Beverages

Surely you've had one too many supersweet sangrias whose fruit chunks overpower the (usually mediocre) wine. This version couldn't be more of a contrast, with a refreshing mintiness and subtly aromatic fruit that still allow the crispness of the white wine to come through.

Not your average sundae: Strawberry sorbet takes the place of ice cream; Prosecco sabayon (an airy, foamy custard) is the sauce; and sugared almonds add crunch.

The Negroni, a gin-based aperitif, meets sangria in this great party punch.

You would be hard-pressed to find something more refreshing than watermelon. This cooler is easy to make, beautiful to behold, and not too sweet. You'll want a pitcher of it in the refrigerator all summer.

You'll turn up your nose at plain old chocolate chip ice cream once you try this cool, stracciatella-flavored concoction—stracciatella being a vanilla-flavored cream with thin ribbons or chips of chocolate (which melt on the tongue) running through it. The stracciatella cream fills this semifreddo-like cake, which also shines with a toasted-almond cookie-crumb base, a toasted-almond topping, and a drizzle of espresso fudge sauce.

Eben Freeman, bartender of Tailor Restaurant in New York City, developed this version of a classic Brazilian cocktail made with cachaca (sugarcane rum). Freeman's adaptations include substituting kumquats for the usual limes and sweetening the drink with turbinado sugar, whose rough crystals help break up the kumquats. He also adds a soy-caramel sauce—which gives the drink a salty-sweet depth—but it can be omitted. If you do opt to make the sauce, note that you'll end up with more than you need for the drink, but it keeps in the refrigerator for up to a month.

Eben Freeman, bartender of Tailor Restaurant in New York City, developed this adaptation of a classic cocktail. Reposado tequila, aged in oak for at least two months but less than a year, gives the drink a smooth smokiness. If you prefer a more vegetal flavor, you could substitute blanco (unaged) tequila; it's probably best to steer clear of añejo (aged in oak for at least a year but less than three years), which could darken the hue and add unwanted oak, vanilla, or caramel flavors. To sweeten his Margarita, Freeman trades the traditional sugar syrup for superfine sugar, which gives the drink a slightly grainy texture. Freeman's final signature touch: Only half the glass gets a salted rim.

Eben Freeman, bartender of Tailor Restaurant in New York City, developed this adaptation of the classic rum-lime-sugar cocktail.

Asian flavors add some heat to the classic French dish moules marinières.

For a sweeter take on this cool spa drink, add 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar or agave nectar, available at Whole Foods, other natural foods stores, and at wildorganics.net.

Port gives this dessert a sophisticated flavor.

Editor's note: The recipe below is from Perfect Parties by Linnea Johansson.

The faint flavor of smoke and caramelized brown sugar do exquisite things to a banana. A drizzling of rum or liqueur gives this simple dessert "gourmet" status. Tips for success: Choose firm, just-ripe bananas so they don't fall apart, cut the bananas as instructed for ease of handling, and use a clean grill rack or a fresh piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil to cover the grill.

Bruising the spices means to almost—but not quite—crush the whole spice seeds or pods. By pressing on the spices with a pestle or the side of a knife, you release the natural oils, making the seasonings more flavorful.

Inspired by the floral qualities of Japanese teas and sweets, this cool jelly's lightly flowery flavor is enhanced by orange Muscat.

Editor's note: The recipe below is adapted from Elizabeth Karmel's Web site, girlsatthegrill.com. This rub originally accompanied Karmel's recipe for Slow-Cooked Texas Beer Brisket .