Basic, Elegant Booze: Red Wine Sangria

When you're having friends over for drinks or dinner, when you're planning on bringing alcohol to a party, or when you're making Spanish food, one of the most basic yet elegant drinks to serve is sangria. It's a classic party favorite. And I'm not talking about watered down, translucent red sangria (ahem, a la Hooters). I'm talking about strong, rich, opaque red sangria. The real kind. And of course, an easy kind. My recipe adapted from About.com uses simple syrup (or sugar, if you're short on time), lots of fresh fruit, and generous doses of brandy. Cheers!

Serves: 1 pitcher (enough for about 5 people to feel a happy buzz.)

Prep time: About 5-7 minutes. (About 15 minutes if you make simple syrup.)

Ingredients:

• 1 bottle of red wine (preferably merlot or cabernet sauvignon)
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• 1 orange, cut into wedges
• 1 apple, chopped
• 1/2 cup strawberries, sliced
• 3 tablespoons simple syrup (or 1.5 tablespoons sugar)
• 3-4 shots brandy wine
• 2 cups ginger ale

1. Pour wine into the pitcher and squeeze the juice from your lemon and orange wedges. Add the wedges, chopped apples and sliced strawberries. Add the brandy. If using simple syrup, go to step 2. If using regular sugar, add to the pitcher and stir the sangria. Ideally, chill the mixture overnight. Just before serving, add the ginger ale.

2. Meanwhile, make a simple syrup. In a small saucepan, heat about 3 tablespoons sugar and 3 tablespoons water over the stove, stirring occasionally. When the sugar is dissolved, turn off heat. Put aside and let cool. Add to the pitcher and stir. Ideally, chill the mixture overnight. Just before serving, add the ginger ale.

My Notes:

Should I let the sangria chill? Ideally, you would nearly finish making the sangria, chill overnight in the refrigerator, then serve the next day. If you do this, add the fruit, brandy, simple syrup/sugar to the red wine, then chill that mixture overnight. Upon serving, add the ginger ale and serve over ice, if desired.

What kind of wine should I buy? My favorite thing about this recipe is that it enables you to utilize the cheapest wine possible and turn it into a magnificent drink with lots of depth, flavor and of alcohol content. I dare you to use the cheapest merlot or cabernet sauvignon you can find. (Try to beat my record -- I've made this recipe with a $5 bottle of merlot.)

Why simple syrup instead of sugar? Usually, when I serve up sangria, it's because I have last minute guests or I didn't prepare well enough for a party. In this case, it's best to use simple syrup; the sugar dissolves neatly and incorporates nicely into the wine/brandy/ginger ale. But if you're making the sangria the night before, it's not a bad idea to just use sugar. It'll dissolve overnight.

What if I don't like ginger ale? I love ginger ale. It's sweet with a light, even floral, ginger taste. But if it's not your style, you can substitute it for club soda instead.

Can I use other fruits? Definitely, just as long as you keep the lemon and orange. The citrus helps balance out the strong flavors of the wine and brandy. They're also a nice complement to the sweet, fizzy ginger ale. Try adding blueberries, raspberries or even kiwi to the pitcher.

The Ambitious Cocktail: Cucumber Lime Martini

I feel compelled to be upfront that there's good news and bad news regarding this drink recipe. First, the bad news: It takes longer than just a few minutes and requires more effort than just a few squirts of citrus. The good news: It's meant to be mass-produced. More good news? This cocktail, adapted from Food Network's Marcela Valladolid, will easily become a party favorite. The cucumber makes it taste fresh, the sugar sweetens it up, the lime offers a tart punch and the vodka is... well, alcohol. Need I say more? Make this drink at your next get-together and your friends will be convinced you skipped the course in bartending and went straight into mixology.

Serves: About 4 Prep time: 20-30 minutes

Ingredients: 1/4 cup water 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1/2 lime, cut into wedges 2 cucumbers, peeled, thinly sliced 4 cups water 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1/3 cup vodka Ice

1. First make simple syrup: put the 1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup sugar in a small saucepan and boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Simmer until the sugar has dissolved completely. Set aside to cool.

2. Peel the cucumbers and cut each one into fourths lengthwise. Then cut out the portion of the insides that have the seeds.

