Don't forget -- cold drinks and cool desserts can make or break your tailgating meal! Credit: Contributed Photo

Mario on... drinks and desserts!

The two components most often overlooked by the average tailgate are drinks and dessert. I'm the same. I'm so focused on the core part of the meal, assembling the components for the appetizers and making sure the main course is ready to go, that I neglect what comes first and last.

But you can bet your kids haven't forgotten. As much time as you've put into refining the dry rub for your ribs or the exact balance of seasoning for your salsa, they are thinking about the several glasses of cool, fresh lemonade they'll have before the grill is fired up and the handful of brownies and cookies and piece of Mudslide Pie the size of a monster truck tire they'll be savoring long after the charcoal has died down. So while Uncle Leroy might be impressed with the improved flavor of the baby backs, your kids are the ones driving back home with you which, depending on traffic, could take several days, so they are the ones you have to worry about keeping happy.

As for drinks, nothing beats the simplicity and popularity of some cold cans of beer and soda pop. And by no means am I suggesting you replace those. But just one pitcher of some kind of interesting and pleasing cocktail can turn an ordinary tailgate into something special. It's not the alcohol that's important. It's the idea that you are sharing a meal together and the drink marks the beginning of that event. But be aware that the easy, golden flavor of most cocktails mask their kick. One cocktail per person serves the purpose of starting off your tailgate on a sweet and happy note.

• Many desserts can be prepared even several days in advance and kept in the freezer until race day. Nothing is more satisfying than knowing you having a plastic container of brownies or a few mudslide pies all set to go. It's easier to make desserts when you're not having to do a lot of other cooking, so you might as well take advantage of the fact that most desserts keep really well in the freezer.

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• It's also usually just as easy to make two pies or a double batch of brownies as it is to make one. Just be aware that if you are doubling the brownie recipe, you need to have 2 pans or one pan twice as big. Otherwise the cooking time will be way off and the consistency less than perfect.

• Let the desserts cool first before wrapping them in plastic for the freezer. Trying to freeze something that's still warm creates problems for its texture and flavor.

• Separate layers of brownies or cookies with wax paper before freezing otherwise you carefully cut squares of brownie might fuse together into one big block.

• Beware of any desserts with icing on hot days -- unless they are made of heat-resistant compounds, icings tend to quickly succumb to the heat and turn into something more liquid than one prefers their icing to be.

• Be sure to carefully identify which is the pitcher of watermelon martinis and which the strawberry lemonade you don't want the kids mixing the two up.

Here are a few drink and dessert recipes from my book:

The color and unexpected flavor of this drink make it a must for a hot summer day. You can make the watermelon juice in advance, just keep it refrigerated for up to 3 days. Makes 4 drinks.

- 8 ounces fresh watermelon juice (see below)
- 8 ounces gin
- 8 ounces tonic
- Fresh mint for garnish
- Ice

• To make watermelon juice, cut watermelon into thick slices and remove the rind and whitish parts. Place watermelon in food processor and zap till smooth slushee texture, pour into a large pitcher and allow seeds to settle to bottom. This is watermelon juice.

• To make the gin and tonic, stir the watermelon juice and gin together over ice. Add the tonic gingerly and garnish with the fresh mint.

Watch out the kids don't finish this off in one sitting. Makes 1 quart.

- 1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 cups cold sparkling water or club soda
- Ice
- Mint sprigs, garnish
- Whole strawberries, garnish

• In a blender, puree the pint of strawberries with the sugar, then add the water and zap again. Pour the mixture into a large pitcher along with the lemon zest and lemon juice and refrigerate well.

• When ready to serve, slowly add the club soda and fill the pitcher with ice. Stir well, pour over ice- filled glasses, and serve garnished with the mint and some strawberries.

At the moment, it's common for winning drivers to pop open some champagne to celebrate a victory with their crew. But that's only because they haven't yet tasted Mudslide Pie. Serves 6.

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- 20 graham crackers, finely crushed (about 1-3/4 cups crumbs)
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
- 1 quart coffee or chocolate ice cream, softened
- 1 cup whipped cream
- 1/2 cup fudge ice cream topping
- 4 Oreo Cookies, coarsely crushed
- 6 ounces white chocolate; chopped

• Mix the finely crushed graham crackers and the butter until well blended. Press the mixture firmly onto the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate to form a crust.

• Spread ice cream into crust. Freeze at least 6 hours or until firm.

• Top with the whipped cream just before serving. Then drizzle with on the fudge topping, then sprinkle with the crushed cookies and chopped white chocolate. then get out of the way.

I find Key Lime pie goes with just about any grilled food. On a hot day, it's good just by itself. I also like leftover Key Lime pie for breakfast. Sometimes I have pie for breakfast and serve the leftovers, if there are any, for dessert. Sometimes I just make two pies, which is just as easy as making one. Serves 6.

- 4 egg yolks
- 15-ounce can condensed milk
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice, 2 to 3 limes
- 1 prepared graham cracker crust

• Put the egg yolks into a medium mixing bowl. Beat them briefly on medium speed with a hand-held mixer. With the mixer on, slowly pour in the condensed milk , then continue beating until the mixture lightens, about 2 minutes. Continue mixing and dribble in the lime juice until it is entirely incorporated.

• Use a rubber spatula to transfer the mixture to the prepared crust and bake on the center rack for 18 minutes or until it is completely set. Let cool for several hours before serving.

Mario Batali is a renowned chef, restauranteur, television personality, and author of several cookbooks, including Mario Tailgates NASCAR Style, which is now available from Sporting News. Click here to buy the book.