Danny Kim

The bacon fat is an obvious bonus to the crunchy texture in this roasted chickpeas recipe.

This Gin and Tonic from FT33, Dallas, tastes like—and is perfect for—a garden party.

José Andrés's herbal take on the classic Gin and Tonic.

The Gin and Tonic is swinging again, thanks to new distillers who have made gin cool. And it doesn't get more classic than this recipe.

Sloe gin, used in this drink from Josephine House, Austin, is a liqueur made by steeping sloe berries (sour wild plums) in gin with some sugar.

Muddling extracts essentail oils to deliver maximum herb impact. Tarragon flavors the boozy lemonade here, but basil makes an excellent sub.

Gently heating chives--or almost any herb--in oil creates a concentrated, Technicolor elixir that's a favorite weapon of restaurant chefs: It's ideal for whisking into vinaigrettes and drizzling over fish, scrambled eggs, or ricotta crostini.

Vinaigrette can be made 1 week ahead and kept refrigerated. Bring to room temperature and shake before using.

Swapping traditional basil for flat-leaf parsley for this pesto recipe makes for a balanced sauce that allows you to really taste the nuts, the olive oil, the Parmesan.

Sprinkle the cutting board with chopped herbs dressed with oil and citrus zest before setting the meat on top to rest. The cooked protein will absorb the herbs' aroma.

You can also try this recipe with chives, dill, oregano, or parsley.

There's probably no one perfect hotel bar cocktail, but this one comes pretty damn close. (No wonder: The New York hotel is co-owned by Daniel Humm and Will Guidara of the restaurant Eleven Madison Park; EMP's Leo Robitschek oversees the drinks.)

Although the recipe calls for chicken, you can serve this nutrient-dense cabbage slaw with any protein you like.

The only thing better than pimiento cheese dip? Melted pimiento cheese dip, laced with chopped pickles for a little zip.