Berry

For this patriotic-themed cooler, Cabell Tomlinson combines two summer favorites: sweet iced tea and sangria. "I started thinking about the Fourth of July," she explains. "I had the red from the rosé and the blue from the blueberries. I still needed the white, but I decided to go with that oh-so-American spirit, bourbon." She uses orange pekoe for the tea and suggests a fruity rosé like a Spanish Rioja.

Because puréed frozen raspberries and yogurt both have thick, creamy textures, you can spoon them into pop molds one after the other for a striking layered effect without taking the time to freeze the layers separately.

A little balsamic vinegar and a few grinds of black pepper bring out the sweetness of ripe strawberries.

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.

A glass of chilled Prosecco is a fine prelude to a summer meal. Morphed into a sophisticated gelée, it's a great ending, too.

Buttermilk keeps this moist cake light and flavorful. Dust it with powdered sugar as it cools for a sweet, decorative finish.

Serve topped with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream.

In this simplest of summer desserts, sour cream adds a pleasant tang to lightly sweetened vanilla whipped cream.

My younger son loves these cupcakes and calls them Strawberry Spongecakes. These pink-flecked pleasers are best made at the height of strawberry season.

My younger son eats this straight out of the bowl!

Buttermilk and honey makes these muffins remarkably tender and indescribably delicious. We love this recipe with raspberries, but you can also use any berries you have on hand.

Got eggs, sugar, and cream? Then you can make a striking Italian semifreddo. It's the lushest and creamiest of frozen desserts—no ice cream maker required.

Like the striped pops from the ice cream truck—without the artificial flavors and colors.

I've enjoyed oats a thousand different ways in my life, and this is my favorite. A layer of fruit lines the base of a well-buttered baking dish. The fruit is then topped with a blend of rolled oats, nuts, and spices. A wet mixture of milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla is drizzled over the dry ingredients before baking to a golden-topped, fruit-scented finish. Be sure to use rolled oats and not instant oats.

"This dough, with its addition of whole wheat flour for a nutty taste and tender texture, is a must in your baking repertoire."—Karen DeMasco

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