Bourbon

Bundt cakes are always crowd-pleasers, and this dark, moist one won't disappoint. The combination of time-honored ingredients—sweet dried figs, crunchy pecans, and aromatic bourbon—will have your guests clamoring for the recipe.

Moonlight-and-magnolia myths aside, this is one of the world's great libations.

More nuts than filling and a seriously buttery crust make for a beguilingly sweet finish.

When this classic cocktail was invented, in the late 1800s, it called for rye. Here, bourbon gets to be the star, and the combination of sweet and dry vermouth makes our version "perfect."

Food editor Ian Knauer has taken three of his favorite things—pigs, booze, and fire—and combined them into a heady, creamy, southern-inspired specialty.

Bourbon lends depth to the sauce and extra sweetness to the cream filling, but this dessert is fantastic even without it.

When you've had your fill of ripe peaches eaten out of hand, peel the rest for this fruity-tangy sauce. Brush it on grilled pork or chicken toward the end of cooking, and serve extra on the side. And who could say no to a dab of leftover sauce on a cream cheese — topped cracker?

Here, the word "perfect" refers not to the quality of the cocktail (though we do love this version), but to the equal amounts of sweet and dry vermouth used to make it.

This drink was featured as a Cocktail of the Month. Click here to learn more about eggnog.

These luscious cranberry-studded cakes enriched with bourbon and pecans break away from traditional pumpkin pie without eliminating all those beloved ingredients that say Thanksgiving.

This recipe is adapted from Ryan Magarian, the Seattle-based cocktail consultant behind Liquid Kitchen (www.kathycasey.com/liquid_kitchen). He recommends pairing this cocktail with Braised Short Ribs with Potato Gratin with Horseradish and Parmesan . The drink's luxurious sweetness and body both stand up to the meat and temper the burn of the horseradish. For expert advice on pairing cocktails with food, click here.

Reproduce our handsome cover in your home to add a note of distinction to your entertaining during the warm summer evenings. This is "Watermelon" a creation of the Bourbon Institute. The colors and styling are most appropriate for summer entertaining. And the novelty will appeal to your guests.

Harmony is achieved in a dish when contrasting flavors combine to create balance. In this dish, the black pepper and bourbon add a real jolt of flavor that's miraculously mellowed by the cream and butter.

Three great ways to keep warm — coffee, hot chocolate, and bourbon — in a single mug.

One of my favorite classic bistro dishes is steak Diane, a paragon of quick cooking that finds steak swathed in a cream sauce mightily seasoned with mustard and enhanced with cognac. The next time you feel yourself feeling those bistro pangs, try my take on steak Diane, made with chicken instead of beef, and my version of the traditional sauce with shallots and mustard. Roasted garlic mashed potatoes is a perfect accompaniment; the potatoes will soak up the sauce. Or serve it with fries and an ice-cold Belgian beer.

Just in time for Derby Day, this dessert has fewer calories than a mint julep (and you can drive home afterward).

Garnish this warming drink with lemon slices and a cinnamon stick.

Here is the perfect present for those who indulge in holiday eggnog  — a mixture of spirit and spice to blend into the Christmas beverage. To make the gift complete, pour it into a beautiful bottle and tie a small nutmeg grater and some whole nutmegs around the neck with a festive ribbon.