The Ultimate Cake Guide

This simple recipe showcases the pure flavor of ripe avocados, and pairs perfectly with tortilla chips. See the recipe for Guacamole »

We couldn’t resist creating a menu of our staff’s favorite Thanksgiving recipes—from Louisiana-style spinach madeleine and cheddar cheese biscuits to family heirloom recipes such as apple, sausage, and sage stuffing and Van Valkenburg hot slaw—updated with new classics including an autumn panzanella, sage-brined turkey, and brown butter walnut pie with sour whipped cream. This crowd-pleasing spread definitely has something for everyone. Get the full menu »

UNITED STATES You don’t need a smoker to lend a slightly spicy, faintly sweetish hint of the outdoors to fresh salmon. On board a friend’s boat in Alaskan waters, we improvised this method with strips from cedar logs. Back home, we substituted shakes of untreated aromatic cedar (sold by the bundle at lumberyards and hardware stores).

Puréed tomatoes, pepper-flavored vodka, and a pimento-stuffed green olive make the perfect hybrid of two bar staples, the Bloody Mary and classic martini. Get the recipe for Bloody Martini »

This drink is one of our favorites to make with Rittenhouse rye whiskey. See the recipe for New York Cocktail »

A crunchy crust and pudding-like filling make this pie a standout.

This rustic summer galette, a perfect use for July and August’s ubiquitous crop of zucchini, is brightened by a dollop of lemon-scented ricotta. See the recipe for Leek and Zucchini Galette »

Caramel and rum are perfect partners for bananas in this thick and creamy milk shake, a riff on a classic New Orleans dessert; we got the idea for the shake from our friend Drew Curren, chef of 24 Diner in Austin, Texas. You can substitute a porter beer for the rum, if you like.

Indulge in a creamy, frosty blend of caramel and vanilla.

This recipe for a chocolate and banana layered shake is based on one in Thoroughly Modern Milkshakes (Norton, 2009) by Adam Ried. Get the recipe for Vanilla Banana Black & White Milkshake »

Tony Gemignani, Tony’s Pizza Napoletana, San Francisco “What separates real Neapolitan pizza from other styles? If you ask me, everything.” Read the complete SAVEUR 100 story »

The crust is made with raw pecans, a flavorful counterpoint to the traditional spiced filling. Plus, this pie is naturally gluten-free.

The recipe for this classic, layered cocktail originally appeared in Bottoms Up! Y Como!, a brochure published in 1934 by the Agua Caliente resort in Tijuana, Mexico. See the recipe for Tequila Sunrise »

It’s easy, and worthwhile, to filet your own salmon: not only is doing so far more economical than buying presliced filets, but the practice gives you access to all the tasty, overlooked parts of the fish, such as the belly, head, and collars. See How to Filet a Salmon »

Steeped in cinnamon and cloves, this nonalcoholic potion lends a warm, fragrant note to chilly nights. Get the recipe for Mulled Apple Cider »

Los Angeles’s Brown Derby closed its doors long ago, but this classic salad, invented in 1937 by the restaurant’s owner, Robert H. Cobb, lives on.

By carefully layering the apples you can create a beautiful rose pattern in this elegant fruit tart.

A mix of orange flower water and gin gives this venerable New Orleans cocktail a floral character with hints of juniper, while an egg white and heavy cream give it frothy body. The longer you shake the cocktail, the frothier it gets. See the recipe for Henry C. Ramos’s Gin Fizz »

Horchata, a cool, creamy drink popular across Latin America, is frequently made from ground almonds and rice. This decadent adaptation, spiked with cinnamon and dark chocolate, tastes rich and nutty and makes a delightful liquid dessert.

This sweet-tart wine punch was invented by members of the Junior League of Houston book club in the 1970s.

This drink takes its ruby color from blackberry liqueur.

Here is a simple but tasty snack of melted cheese, beans, and tortilla chips. See the recipe for Sour Cream Nachos »

This recipe is based on one in Thoroughly Modern Milkshakes by Adam Ried.

A crunchy crust and pudding-like filling make this pie a standout.

SAVEUR consulting editor Marion Cunningham has spent years tinkering with her pumpkin pie recipe. This is her latest version. See the recipe for Pumpkin Pie »

The Blue Margarita at Club No Minors in Houston gets its dazzling color from blue curaçao liqueur.

The prickly pear cactus thrives in the deserts of the American Southwest; its bulbous red fruit is prized for many Mexican and Tex-Mex preparations. This legendary margarita, which takes its distinctive flavor from the fruit, comes from bartender Ruben Bernal at Las Canarias restaurant in San Antonio, Texas.

Though toddies can be prepared with practically any alcohol, David Wondrich (an expert on the history of the American cocktail) makes a case that pot-stilled spirits, such as cognac, single-malt scotch, and some dark rums, ryes, and bourbons (like Woodford Reserve), produce the best results. See the recipe for Hot Toddy »

Lime juice, Worcestershire, and hot sauce add kick to this spicy lager refresher.

Whether cooked over coals or under a broiler, tender halved baby artichokes have a delicate yet concentrated flavor and a crisp exterior. See the recipe for Grilled Baby Artichokes »

Matt’s El Rancho in Austin combines two festive drinks in its sangria margarita.

Watermelon gives the Silver Coin Margarita, from Austin’s Fonda San Miguel, its refreshing kick. We recommend using Herradura Silver Tequila.

This elegant shaken margarita is more tart than sweet.

This traditional Swedish Christmas punch–spiked with red wine, port, and vodka–is not for the faint of heart. Our version, from noted chef Marcus Samuelsson, was inspired by his memories of the glogg his grandmother made in her kitchen in Goteberg, Sweden. See the recipe for Glogg »

Throughout the South, sweet tea is nothing to be taken lightly—most families have a preferred recipe, this is ours. Get the recipe for Sweet Iced Tea »

The mixologist at Bar Americain who gave us this recipe had one thing in mind when creating this cocktail: to come up with something tropical, refreshing, and—most importantly—loaded with tequila.

This classic cocktail was likely invented at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris, circa 1931. See the recipe for Sidecar »

The daiquiri is said to have been invented in Cuba in 1898. The banana daiquiri, however, was apparently first concocted some 50 years ago at St. Thomas’ Mountaintop bar in the U.S. Virgin Islands. See the recipe for Banana Daiquiri »

This drink is a French favorite, pairing sweet seasonal strawberries with fruity red wine. We suggest using a young pinot noir or beaujolais.

Some Brazilians substitute vodka for the fiery cachaça–sugarcane brandy–in this classic drink and call the result a caipiroska.

This simple, speedy blanching technique offers a clean and easy way to slip the skin right off your summer bounty. Watch the video » See a recipe for Vegetable Run-Up »