Alcohol

Cocktail historian David Wondrich prefers his martinis this way—that is, with equal parts gin and vermouth, as they were served circa 1910. To achieve the right flavor balance, he suggests using a high-proof, full-bodied gin—such as Tanqueray—that can stand up to the vermouth. For the sake of historical accuracy, he also recommends straining the drink into a chilled cocktail coupe (a stemmed glass with a wide, shallow bowl), because the martini glass as we know it didn't come on the scene until the 1920s.

This drink was featured as a Cocktail of the Month. The original Martini, which is made with sweet Italian vermouth, sugar syrup, and orange bitters, lost out to the type made with just dry French vermouth, but it is still an excellent drink. This recipe, adapted from the estimable The Old Waldorf Astoria Bar Book (1935) by Albert Stevens Crockett, calls for Old Tom Gin, which is sweeter than dry gin. Since Old Tom isn't easy to find nowadays, we've substituted a combination of dry gin and simple syrup.

This recipe makes more than enough jam for Chef Ryan Hardy's buttermilk panna cotta . He recommends making the full amount—leftovers are delicious in peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

This over-the-top cake has impressive looks and moistness. Start the cherries ahead: They soak in brandy for a week and then in syrup for at least two days.

Toast St. Patrick's Day with our drink that combines the quintessential Irish spirit with a classic American cocktail. Serve it on the rocks to better balance the Irish whiskey's peaty note. If you prefer it a bit drier, make the vermouth portion half sweet and half dry.

Paired with the pea tendrils, chanterelles, and fingerling potatoes, this main makes the most of spring's best ingredients.

This dessert needs some last-minute assembly, so appoint a helper or line up the components to make it all go smoothly.

Carbonades Flamandes This traditional Flemish recipe is perfect for the slow cooker. After hours over low heat, the meat becomes remarkably tender, the onions are sweetly caramelized, and the ale simmers down to a rich sauce. If you prefer a thicker stew, remove the lid for the last two hours of cooking. Serve this dish with a good Belgian beer. This recipe was originally part of a feature on slow cooking. For additional recipes and tips for using a slow cooker, click here.

Ginger beer is a staple in Jamaica, and the best is homemade (it's easy to do, as you'll see in this recipe). Resist the temptation to use commercial ginger beer for this drink — it's too sweet.

The Piña Colada was born in Puerto Rico in the 1950s. Give this version an extra dose of the tropics with a stylish shredded-coconut rim (see below).

Gin is big in the British Virgin Islands, as you might imagine. Here, it's combined with local soursop juice and curaçao. The name is a reference to the shade of the Caribbean Sea.

The jerk seasoning can be made a day in advance. The chicken needs to marinate for at least four hours and can sit as long as overnight.

Guava and sautéed mango add subtle sweetness to this elegant dish. What to drink: A crisp, dry white wine with tropical fruit notes, like Pinot Gris.

A Cuban dish, enchilado (different from a Mexican enchilada) is seafood cooked in a mildly spicy tomato sauce. Serve this with rice and fried plantains.

A Caribbean spin on the 150-year-old classic, this version infuses pineapple into Pisco (a South American brandy) and uses fresh grapefruit and lime peels for added brightness.

Red peas and kidney beans are one and the same.

A colonial twist on the ubiquitous — and potent — rum punch.