Rum

Juicy pineapple with a nip of rum and ginger is a sophisticated compote that complements bites of the pecan spice cake (recipe precedes) but also makes a satisfying light dessert on its own.

This voluptuous rum-spiked pie will surprise you with its complexity—a hint of curry powder adds an elusive undertone that makes it particularly delicious.

This dessert needs some last-minute assembly, so appoint a helper or line up the components to make it all go smoothly.

The jerk seasoning can be made a day in advance. The chicken needs to marinate for at least four hours and can sit as long as overnight.

The Piña Colada was born in Puerto Rico in the 1950s. Give this version an extra dose of the tropics with a stylish shredded-coconut rim (see below).

Ginger beer is a staple in Jamaica, and the best is homemade (it's easy to do, as you'll see in this recipe). Resist the temptation to use commercial ginger beer for this drink — it's too sweet.

Red peas and kidney beans are one and the same.

A colonial twist on the ubiquitous — and potent — rum punch.

A rich, aromatic (and potent) version of hot buttered rum.

Doughnuts meet bananas Foster in this playful dessert.

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

This recipe is adapted from Ryan Magarian, the Seattle-based cocktail consultant behind Liquid Kitchen (www.kathycasey.com/liquid_kitchen). This bracingly sweet-tart drink acts like a good Riesling, standing up to the sweetness of Butternut Squash and Apple Soup with Melted Blue Cheese . A sprinkle of nutmeg and a dash of cinnamony Angostura Bitters add layers of complexity to the cocktail and go beautifully with the flavors of butternut squash and apple. For expert advice on pairing cocktails with food, click here.

Nothing melts in the mouth like baked bananas. Served with any kind of cream topping, it is a simple, unsurpassed dessert. Adjust the ingredients and flavors to your personal taste.

What to drink: Serve a splurge-worthy aged rum in a snifter, to sip like brandy.

Aperol, a popular Italian spirit, is often served on the rocks.

Said to be created for Ernest Hemingway by Constantino Ribalaigua Vert at El Floridita in Havana. Editor's note: This drink comes from And a Bottle of Rum: A History of the World in Ten Cocktails by Wayne Curtis (Crown Publishers) and was featured as a Cocktail of the Month.

This delicious tweak on a classic is from Hip Sips by Lucy Brennan (Chronicle Books, Spring 2007) and was featured as a Cocktail of the Month.