Party Like the Lee Bros.

Make this rum-and-ginger drink ahead, if you like. Follow directions through Step 1; cover and chill up to 24 hours. Proceed with Step 2 when you're ready to serve.

• Recipe: The Hugo

The Lees turned the sweet benne wafer, a Lowcountry staple, into a crisp, one-bite cocktail snack. Benne, aka sesame seeds, can be found in bulk at health food stores.

• Recipe: Savory Benne Wafers

Use this recipe as a template for every season, substituting seasonal fruit such as plums, figs, or grapes for the berries. If your strawberries are large, cut them into eighths.

• Recipe: Romaine with Toasted Pecans and Pickled Strawberries

These ham-studded rice fritters are the Lowcountry version of Italian arancini.

• Recipe: Rice and Ham Croquettes with Tomato Sauce

Recipe: Smoked Egg Salad Toasts

Liven up egg salad with the distinctive Lowcountry flavor of smoke. (Think hardwood-roasted oysters and pulled pork barbecue.) Serve these also as an open-face afternoon sandwich.

Recipe: Pickled Shrimp with Fennel

Marinated, plump shrimp and crunchy sliced fennel make great passed hors d'oeuvres with toothpicks and an even better no-fuss cold salad.

Homemade marshmallows, especially these with a unique Southern flavor, are like nothing you've ever tried before. Brush or rub a 1-inch border of 1 tsp. vegetable oil around the top of saucepan to prevent sugar from boiling to the top.

• Recipe: Sorghum Marshmallows

We adapted this recipe to work in a 12- × 8-inch rectangular or 9-inch round tart pan with a removable bottom as well as a 9-inch pie plate. Serve with whipped cream for an extra touch of sweetness.

• Recipe: Grapefruit Chess Tart

In their third cookbook, The Lee Bros. Charleston Kitchen, they bring this great city, its people, and its recipes to life. Get your copy now.