Eric Medsker

This sparkling balsamic vinegar–espresso shrub gets a tangy, bubbly boost while still giving a jolt of energy. Get the recipe for Coffee Shrub Spritzer »

Test kitchen director Farideh Sadeghin got the recipe for this refreshing melon drink from her Iranian-born father, who makes it by grating fresh cantaloupe and combining it with water, sugar, and fresh mint. You can add a little gin for a cooling summer cocktail. Get the recipe for Persian Cantaloupe Drink »

This recipe treats iced coffee like a cocktail, adding peach nectar and lime juice to amp the beans’ citrus and other fruit notes. Get the recipe for Gone in 60 Seconds »

Orchata (Indian Almond and Rosewater Drink)

Panagam (Indian Ginger and Lime Drink)

In Lucknow, India, the hakims—local practitioners of Yunani medicine, derived from ancient Greece and focused on balancing the humors in the body—concoct cooling drinks to beat the heat. Called by the Persian name sharbat, the iced drinks often contain sweet and tart fruits and pungent and fiery spices. This refreshing cooler gets a carbonated lift from seltzer and a pleasantly saline tang from black salt and dried mango powder.