This festive take on a classic drink tastes like spring—a little floral, a little bright, and a little bubbly—just right, if you ask me. More

You don't need to use the fancy French stuff for this recipe—any decent, drinkable sparkling wine will work. Your jelly might look a bit loose at the end of the cooking time, but don't fret. Your jars may need to sit overnight to set properly. More

This sorbet can be whipped up a few hours before guests arrive. Serve the float in individual flutes or bowls, or as a large punch with the sorbet floating in the center. I use 2 to 3 ounces of Champagne for a medium-sized scoop, which should get you around 8 servings with one bottle of Champagne. More

It's a sparkler, but on the dry side, crisp Veuve Ambal brut blanc de blanc with Drambuie (there's the Scotch tie-in), St. Germain (which McCarthy calls "liquid MSG"), and a twist of lemon. Leave the lemon pith side up and it'll bubble effusively for minutes on end. More

To finish off this roundup of recipes from Dave Wondrich's Punch, I have selected a monster. The big dog. The epic, party-starting, punch-to-end-all-punches: Chatham Artillery Punch. More

The Champagne Cup is one of six champagne punches featured in Esquire's Handbook for Hosts. Combining the fresh tang of pineapple, cucumber, orange and cherry with the rich flavors of cognac and Benedictine, the Champagne Cup underscores the wine without overwhelming it. More

This spin on a traditional Black Velvet brings out the chocolaty side of stout. For a festive touch, add a hint of orange bitters and rub the rim of the glass with orange peel. If you're a fan of those foil-wrapped chocolate oranges, you may have just found your new favorite holiday drink. More

While tequila can sometimes be a polarizing, I have yet to meet anyone who doesn't enjoy a glass of Champagne. In Fiesta at Rick's, Rick Bayless makes one of the most light and lovely apertifs I've had in a long time. Mixing up a batch of these at home brought to mind the easy drinking qualities of a mimosa as well as the bracingly limey refreshment of a margarita. More

A Buck's Fizz is a special cocktail. It can take the familiar Mimosa to an entirely new level. More

Let's start the weekend right--with a cocktail recipe from Paul Clarke (The Cocktail Chronicles). Need more than one? Hit up the archives. Cheers! The great heat wave of aught-nine seems to have broken in the Northwest, but that doesn't mean... More