I've planned a lot of menus in my day and get tons of emails from readers and friends asking me to help them plan a menu for a specific occasion. I can throw a menu together in no time flat, and so can you if you take a look at my helpful tips and pointers. All week I am giving you a few more pieces to the puzzle. I see an empty dinner plate as an artist would look at a blank canvas. It's important to think of every aspect of the dishes from the texture, color, and aroma [0] to the techniques of cooking that you use and the variety of ingredients [0]. For today's menu planning tips,

• Use ingredients that are in season. A rich meaty casserole in the heat of summer, or a spring vegetable consommé in the dead of winter will not impress your guests!
• Use ingredients that are local. In last week's Time [1] magazine, the cover story was about how eating locally could be better than eating organic [2].
• Try to use fresh, natural produce wherever possible. You just can't compare the flavor of a freshly roasted free-range chicken with that of a frozen or pre-packed bird off the supermarket shelf.