Bourbon

For anyone born in the Bluegrass State, the mint julep has a special significance: It's traditionally served on Kentucky Derby Day, the first Saturday in May. But it makes a great cocktail for any warm-weather afternoon. We've added a splash of club soda to make the drink a little lighter and more refreshing.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Because the more traditional dark fruitcakes aren't really to her liking, senior editor Sarah Belk created this one, filled with her favorite nuts and dried fruits. To make these gifts even more festive, she suggest decorating the glazed cakes with additional dried fruits and nuts.

Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 6 hr

When I eat Bread Pudding Soufflé I always think of the Commander's saying, "If it ain't broke, fix it anyway." Bread pudding was already near perfection, but we combined Creole bread pudding with the light texture of a meringue and ended up with the restaurant's signature dessert, the single most sought-after dish in our family's restaurant history. The whiskey sauce itself is divine but particularly so when generously poured over the piping hot soufflé. Take it from me, this is no light dessert. Make the bread pudding and the sauce in advance, the meringue just before assembling and baking.

Dense, moist and delectable, this homey cake has a lovely balance of flavors.

Most vegetable gratins need to be bound with a white sauce. This is not true of gratins made from starchy vegetables, which will release enough starch to thicken the liquid around them. Here the sweet potatoes are baked first to concentrate their sweetness and then cooked a second time with just enough cream to mellow them out. This dish is an ideal accompaniment to roast poultry or pork.

The slow-sipping, mellow character of bourbon has always suited my palate, in a glass and as an ingredient. Compared to the sophisticated, somewhat standoffish refinement of brandy, bourbon is sturdy and straightforward in the kitchen. Always searching for a way to use bourbon, I've discovered that its sweet, no-nonsense flavor is perfectly at home in this garlicky glaze where it adds depth and a sweet edge to the taste. The recipe makes enough glaze for two racks of spareribs, but it can be doubled if you need more. Serve with collard greens and baked sweet potatoes.

A light, fizzy take on the classic Mint Julep.