Fruit

Eben Freeman, bartender of Tailor Restaurant in New York City, developed this version of a classic Brazilian cocktail made with cachaca (sugarcane rum). Freeman's adaptations include substituting kumquats for the usual limes and sweetening the drink with turbinado sugar, whose rough crystals help break up the kumquats. He also adds a soy-caramel sauce—which gives the drink a salty-sweet depth—but it can be omitted. If you do opt to make the sauce, note that you'll end up with more than you need for the drink, but it keeps in the refrigerator for up to a month.

Eben Freeman, bartender of Tailor Restaurant in New York City, developed this adaptation of a classic cocktail. Reposado tequila, aged in oak for at least two months but less than a year, gives the drink a smooth smokiness. If you prefer a more vegetal flavor, you could substitute blanco (unaged) tequila; it's probably best to steer clear of añejo (aged in oak for at least a year but less than three years), which could darken the hue and add unwanted oak, vanilla, or caramel flavors. To sweeten his Margarita, Freeman trades the traditional sugar syrup for superfine sugar, which gives the drink a slightly grainy texture. Freeman's final signature touch: Only half the glass gets a salted rim.

Eben Freeman, bartender of Tailor Restaurant in New York City, developed this adaptation of the classic rum-lime-sugar cocktail.

In this modern take on cobbler, the biscuits are baked separately rather than on top of the filling. You can also serve this shortcake-style by splitting the biscuits and topping them with the filling and a generous dollop of crème fraîche.

Egg whites give these pancakes their light texture. Ricotta cheese adds rich flavor. And the finishing touch? A delicious cherry sauce, which would also be great on waffles or vanilla ice cream.

The combination of cherry juice and fresh cherries gives the sauce its depth.

Warm goat cheese rounds are a lovely contrast to the cool salad. Halved cherries add a fresh, sweet flavor.

This dessert is like a frozen mousse, which helps explain its name: semifreddo, or "half-frozen."

The intense flavor of grilled plums is delicious with roasted duck.

This type of chopped salad was once common breakfast fare in Israel.

Thick slices of pancetta are cubed and fried for the tastiest croutons ever.

Serve with purchased guacamole.

For a sweeter take on this cool spa drink, add 2 1/2 tablespoons sugar or agave nectar, available at Whole Foods, other natural foods stores, and at wildorganics.net.

A satisfying first-course salad with beautifully balanced Asian flavors.

Depending on the flavors and types of tea your kids like, feel free to experiment.

Port gives this dessert a sophisticated flavor.