Grape

Editor's note: This recipe is from Brini Maxwell's Guide to Gracious Living. For Maxwell's tips on throwing a summer pool party, click here. This eye opening dish is mostly flash and very little substance, but the fresh fruit is delicious and good for the digestion.

This refreshing drink can be made without the vodka to appeal to thirsty tennis players between sets or after a long match.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less, but requires additional unattended time.

These caramel-dipped fruits look like jewels and add another layer of elegance to the gingerbread roulade.

The fruit in the salad can be varied with the season. In summer, add cantaloupe; in winter, oranges are good.

Ajo Blanco Malagueño This gazpacho from Málaga gets its pure white color and creamy consistency from blanched almonds. Sweet green grapes are the essential counterpoint to the tang of garlic and vinegar. The addition of shrimp comes from chef Bartolomé Rodrigo Lucena.

Serve couscous and buttered carrots with this main course. Purchase fresh rhubarb tartlets for a seasonal finale.