• Recipe Menu 1: The Blazin’ Shooter, Firecracker, Prickly Margarita, Rockin’ Paloma and Tequila Sunset from Cabo Wabo Tequila
• Recipe Menu 2: Batanga Cocktail, Cactus Kicker, Golden Coa Cocktail, Orange Agave Cocktail, Spicy Cosmo and Spicy Piña Cocktail from El Jimador Tequila
• Recipe Menu 3: Fruity and spicy tequila cocktails including the Melon Mambo and the Gazpachito Shot

Check out the history of tequila and different types of tequila. (What exactly is the difference between a blanco, an añejo and a reposado?)

Find more of our favorite cocktails, spirits and mixers.

Try a Prickly Margarita for Cinco de Mayo.
Photo courtesy Cabo Wabo Tequila.

Baked stuffed French toast is a treat for
any occasion. Photo courtesy Zabars.com.

Everyone else: Take a close look at this Stuffed French Toast recipe from Andrea Watman, creative director of Zabar’s in New York City.

Stuffed French Toast comprises two pieces of French toast that are “stuffed” with jam, bananas, strawberries or other fruit. The richest recipes are baked casserole-style, with cream cheese or mascarpone, with or without added fruit.

Here are two more stuffed French toast recipes:

• Banana-Stuffed French Toast With Chocolate
• Jam-Stuffed French Toast

A piece of peel is often served as a garnish for espresso, so adapt the practice for black coffee. Here’s the drill:

1. Cut a piece of lemon peel.
2. Rub the pith around the rim of the cup to release the lemon oil, which is a lovely counterpoint to the bitterness of the coffee.
3. Place the peel in the saucer. (We actually eat our peel!)

The lemon oil doesn’t interfere with the flavors of quality coffee; and if the coffee needs something to make it taste better, voilà. It’s calorie-free, too.

Enjoy a twist with black coffee.
Photo courtesy euvs.org.

Get Mom a Kati for loose tea.
Photo courtesy TeaForte.com.

Tea Forte, makers of the prettiest tea bags in the world (see our review), manufactures equally lovely teaware. For people who enjoy drinking a large cup of tea from a handsome Asian-style cup (no handle), their Kati Loose Tea System may be the best new solution.

The nicely-designed Kati includes three pieces, a 12-ounce ceramic cup with a set-in strainer and sip top ($15.00).

The large tea strainer (which can be used for other straining needs) sets into a groove created by a cutout in the lid. That same cutout becomes the sip-top when the strainer is removed.

Our only wish—a small one—is that Kati came with a matching saucer to serve as a strainer holder—our habit is to take the cup to another room while the tea is still steeping. We have to bring a separate dish for the strainer. The lid can be used for this purpose; but then it isn’t available to keep the heat in.

• Learn all about tea in our Gourmet Tea Section, including how to brew the perfect cup of tea and our very informative Tea Glossary.

Add small-diced mango to your regular guacamole recipe. It’s a tasty new take on a classic.

If you’re concerned that some people won’t like the succulent, sweet accent, just add the mango to the perimeter of the bowl (as a garnish) instead of mixing it in; dippers can scoop it up or not.

Otherwise, mix the mango into the guacamole and see who’s first to guess what the flavorsome new ingredient is.

• Here’s a guacamole recipe from a top French Chef, Laurent Tourondel, of New York City’s BLT Market.
• The mango guacamole recipe would be great in this Guacamole Chicken Salad recipe.

Snazz up your guacamole with mango.
Photo courtesy Wikimedia.