Cocktail

Guava and papaya nectars and cream of coconut enhance this spin on the Margarita served at Café Iguana in Denver, Colorado.

Every island in the Caribbean has its own version of rum punch, usually designed to highlight the virtues of the locally produced spirit. If we were cast away on a Caribbean island, we'd like to find this cooler waiting at that little palm-shaded bar on the beach. Be sure to set out beer (Red Stripe is a nice Jamaican lager), wine and soda, too.

The following Bloody Mary recipe is based on a spicy tequila-chaser from Mexico called sangrita, which is usually made with the juices of tomatoes and oranges and sometimes other fruit. Adding to our variation's international flavor, Scandinavian aquavit takes the place of vodka or gin.

You can select any type of bottle you like for this citrus-scented spirit, but choosing a wide-neck one makes it a snap to place the citrus peel into the vodka. For easy gift wrapping, tie ribbons around the neck to match the colors of the peels. Tell the recipient to use the vodka in orange juice or lemonade, or shaken or stirred in a Martini, or to serve it ice-cold and straight up.