Beverages

A little taste of the Southwest to get you in the mood for a rowdy game of Texas Hold'em!

I'm pretty much a purist when it comes to martinis. I can't bring myself to imagine what's involved with Martini: The Game, a cards–and–dice game that makes each player a bartender working to whip up cocktail creations. My version of that game would be pretty boring: a bunch of gin cards, the occasional dry vermouth card, and a die that just says "olive" or "twist" on all sides. Not a fun game, but these ingredients do make a superior cocktail in my opinion! So I'm not big on martini variations, but this one minor twist on the classic martini simply adds a bit more herbal and savory character to the aromatics already present in the gin—a little more depth of character without going overboard. This cocktail will be best with a London dry–style gin. Some newer and small–batch gins—much as I love them—can have distinctive character that may or may not meld well with the rosemary. To ensure that the olives take on some of that savory rosemary flavor, they should soak for at least a day before mixing the martinis.

The base for this fun frozen dessert cocktail can be prepared up to one month ahead. Keep a batch in your freezer for an almost-instant treat.

Ciao Bella has made this classic Italian flavor since the beginning, and it's the favorite of our president, Charlie Apt. Campari, invented in the 1860s by Gaspare Campari, is an alcoholic beverage made with a secret mixture of herbs and bark that gives it its characteristic bitter edge. Here that bitterness is intensified by the sharpness of the grapefruit, which makes this the quintessential palate cleanser; if you want to serve it as a dessert, increase the sugar to 2 cups. Campari's distinctive red color lends a beautiful gentle pink tone to the sorbetto. For a nonalcoholic grapefruit sorbetto, simply omit the Campari.

Most freshwater and ocean fish can be marinated for only 30 minutes at most—or they turn opaque and are essentially "cooked" before you even go out to the grill. The exception, though, is strong-flavored, oily fish like amberjack, bluefish, salmon, mackerel, marlin, mullet, or even our old standby, farm-raised catfish, which can stand up to longer marinating. In fact, marinating these oily fish for a longer time makes them taste even better. Our Japanese-style marinade is not too acidic—it's the acid from citrus juices or vinegar that can "pickle" fish in minutes. Soy sauce and sake add a spirited flavor. Sugar and mirin, a sweet Japanese wine, give a glazed appearance to the finished dish. And fresh ginger makes it all come together.

Cut into rings and tentacles and deep fried, squid have claimed a top spot on restaurant appetizer menus as calamari. But why go out for calamari when you can grill them at home? Whole, marinated squid, done to a turn on your grill, can transform your backyard into a tapas bar. Just stir up a pitcher of sangria or chill a bottle of fino sherry, and you're good to go. The technique you use for grilling squid is the same as for whole baby octopus or cut-up octopus tentacles. You want to marinate them first to imbue them with flavor. Squid and octopus are not as delicate as fish, so you can marinate them longer—ideally, for 3 to 4 hours. Then, grill them quickly on an oiled, perforated grill rack (so they don't fall through the grill grates) over a hot fire; that way, they crisp up without getting rubbery.

A cool treat inspired by spumoni, the classic Italian frozen dessert of ice cream, whipped cream, rum, nuts, and candied fruit.

Agua fresca (Spanish for "fresh water") is a Mexican drink infused with fruits, seeds, or flowers. This one combines the sweetness of pineapple with the spice of fresh ginger. Want to kick the party up a notch? Add a little vodka or tequila. Garnish with pineapple spears.

The flavors of a classic Mojito (mint and lime) are blended into a slushy, easy-to-drink cocktail. For a large party, triple the recipe and store the drink in a pitcher in the freezer for up to an hour. Stir to blend before serving.

A Gin Rickey is a mix of gin, lime juice, and club soda. We've added crushed raspberries and rose water, which makes the berry flavor sing. Any gin will work, but the cucumber and rose notes of Hendrick's are particularly good here. Garnish with lime slices and whole berries.

The fillets are cooked in foil packets with a mix of herbs, citrus, beer, and wine, then served with maque choux, a Cajun succotash.

These humongous sweet-and-smoky beef ribs will be the talk of your next backyard barbecue. Because the ribs are an unusually large size, your butcher may have to special-order the whole racks for you.

Naturally sweet, fresh figs get an all-over taste treatment with tangy goat cheese, smoky pancetta, slightly bitter fruit liqueur, and heat from black pepper. Serve these figs as finger-food appetizers or place them on top of dressed greens for a salad. High-heat planking caramelizes the figs and burnishes the goat cheese, adding another level of flavor. The high heat cooks the fruit quickly, resulting in an outer charred fruit and warm center that has texture and bite but is not mushy. This is an excellent way to plank most fruits and vegetables. Keep a spray bottle of water handy to lightly douse flare-ups. Suggested plank: 2 maple or oak grilling planks, soaked in water for at least 1 hour

This is a great nonalcoholic mojito—a flavorful twist on the sugarcane and rum drink of old Havana.

This grown-up dessert is perfect for a backyard bash.

Not to be confused with coconut milk, coconut water is the tart liquid found in the center of young coconuts.

Fresh mint and lime juice add a bright finish to this drink.

Frozen açai puree is available in the freezer section of most supermarkets.

Fresh ginger gives this a zesty kick.

This has to be one of the oldest porch drinks. My grandmother once told me it was the soft drink of her generation (that, and Coca-Cola, which, with a trace of cocaine in its early days, put a pep in her step). Shrubs make great use of fresh fruits—blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, you name it—and are kept in concentrate form, which, tightly covered, will keep in your refrigerator for a couple of weeks (just whisk it to incorporate the sugar "foam" that forms on top). Don't be alarmed by the vinegar; the sugar and water tone it down, leaving it most enjoyable. This could be made into a punch by pouring the shrub concentrate into a large bowl and adding 12 to 14 cups of water followed by ice cubes.