Passion Fruit

Pat O'Brien's famous French Quarter bar in New Orleans gave birth to this libation, which became so popular that a special glass was created to contain it.

To neatly and evenly transfer the cake batter to the ramekins, Fleming likes to use an ice cream scoop, but if you don't have one, the batter can just as easily be poured.

These delicate gelées are wonderful for company—the passion-fruit purée gives them golden color and heady tropical flavor. As an added bonus, they keep beautifully for up to a month.

Though this recipe owes a debt to that icon of childhood desserts, Jell-O with whipped cream, the interplay of floral passion fruit and herbal basil is nothing if not elegant.

Nieve, or "snow," is Mexico's sorbet, sold from carts throughout the country. Ours is a quick version, made with passion-fruit nectar instead of puréed and strained fruit. For the best flavor, look for a nectar that contains just water, passion-fruit juice, and sugar.

Passion fruit nectar adds a tropical twist to this traditional brunch cocktail.

If fresh passion fruit isn't available, substitute 3 cups passion-fruit nectar, frozen in ice-cube trays, for the strained fresh passion-fruit puree and, when ready to blend, omit the ice cubes.

This is a Hawaiian drink, and green coconuts may not be available in all regions. If not, an Old-fashioned glass will do very nearly as well.

The idea for this salad came from Carlos Conrique, who worked at Billy Cross's cooking school in Morelia, a beautiful 16th-century Mexican town. Today, Conrique is a chef at the Blue Door, in Miami's Delano Hotel, where his dishes are still influenced by his childhood in Guadalajara.

This dessert can be transformed to fit occasions other than Valentine's Day. Try experimenting with round, square, or triangular meringue shapes. And even though you'll only need 4 meringue layers, the recipe calls for 6—thus allowing for the possibility of breakage…or snacks! We loved the look of passion-fruit seeds and sparkling, ruby-red pomegranate seeds (along with a bit of juice) as a garnish, but you could substitute fresh raspberries or sliced strawberries.

A new look for Australia's favorite dessert -- this recipe from Martin Webb, chef at Georges in Melbourne can be prepared a day or two ahead, leaving only the brief final assembly to be done before serving.