Alcohol

We call this a Persian Kir Royale—and can think of no better way to start a meal. This recipe yields more syrup than you'll need; use the surplus for fruity nonalcoholic spritzers or drizzle it over ice cream.

This cocktail is from Ashley Christensen's Fox Liquor Bar in Raleigh, North Carolina.

This lime- and cilantro-infused cocktail will appeal to both Gimlet and Martini drinkers. We like to use Tanqueray for its strong juniper and spice profile.

A blend of rums, exotic juices, liqueurs, aromatic spices, absinthe, and trepidation. One from the Soulshakers' greatest hits collection, this drink has been honed to a lethal edge over the past eight years at Gaz's Rocking Blues at London's Notting Hill Carnival and the Glastonbury Festival in southwest England.

Some describe the flavor of lemon verbena as a cross between a very subtle licorice and camphor. I love it for its lemony finish. Herbal and bright, it's sometimes used in cooking as a replacement for oregano. As a soda flavor, lemon verbena is modern and crisp, with an herbal complexity. It's great as a stand-alone drink for cocktail hour and as a complement to light, simple meals.

Not quite so popular these days, this style of cocktail demands a steady hand to layer the ingredients, starting with the densest and ending with the least dense, to create the drink's snazzy colored stripes. The pousse-café glass is a specific vessel, but try it in a champagne flute or another glass you have to hand before you invest in extra equipment.

This is a twist on the Margarita and uses Japanese matcha for a modern feel. The finely milled green tea brings a touch of Zen to the cocktail ceremony.

If you want a real taste of Cuba, you have to start with a mojito. Rum, lime juice, mint…you've got the drink of Hemingway in your hands. For a delicious spin on the classic, try this version. Sweet, tart, and bursting with fruity flavor, blackberries are an outstanding addition.

Wiśniówka "Life is dandy, cherry brandy!" So goes a line from a poem by Russian writer Osip Mandelstam—meant to be ironic, of course, as he lived in the darkest days of Stalinism and died in the Gulag. Cherry brandy, cherry vodka, cherry liqueurs: These are the obvious consequence of Eastern Europe's famous and abundant cherry orchards, of which there are just as many in Poland as there are in provincial Russia. Do note that this recipe works for any kind of fruit that is not too sweet. In particular it is worth trying with black currants or Polish jagody—wild blueberries—if you can find them. The quantities given here are for a 34-oz/1-L jar, but do reduce them (or increase them!) in proportion to the bottle you are using.

Named for bar and spirits director Brian Bartels's former address, this is a more complex take on a Mimosa.

Using the best and freshest crabmeat you can get your hands on makes all the difference in these lightly battered and totally delicious fritters from La Petite Grocery, a new-school NOLA bistro.

Don't use your best Champagne for this dessert—any affordable bottle of cava or Prosecco will do. The key ingredient in this machine-free sorbet is the apricots: Choose the ripest, most fragrant ones you can find.

Pineapple adds sweetness and a tropical twist to this classic cocktail. Make sure to choose a ripe one: It should be very fragrant, with no soft spots or bruises. Or use fresh precut pineapple.

"You'll find me drinking this cocktail—inspired by the best Michelada I ever had, at a dive bar in Austin—all summer long. Lime + salt + hot sauce = perfection." —Alison Roman, assistant food editor

This whole roasted cauliflower has become a signature of Domenica chef Alon Shaya. Precooking the cauliflower in seasoned liquid infuses it with flavor.

Trimming tender baby artichokes is simple. As you go, transfer them to lemon water to keep them from turning brown.

With the help of barman Euclides López, I fashioned a Mexican rendition of Audrey Saunders's French Pearl using two staples of Puebla cuisine: mezcal and fresh oregano.

El Molino refers to the "mill" used to grind fresh-roasted cocoa beans into chocolate.