St-Germain

With scalloped pastry edges and a fruit-streaked, creamy filling, these tarts are almost too pretty to eat, but they’re too delicious not to. The filling is similar to a British spoon dessert called fool, which consists of a fruit sauce (in this case, blackberry) folded into whipped cream; more sauce and fruit is spooned on top. Elderflower cordial, another English specialty, flavors the whipped cream; you can omit the liqueur from the recipe if you want. You could also use it to flavor homemade ice cream to serve alongside.

I had my first taste of St-Germain liqueur while sipping a “Flower Sour” at the Essex House hotel in Manhattan. The drink was something of a revelation: it smelled floral but tasted like a complex combination of peach, grapefruit, and lychee. I later discovered that St-Germain liqueur was made from wild Alpine elderflowers! From what I understand, it’s a long and tedious process to make it, and I think that’s perfect, because ladies are a “special process” all their own. Most of my girls are vodka girls, so I try to make something with vodka, but my recipe has a special twist to it. A wild and complicated drink? That sounds just about right for us, ladies!

This aphrodisiac-laden mocktail comes from NYC's Museum of Sex and is a perfect way to set the mood on Valentine's Day. The recipe makes enough almond and jasmine elixirs for eight drinks; if you're making only two, refrigerate both elixirs and they will last up to two weeks. If you can't find granulated honey, substitute raw cane sugar. To make the Night Flower alcoholic, add two ounces of St. Germain (elderflower liqueur) or vodka to each drink.

Coming right up: an elegant concoction designed for warm-weather happy hour. It's pale pink in color, floral but not too sweet, and completely refreshing.