Bon Appétit

For a thicker smoothie, use frozen berries.

Inspired by frullato di frutta, the frothy Italian fruit drink, this smoothie can be made with any type of fresh or frozen berries.

Slender wedges of this creamy quiche also make a wonderful appetizer.

Camote is Spanish for sweet potato.

The tea needs to steep overnight, so begin preparing this ahead.

A refreshing herbal iced tea with a nice crimson color. For a frosted look, freeze the glasses ahead of time, and dip the rims into sugar before pouring the tea.

Sweet and fruity, this is the quintessential beach or poolside drink.

Be sure to prepare the syrup at least a few hours before making drinks so that it has plenty of time to chill.

For an extra kick, add a dash of vodka to this refreshing drink.

If you're expecting a crowd, mix up a pitcher of these drinks ahead of time and refrigerate. Pour over ice and garnish with lime wedges just before serving.

This Franco-American combination of bourbon and bubbles gives you another reason to be thankful. It doubles easily to accommodate the number of guests around your holiday table.

A base used for making Margaritas

Dipping the rims of the glasses into a mixture of salt and sugar is a nice touch.

Cranberries are cultivated in Canada, and tradition there calls for hosts to make a punch for Christmas guests. Here, the crop and the custom merge in a delightful champagne cocktail, which takes a French turn with the addition of crème de cassis.

Make hot chocolate for the kids. Top it with whipped cream and add a cinnamon stick.

This is a variation of a recipe developed by the late Patrick Clark, chef of New York's Tavern on the Green.

This refreshing cocktail can be a dessert, but it is also a great brunch drink. In Italy, Lucia likes to use Italian sparkling wine (such as spumante) instead of Champagne.