Cocktail

A New Orleans specialty that combines dark coffee with brandy, citrus and spices, this gets its name from the French words for coffee and burnt brandy. We've added a couple of twists, spiking it with Grand Marnier and topping it with whipped cream.

Chicama is one of Manhattan's hottest Nuevo Latino restaurants. Chef Douglas Rodriguez — a pioneer of this style of cooking — oversees the open kitchen with its Ecuadoran eucalyptus-wood-burning oven and rotisserie. Rodriguez turns out dishes like adobo-rubbed Argentine rib-eye steak and black paella, which gets its unique color and taste from squid ink; there is also a large, innovative ceviche bar. To wash it all down, diners choose from the wines of Chile, Argentina and Spain — or from cocktails like the restaurant's namesake Chicama Colada.

Now considered the national drink of Brazil, the Caipirinha was not always so respectable. In fact, the name comes from a somewhat derogatory word roughly equivalent to "hillbilly." The cocktail's main ingredient, cachaça, is an aguardiente that, like rum, is made from sugarcane. But cachaça has a bite and flavor more characteristic of a rough-edged tequila than of its more refined cousin. In fact, bartenders who run out of cachaça have been known to substitute equal parts white rum and white tequila in its place.A Caipirinha is usually made by muddling pieces of lime with sugar; we chose, for simplicity's sake, to juice the limes instead. For a more authentic flavor, you can mash a piece of lime rind in the bottom of the glass before serving.

This variation on the traditional champagne cocktail is spiked with some Cognac and Grand Marnier.

(Rum, Lime, Mint and Basil Cocktail)Garnishes: fresh mint and basil sprigs and lime slices

For extra-slushy Margaritas, freeze the drinks in the blender jar at least thirty minutes and up to one hour; stir, if necessary, before serving. Instead of using salt, coat the glass rims with superfine sugar: Run a lime wedge along the rims to moisten, then dip them into a shallow saucer of sugar.

For a cold version of this cocktail, pour rum over ice in a large glass and top off with apple juice or sparkling cider.