Drinks: Desserts for Adults Only

The bar for bars is being raised. The latest in potables--now being served in watering holes and restaurants across the country--is the dessert cocktail, an after-dinner delight that blends drinks and sweets. Miami's M-Bar offers the Death by Chocolate Martini; Lola's in Los Angeles is the home of the Creamsicle-flavored Clockwork Orange. New York City's Dylan Prime, right, last week rolled out its Pie-tini menu, which presents an array of concoctions typically served on plates--but here they're in glasses. The details are something to relish: the Key Lime Pie Martini features crushed graham crackers lining the rim of the glass, with a layer of cream sitting atop the drink. Caramel swirls and chocolate shavings are found in the Mississippi Mud Martini. "Dessert-cocktail recipes have been gathered from some of the premier bar chefs in the U.S.," says Lisa Hawkins of the Distilled Spirits Council. Michael Waterhouse, co-owner and beverage designer of Dylan Prime, experiments with various ingredients to perfect his Pie-tinis. "Consumers know more now," he says. "They want sophistication." Coming down the pipeline at Dylan Prime: Banana Cream Pie and Pumpkin Pie martinis. We'll drink to that. --By Heather Won Tesoriero