Beverages

This is served as an appetizer in Greece. The wine gives it a special flavor.

This Greek dish takes time and effort but is something special to offer at a dinner party. Serve with rice or with mashed potatoes (see page 297).

A Greek way of cooking mussels.

In Egypt we called it poisson à la grecque. All kinds of fish can be cooked in this way—small ones whole, and large ones cut into steaks. Serve hot or cold with good bread and a salad.

Raki, the Turkish national spirit, gives the grilled sea bass a faint anise aroma. Arak, ouzo, and even Pernod can be used instead. Other fish such as bream, turbot, and red mullet can be prepared in the same way.

Pastries are served with mint tea. Spearmint is considered the best for tea, but other varieties can be used. In Morocco, they drink the tea very sweet with a large number of sugar lumps in the teapot, but you can suit your taste.

This simple preparation for fresh strawberries has long been a favorite of mine. The almond flavor of amaretto melds perfectly with the sweetness and aroma of lush, ripe strawberries.

Smoothies are superb served with pizza meals. Try this or any of the other smoothies in this chapter the next time you make pizza. I’ve suggested these smoothies as part of some of the menus in Chapter Six, A Flash in the (Pizza) Pan.

I remember buying creamsicles from the ice cream truck as a child. The combination of the orange and vanilla flavors was wonderfully refreshing. Here’s a healthy, natural re-creation of those flavors in an invigorating beverage.

Some days, I need little more than this or the following refreshing smoothie for lunch. My younger son wanted readers to know that he came up with the mango and pear combination at the age of seven. It’s unbelievably good—thanks, Evan!

The word borracho was a nineteenth-century north-of-the-border term for a drunkard, and so the name of this recipe literally means “drunken pinto beans.” Simmering the pintos in beer and fresh cilantro gives them a unique flavor.

This drink is a twist on the dirty martini using black olives instead of green. James Bond mastered the mystique of the martini—it is the ultimate sexy drink. The icy vodka, the dryness of the vermouth, and the salty olives make the ultimate ménage à trois.

Cheese for dessert is very European and a nice change from an overly sweet indulgence. This savory dessert puffs up so high it’s gorgeous; make sure folks are around when you take it out of the oven. An after-dinner experience.

The red wine caramel adds a sexy complexity to this classic French staple and the fresh thyme gives it a sweet, earthy depth.

An elegant and easy dessert that you can bang out in under an hour.

You will need ramekins to make this recipe. The pots de crème taste like coffee pudding. Both can be made a day in advance. Store the cookies in an airtight container.