Labor Day weekend is the perfect excuse to squeeze in as many summer drinks as we can before the weather turns cool and thoughts turn to hot tea. We’re keeping the party simple with a pitcher of cocktails and sweet and salty snacks.
We happily sipped our way through Portugal and Spain in early spring and carried on the vibe throughout the summer. Tinto de verano, a combination of equal parts red wine and lemon-lime soda, makes for easy, lower-alcohol sipping. Similarly, in Portugal, red or white port wines mingle in a glass over ice with a generous pour of tonic water.
At home, we fill our Spanish-made glass pitchers with summer’s best fruits and wine for refreshing sangrias to serve a crowd. Sangria pitchers usually feature a round bottom to show off the fruit and a pinched mouth to make it easy to pour the liquid off the fruit. But any pitcher will suffice.
Sangria, like punch, can be made in advance in large quantities. The longer the fruit marinates in the wine, the richer the flavor. In general, plan on about 3 cups of cut fruit for each bottle of wine. Of course, throughout the party, you can replenish the pitchers by adding more wine (and liquor) to any fruit remaining in the pitcher.
Sangrias made from red wine may be the most popular style. Here, a dry Spanish rioja or inexpensive California pinot noir or Argentine malbec paired with dark cherries and berries will shine. Rich, ruby port adds sweetness and its own dark fruit notes.
For a super refreshing white sangria, try Portugal’s slightly effervescent vinho verde or northern Spain’s txakoli wines. These dry, lighter-style white wines pair well with ripe peach, aromatic cucumber, and sweet grapes. A little orange liqueur, such as Cointreau, adds sweetness and flavor.
To reduce the potency of each drink, I serve the sangria over ice and top off guests’ glasses with a generous splash of sparkling water. I also offer sweet and salty nibbles, such as a charcuterie board, crackers, and sliced bread.
Red Berry and Cherry Sangria With Ruby Port
Makes 6 servings- 3/4 cup sliced strawberries
- 1/2 cup fresh raspberries
- 1/2 cup blueberries
- 1/2 cup halved, pitted dark sweet cherries
- 1/3 cup ruby port
- 2 tablespoons agave syrup
- 1 bottle (750 ml) dry red wine, such as rioja, malbec, or pinot noir
- Ice cubes
- Sparkling water
Stir in red wine and chill thoroughly.
White Wine Sangria With Peaches and Orange Liqueur
Makes 6 servings- 1 large ripe peach, halved, pitted, thinly sliced, each slice cut in half
- 1 ripe golden or green kiwi fruit, peeled, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced (or a small apple, cored, diced)
- 1/2 cup halved seedless green grapes
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced cucumber
- 1/3 cup Cointreau or other orange-flavored liqueur
- 1 bottle (750 mL) dry white wine, such as vinho verde, txakoli, or pinot grigio
- Ice cubes
- Sparkling water
Stir in white wine and chill thoroughly.
Sweet and Salty Turmeric Snack Mix
Makes about 5 cups- 2 cups (10 ounces) whole roasted unsalted cashews, almonds, or macadamia nuts (or a combination)
- 2 or 3 cups skinny pretzel sticks
- 1 cup roasted unsalted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric (or Golden Milk seasoning or curry powder)
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
Have nuts, pretzels, and pumpkin seeds measured out near the cooking surface.
Put sugar, oil, and 1/3 cup water into a large deep saucepan. Heat to a boil and stir well to dissolve sugar, about 2 minutes. Cover the pan and simmer, without stirring, for 1 minute. Uncover and stir in turmeric and salt. Add nuts, pretzels, and seeds. Stir quickly to coat everything with the sugar syrup; cook, stirring gently 2 or 3 minutes, to glaze everything.
Carefully transfer the contents of the saucepan to the prepared baking sheet. Spread mixture out into an even layer. Bake, stirring things around once or twice, until golden, about 20 minutes.
Cool completely on the baking sheet. Mixture will crisp as it cools. Store in a covered tin for up to several days.
