Alcohol

Moist spice cake layered with cream cheese frosting adds up to one irresistible autumn treat.

Here's a mellow way to flavor this creamy and comforting Spanish custard dessert.

Though the presentation of this cake— all white-glazed and topped with undulating ribbons of toasted coconut—will take everyone's breath away, we promise that it will only get better from there. (And the cake's rich, coconutty, rum-nipped flavor will never hint that it was a one-bowl effort.)

Though pineapple and rum are the foundation for this aperitif, mint and lime juice temper the sweetness for a bright, clean sip.

Flameado! Igniting the tequila in the skillet not only impresses onlookers—it also burns off the alcohol, leaving behind nothing but the spirit's famous bite.

A playful twist on the Bloody Mary, served frozen as a granita with a little vodka poured over. The Tolstoi is a full-flavored red hybrid tomato. If you can't find it, the Brandywine would also be delicious.

The figs for the sauce need to marinate overnight, so start one day ahead.

The steaks need to marinate overnight.

Use the ripest white peaches available.

Serve additional pear crisps as snacks.

Fingerlings have a particularly earthy quality that tastes of the essence of potato. Steaming them, rather than boiling, preserves their delicate shape and prevents them from becoming waterlogged, so that the simple dressing really comes through.

Guests are always tickled by their own individual desserts, and after a light summer meal, these tartlets are just the thing. A flaky crust cradles plump crescents of fruit accented with almonds and Amaretto.

The combination of plums and red wine gives this sorbet a stunning fuchsia color and a deep, fruit-filled flavor. Think of it as fruity mulled wine that's been frozen into a refreshing dessert.

Kids will need no explanation: They will marvel at these red-and-green-striped drinks that they swirl with a straw. And for grown-ups who may want to get in on the fun, you can make another batch—a shot of gin makes a pleasant, and civilized, addition.