Gourmet

This simple Chinese preparation enhances the briny flavor of cockles. If cockles are hard to find in your area, you can substitute other small hard-shelled clams (though steaming time will vary with the type and size).

This recipe is an accompaniment for Bruschette with Chickpea Purée and Chopped Arugula Salad .

The small size of these French-influenced hors d'oeuvres (cornet means "cone" in French) makes them perfect for cocktail hour.

There are several stories about how this drink got its name, but one of the most common, from the 1950s, is that American oil rig workers would add vodka to canned orange juice, which they opened and stirred with their screwdrivers.

This punch — containing rum, Cognac, and peach brandy — is potent. If it packs a bit too much of a wallop for your taste, you can dilute it with cold black tea, a common mixer for this particular punch, or with seltzer water, for a bit of fizz. Some punch bowls may not be big enough to accommodate the size ice block we call for — feel free to use other freezing containers that are more suitably shaped. And though the block is a classic part of this recipe, you can, of course, simply serve the punch in a pitcher over ice cubes.

Try this refreshing drink on a sizzling-hot summer day. Add a splash of aquavit (we like Linie brand), then serve on the rocks with a parsley sprig, and you have a Norwegian Mary. As with any fresh-squeezed juice, this is best served the day it's made.

This drink was dreamed up in Los Angeles in the 1940s by businessman John Martin, who was desperately trying to sell Smirnoff vodka. It so happened that Jack Morgan, owner of the Cock'n Bull, was trying to sell a ginger beer he had recently concocted. The two got together and tracked down a company that had a surplus of mugs, and they had a logo of a kicking mule stamped onto them. A drink was born ...

The tangy flavor of seasonal rhubarb complements the taste of gin surprisingly well. You can double the quantities for a bigger batch.

A vanilla bean is an extravagance that lends a note of sophistication to this drink, but extract is a fine substitute.