Cold Drink

Raspberries are pureed and strained, then the mixture is partially frozen, and, finally, the slush is served in sugar-rimmed glasses. If you prepare the dessert ahead and freeze the mixture until hard, defrost it in the refrigerator for an hour or so before serving, to achieve the desired silky consistency. Individually quick frozen (IQF) berries, available year-round at most supermarkets, are generally of high quality and have been picked at the peak of ripeness and frozen without sugar. If fresh raspberries are in season, of course, you can use them.

For the best results, chill the produce first.

This puckery, sparkling aperitif is booze-optional.

Watermelon in its solid state is so loaded with water and sugar that it is little more than a beverage waiting to be released from captivity. This tangy, refreshing drink is the fulfillment of that promise. The addition of a little vinegar does much to expand the aroma of the watermelon, which is barely perceptible when you’re eating the fruit. Mint and watermelon are natural BFFs. If you were unaware of that relationship before tasting this recipe, afterward you will try never to serve a slice of watermelon without a mint sprig somewhere nearby.

Extracted from the pulp inside the seedpods of the African tamarind tree, tamarind paste is sold in Indian groceries and sometimes in the Asian section of supermarkets. Tamarind pulp is quite sour, being about 20 percent acid (mostly tartaric), but it is also somewhat sweet and savory, with a complex roasted underpinning. In much of Asia, tamarind is used to acidify sauces, soups, preserves, and beverages. If you can't find it, you could substitute a combination of lime juice and Marmite and come close. Tamarind paste will keep almost indefinitely in the refrigerator in a tightly closed container.

Because ripe pineapples bruise easily and don't travel well, and because the fruit doesn't ripen after being picked, processed pineapple products like juice and canned fruit that are made from fully ripened fruit frequently taste better than the fresh pineapples available to most consumers. That's why I don't waste my time juicing my own pineapples for beverages. Strawberries are another matter. Strawberry juice, because of its low acidity, is highly perishable. In this light sparkling soda, the strawberry juice is fresh and the pineapple juice is processed—the best of both worlds.

Chicago chef Graham Elliot uses aromatic makrut lime leaves to make this sparkler from his sandwich shop, Grahamwich. They're sold frozen, and sometimes fresh, wherever you buy Thai groceries. If unavailable, substitute an additional 1/2 teaspoon lime zest for each lime leaf.

Fresh ginger and crushed red pepper flakes give this recipe from Portland's Grüner restaurant its fragrant, pleasantly spicy kick.

At San Francisco's Contigo, chef Brett Emerson created this muddled soda to showcase the small, sweet strawberries he finds at the farmers’ market.

This aphrodisiac-laden mocktail comes from NYC's Museum of Sex and is a perfect way to set the mood on Valentine's Day. The recipe makes enough mango elixir and lavender crystals for eight drinks; if you're making only two, refrigerate the remaining elixir and store the crystals in an airtight container at room temperature (both will last up to two weeks). If you can't find dried lavender, just skip the lavender-crystal rim—it's purely optional. To make the Persephone alcoholic, add two ounces of vodka to each drink.

This aphrodisiac-laden mocktail comes from NYC's Museum of Sex and is a perfect way to set the mood on Valentine's Day. The recipe makes enough rose elixir and rosemary crystals for eight drinks; if you're making only two, refrigerate the remaining elixir and store the crystals in an airtight container at room temperature (both will last up to two weeks). If you're short on time, skip the rosemary crystals and use just the superfine sugar instead. To make the Shanghai Rose alcoholic, add two ounces of gin or vodka to each drink.

This aphrodisiac-laden mocktail comes from NYC's Museum of Sex and is a perfect way to set the mood on Valentine's Day. This recipe makes enough cinnamon and cardamom elixirs for eight drinks; if you're making only two, refrigerate both elixirs and they will last up to two weeks. If you can't find granulated honey, substitute raw cane sugar. The saffron rock candy garnish is optional, so feel free to skip it—the Lucky Devil still has plenty of aphrodisiac power without it. To make the Lucky Devil alcoholic, add two ounces of rum, Calvados, or vodka to each drink.

This aphrodisiac-laden mocktail comes from NYC's Museum of Sex and is a perfect way to set the mood on Valentine's Day. This recipe makes enough vanilla elixir, chile elixir, and coconut sea salt for eight drinks; if you're making only two, refrigerate both elixirs and store the salt in an airtight container at room temperature (they will last up to two weeks). To make the Azteca alcoholic, add two ounces of rum or vodka to each drink.

This aphrodisiac-laden mocktail comes from NYC's Museum of Sex and is a perfect way to set the mood on Valentine's Day. The recipe makes enough almond and jasmine elixirs for eight drinks; if you're making only two, refrigerate both elixirs and they will last up to two weeks. If you can't find granulated honey, substitute raw cane sugar. To make the Night Flower alcoholic, add two ounces of St. Germain (elderflower liqueur) or vodka to each drink.

Slightly bitter beer, ice cream, and bittersweet cocoa syrup make for a refreshing float that's not too sweet. Any leftover syrup will keep in the fridge for up to one month.

You don't need a juicer to make this sweet, smooth drink, which is rich in vitamins A and C—a blender can puree the fibrous kale and soft kiwi and banana.

Chef Grossman whips up this drink to "cleanse and recharge." Be sure to pick firm pears because soft ones may clog the juicer.

This is a great nonalcoholic mojito—a flavorful twist on the sugarcane and rum drink of old Havana.

This has to be one of the oldest porch drinks. My grandmother once told me it was the soft drink of her generation (that, and Coca-Cola, which, with a trace of cocaine in its early days, put a pep in her step). Shrubs make great use of fresh fruits—blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, you name it—and are kept in concentrate form, which, tightly covered, will keep in your refrigerator for a couple of weeks (just whisk it to incorporate the sugar "foam" that forms on top). Don't be alarmed by the vinegar; the sugar and water tone it down, leaving it most enjoyable. This could be made into a punch by pouring the shrub concentrate into a large bowl and adding 12 to 14 cups of water followed by ice cubes.

This makes an unexpected drink to serve porch-side visitors. With its beautiful color and sweet-tart cranberrylike flavor, guests will want to know where you had to go to find hibiscus pods, how interesting (and easy) it was to make, and talk about the sheer fact that hibiscus is edible. Be aware that with its deep red coloring, you shouldn't use a light-colored tablecloth.