Collegiate Times

I certainly want the warm weather to come back; I really enjoyed sitting on my deck those few days (even though I was still doing homework out there). But if you’re lucky enough to have some time during the day to relax outside (and if it gets warm again), you may want to sip on something that will cool you down. There are the good standbys, cold beer and margaritas, but if you’re looking for something a little more unusual, give sangria a try.

The best thing about sangria is that no two are the same. The basic recipe consists of a red wine, cognac, a splash of carbonated water and some fruit of your choice. However, sangria is not made exclusively with red wine: It is also made with white and even sparkling wine.

For red sangria, I suggest using a bottle of rioja to give a nod to the drink’s Spanish ancestry, but you could also use merlot or shiraz (also called syrah). Squeeze in some lime and lemon juices and then toss the fruit wedges into this bottle, but try to leave the seeds out. Now add a shot or two of brandy or rum, a little bit of sugar and about two cups of club soda. Pour over ice and serve. You can add other fruits to the wine also, like raspberries, peaches and blueberries. Play around and find out what you like the best. A tip, though: it is probably best to mix all ingredients together, leaving out the club soda, and let the flavors mingle in the fridge overnight. Then add the club soda right before you drink it. This way the fruit flavors really infuse into the wine.

If you aren’t a fan of red wine or just want something lighter, you can make the same thing with white wines, but leave out the liquor this time. Since white wines often have more citrus flavors, try experimenting with these fruits. Try oranges or even canned pineapples, adding a little of the juice, too. When picking out the actual wine, look for one that is not very dry or sweet and is relatively simple. Riesling, pinot gris, simple chardonnay and sauvignon blanc are all good choices.

With sparkling sangrias, I'm sure you’re already familiar with the concept — champagne and strawberries. Use any sparkling wine or champagne and add fruits like strawberries, raspberries and peaches. Because of the delicate nature of the bubbly drink and because it can’t sit overnight, you will want to run the strawberries through the blender first and chop up the fruits a little finer than you have to for the other sangria recipes. This way you can extract the maximum amount of flavor from the fruits in very little time. To this you can also add combinations of brandy, rum, triple sec and vodka. This is a particularly hrefreshing drink on a warm day; the bubbles are like a soda. But don’t wait too long to drink it because it will go flat like soda too.

All of these drinks are refreshing and cold grown-up punches that are perfect for sipping on a summer or spring day. Besides their delicious taste, they are also visually attractive. If you are among the one percent of college students that actually owns a clear glass pitcher, then serve the drink in that. At the very least, serve it in a clear glass over ice. Enjoy the sun!