by Jason Sanders, senior vice president of development for the Ellis Adams Group, which provides consulting and design services for the Delphi Hotel in Los Angeles, where the lounge is located.

Sanders said he enjoys the centuries-old history of milk punches but also appreciates the science of it all. In this case, the addition of whole milk to the high-acid drink starts a reaction that removes all of the solids and creates a clear pink liquid with a silky mouthfeel.

Making it is a three-day process that starts with peeling 10 lemons and 2 oranges and steeping them in half a liter each of VSOP Cognac and Fonseca Bin 27 Ruby Port overnight. The next day he strains it and adds 0.2 liters of lemon juice and 0.3 liters of Earl Grey tea, along with 1.4 kilo of sugar, a cinnamon stick and two pods of star anise.

He adds that to a liter of whole milk that has been gently heated until it starts to steam. He stirs that gently as the milk curdles, covers that and lets it sit for two to six hours. He strains that through a fine strainer lined with cheesecloth, and then strains it again through the strainer and a third time through a coffee filter. Then he covers it and lets it sit overnight.

The next morning, the remaining solids will have settled on the bottom, and he pours the liquid carefully into a serving vessel or bottle. That portion makes 12 to 15 servings and will last indefinitely.

He serves it in a clear teacup garnished with an orange marigold from Fresh Origins.

Price: $13

At Ilili NYC, chef and owner Philippe Massoud makes an extra creamy hummus by soaking chickpeas for 48 hours and then puréeing it with tahini, lemon, and olive oil. He takes ramps sourced from Mountain Berry Farm in Sayre, Pa., sautés them in Lebanese olive oil and puts them on top of the hummus.

Massoud said he has used the ramps in many Lebanese dishes that use garlic and/or onion, and this dish has been the most popular. “The nuttiness of the tahini, the creaminess of the hummus, and the sautéed ramps blend together beautifully.”

Price: $22 at dinner and brunch, $12 for a smaller portion at lunch

At Bombo, a modern Mexican restaurant that opened in West Hollywood, Calif., last month, head chef Samantha Quintero marinates octopus in red wine for a day. Then the octopus is roasted for three hours, cooled, cleaned, and brushed with a blend of agave syrup, soy sauce, and habanero peppers. Then it’s grilled until it has “a nice char.” It is served with a side of potatoes that have been boiled with bay leaves and salt, then fried and tossed with dill and cilantro.

Also on the plate is a cilantro mojo made with parsley and oregano as well as cilantro.

Quintero said this dish reflects her heritage as a Hispanic in Los Angeles because it combines Mediterranean and Mexican techniques with a touch of Asian influence in the glaze.

Price: $19