Beverages

Be sure to prepare the syrup at least a few hours before making drinks so that it has plenty of time to chill.

Try this pumpkin-infused vodka in the Smashing Pumpkin Martini, or use it to invent a holiday cocktail of your own.The bar at Fifty Seven Fifty Seven in New York City, where it was created, uses a liter-sized Stolichnaya bottle to hold the vodka-pumpkin mixture while it steeps.

For an extra kick, add a dash of vodka to this refreshing drink.

If you're expecting a crowd, mix up a pitcher of these drinks ahead of time and refrigerate. Pour over ice and garnish with lime wedges just before serving.

Take this lemonade along on a picnic in a large Mason jar or a plastic container, stowed in the cooler with the other drinks.

This Franco-American combination of bourbon and bubbles gives you another reason to be thankful. It doubles easily to accommodate the number of guests around your holiday table.

A base used for making Margaritas

Dipping the rims of the glasses into a mixture of salt and sugar is a nice touch.

Try this frothy, creamy cocktail instead of eggnog to kick off your Christmas festivities.

Luis Miguel López Alanís of Morelia, Mexico, writes: "Although I grew up in Mexico, it was in Chicago of all places that I learned to cook Mexican food. During the two years I lived there, I missed my country's food so much that I wrote to my mother in Zitácuaro and asked her to send me recipes so I could cook for myself. "Now I work as a tour guide in Michoacán, my home state, where I lead tours on Morelia's colonial history and architecture, and show tourists the Paricutín Volcano and monarch butterfly sanctuaries. And sometimes I do restaurant and market tours. Whenever business slows down, I enjoy cooking for my family. " Mexico is known for its aguas frescas, delicious cold "waters" made simply from fruits or vegetables, water, and sugar. They're the perfect refreshment on a hot day.