(NAPSA)—Whenthoughts turn 5 2 to backyard parties, BBQ and casual gatherings with the best of friends, one drink that can be delightful to serve is Sangria. This traditional red wine punch is easy to make, can be created with many different ingredients and customized to match a wide range of appetizers and entres. Plus, setting a big bowl or pitcher on the table can contribute to hearty conversation and new, cherished memories. Here are some easy tips: 1) Start with dense, hearty, in-season fruits. Apples, grapes and oranges are strong enough to soak in wine for a long time and tasty to munch on when the wine is gone. 2) Add a little zing with OJ. Thecitrus in thejuice will perk up a bland mixture. 3) Patienceis a virtue. Make your Sangria with plenty of time (at least two hours) for it to chill in the refrigerator before guests arrive. 4) Try a twist on the tradi- tional. While red wine is the usual base, consider a versatile White Zinfandel from Carlo Rossi that blossoms with flavor when you toss in peaches and raspberries. Top with seltzer for some extra fizz. 5) Splurge on a fun serving set. Serve your delicious concoction in a retro punch bowl or Friendly Sangria Ingredients 4 blackberry tea bags 1 6 1 2 1 1 cup of granulated sugar whole cloves cinnamonstick cups of Carlo Rossi Merlot cup of orange juice liter of seltzer 1 cup of fresh cherries 1 large orange,sliced Directions Prepare tea in a saucepan, combining boiling water with tea bags, sugar, cloves and cin- namonstick. Stir occasionally, letting tea steep for 20 minutes. Discard tea bags and cool to room temperature. In a large pitcher, combine Carlo Rossi authentic ceramic pitcherto really Merlot, tea mixture and orange juice. Add seltzer, cherries and batch? Try making “Friendly Sangria!” Makes8 to 10 servings. For more information, visit www.carlorossi.com. get guests in the mood. First time mixing up a some orange slices. Serve overice.
