Traditional Options

• A parfait glass is perhaps the most traditional sundae dish. This tall glass is narrow at the bottom, flares at the top and has a wide base. It's the kind of dish you'd picture holding a sundae at an old-fashioned diner, so it's a perfect choice for a cozy family gathering or any party with a vintage theme. A soup bowl is also a viable serving option if you're short on parfait glasses. Banana splits are traditionally served in boat-shaped dishes that you'll find at restaurant supply stores, but your sundaes don't have to include bananas to be served in these bowls.

Unexpected Dishes

• Scan your glassware because almost any glass can make a fitting sundae dish. A red wine glass or martini glass are elegant ways to serve this dessert at an upscale event. A snifter -- the short-stemmed, bulbous glass often used to serve brandy -- works too, as does any short tumbler or rocks glass. Try serving miniature sundae servings in champagne or shot glasses as a small but satisfying after-dinner treat. Or, opt for grand scale and make one big sundae in a large glass trifle or salad bowl. Everyone can serve himself as small or large a serving as he desires.

Kid-Friendly Vessels

• When kids scream for ice cream, light up their faces with sundaes served in surprising ways. Search the dollar store for miniature beach pails or small plastic baseball helmets that can be used as bowls. (Wash each one first, or make sundaes in paper bowls and slip them inside decorative containers.) Edible dishes will thrill the kiddie set too. Buy waffle cone bowls in the grocery store's dessert aisle, or bake brownie mix in cupcake tins. While they're warm, scoop out the centers of the brownies to make small bowls. Use the brownie bits as sundae toppings.

Making a Sundae Stand Out

• A sundae should be not only tasty but visually arresting. It should have color, texture and depth, all of which are on display in glass dishes. So topping vanilla ice cream with a scoop of chocolate sauce isn't worthy of your taste buds. "Food & Wine" suggests topping vanilla with bourbon-soaked peaches and baked pound cake cubes, or with bananas that have been cooked in dulce de leche and cinnamon. For a crowd of guests with varying tastes, use chunky fruit jams, crunchy nut butters or crushed candy bars as toppers.