From the Foodland deli and bakery come two suggestions that would fit in well at the beginning and end of your holiday meal.

Linda Nagai wrote asking for the recipe for Foodland's sesame-soy-flavored edamame, or soy beans, describing them as “;really broke-the-mouth.”; The same request came from an e-mail correspondent named Carol, who said simply that they were “;very delicious.”;

Monica Young, meanwhile, is after the recipe for the bakery's Lemon Meringue Pie.

Foodland was happy to comply.

The edamame is cooked in a scorching-hot wok or skillet until it picks up an intriguing charred look and flavor. The pie is a tangy mix of lemon juice, lemon extract and — here's where the real work comes in — the zest of six lemons.

Wok-Charred Edamame

2 pounds frozen edamame in shell
2 tablespoons salt
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons soy sauce
Pinch dried chili flakes

Bring pot of water to boil. Add edamame and salt; blanch 5 minutes. Drain.

Heat a wok or skillet until scorching hot. Add edamame and let heat dry off moisture. Let pods sit in pan to allow them to lightly char.

When they're dry, add sesame oil and garlic. Toss to coat. Once garlic is lightly cooked and is giving off an aroma, add soy sauce and deglaze pan (scrape pan with spatula to break up any browned bits stuck to bottom). Let soy sauce reduce and coat pods. Top with chili flakes.

Garnish with additional soy sauce and sea salt, to taste, if desired. Serves 12.

Approximate nutritional analysis, per serving (without additional soy sauce or salt): 70 calories, 3.5 g fat, no saturated fat or cholesterol, greater than 350 mg sodium, 5 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, no sugar, 6 g protein.

Lemon Meringue Pie

1 9-inch pie shell
» Filling:
1-1/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons cornstarch
1-1/2 cups cold water
5 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons lemon juice
Zest of 6 lemons
1 teaspoon lemon extract
» Meringue
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
6 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Combine sugar, cornstarch and water in saucepan. Bring to boil.

Beat egg yolks in bowl. Add 4 teaspoons hot mixture to eggs and stir to temper (warm them slowly so they won't curdle). Pour eggs into saucepan. Cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To make meringue: Beat ingredients on high speed until stiff peaks form. Do not overbeat.

Pour warm filling into pie shell; top with meringue. Bake 15 to 18 minutes, until meringue is browned.

Nutritional information unavailable.