Raspberry

Offer chocolate truffles alongside or afterwards, with coffee or Champagne.

For extra-slushy Margaritas, freeze the drinks in the blender jar at least thirty minutes and up to one hour; stir, if necessary, before serving. Instead of using salt, coat the glass rims with superfine sugar: Run a lime wedge along the rims to moisten, then dip them into a shallow saucer of sugar.

Omit the alcohol for a kid-friendly drink.

This lovely version of Moscow's favorite drink is sweetened with raspberries and sugar. It's terrific over ice cream or served as a drink on its own.

A colorful and sophisticated summer drink.

Add a little fizz by substituting sparkling water or club soda for the two cups of water. Or make a sophisticated brunch beverage by using Champagne or sparkling wine.

Serve immediately as a thick maltlike drink or a soft "ice cream."

We found that a small amount of Pernod in the rickeys added an interesting but unimposing accent. If you don't care for the flavor of Pernod, simply substitute an equal amount of additional vodka.Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

If desired, the smoothie can be strained to remove the berry seeds, but the seeds contain lots of beneficial dietary fiber.

A simple drink for any kind of celebration.

For this recipe, you will need a 13- by 4-inch rectangular tart pan with a removable fluted rim, available at specialty cookware shops.