3. In a blender, combine the simple syrup, cucumber, water, and lime juice until smooth. Strain the mixture into a pitcher.

4. Add the vodka to the cucumber mixture and mix well. Serve over ice.

My Notes: Why strain the mixture? Upon blending the cucumber, you'll probably find that the end result is very thick and frothy; it's hardly drinkable. Straining the blend ensures you get a clean, smooth drink.

How strong is this cocktail? Marcela Valladolid's recipe calls for 1/4 cup vodka instead but I found it to be too weak. The cocktail tasted like plain cucumber juice and while that's tasty, I prefer my mixed drinks to have a bit of a kick.

An Easy, Elegant Drink: Bourbon and Sprite

I first tried this drink during my recent trip to Europe and now, each time I drink it, I'm immediately reminded of the cool, crisp air of Switzerland, the rustic beauty of Lake Lucerne. After a full day of sightseeing, my uncle had gone to the store and purchased some cocktail ingredients to help us unwind and prepare for dinner -- an apéritif, if you will.

Fortunately, he kept it simple: Four Roses Bourbon and Sprite. No elaborate lime twist, no paper umbrella perched on the glass. It was just a sophisticated, clean cocktail. I was delighted to taste both ingredients without the rough burn of the bourbon rushing down my throat.

The best thing, though, is that you can easily tailor this drink to your tastebuds. If you like the full, strong flavor of bourbon you can use less Sprite. But if you find the liquor too much to handle, you can pour more Sprite. And of course, you can always serve this as a mixed shot.

Ingredients (for a not-too-strong drink)

• 1-1/2 oz. Four Roses Bourbon (chilled)
• 6 oz. Sprite or 7Up

Ingredients (for a mixed shot)

• 3/4 oz. Four Roses Bourbon (chilled)
• 3/4 oz Sprite or 7Up

1. Combine ingredients and stir. Cheers!

For a drink/cocktail, build ingredients over ice. If you want the bourbon to stand out more, you can try 1 part bourbon for 3 parts Sprite.

Bourbon and Sprite

My Notes:

Why Four Roses Bourbon? I've also tried Sprite with Jack Daniels whiskey and though I enjoyed that, I found Four Roses to make for a better, more universally-liked drink. The end result is a bit sweeter, and more floral-tasting than the Jack Daniels version. Also, because the only other component to this concoction is Sprite, you should be sure to use a bourbon or whiskey you really like.

This "Kentucky bobo," as my good friend likes to call it, can be found at your local BevMo and at most liquor stores. It's a good quality bourbon with a fair price, about $20 for the 3/4 liter bottle.

Beer for the Bold: Lobotomy Bock and Blueberries

I'll say it first: It's weird. Truly. Beer with lemonade is unusual enough, but mixing it with blueberries? I stumbled upon this little drink/snack mix the other day. I had some friends and family over to watch the Lakers-Celtics game, and seeing as how it was Game 7, I knew I had to have a decent array of goodies. I bought beer, ordered hot wings and put out a bowl of fruit for some cool refreshments.  As we closed in on the second half of the game, I popped open a cold bottle of Lobotomy Bock and anxiously noshed on food within arm's reach -- the bowl of blueberries. I was instantly blown away by deep flavors, the contrasting tones. Somehow, this combination makes the booze 'n berries taste earthy and vibrant, with a new layer of richness. The blueberries become sweeter and the beer tastes more comforting, almost like chocolate-flavored coffee. This is definitely a must-try -- snack on the berries while sipping on beer, or mix the two for a thick, robust drink.

Ingredients (for a mixed drink) 1 bottle of Lobotomy Bock 1/4 to 1/3 cup of blueberries

1. Add blueberries to an empty pilsner and pour beer over it. Muddle the berries by smashing lightly with a spoon or whisk, then stir gently.

Where do I get Lobotomy Bock? So far, it seems this dark Californian beer is available only at Whole Foods.

A Refreshing Summer Drink: Lemonade and... Beer

Picture this: It's a blistering hot day. The sun is beating down directly on you to the point where your scalp is itchy. What drink are you craving? As much as you love a cold brewski, you're probably thinking of a tall glass of lemonade, or even a bottle of ice water. I love a good beer: blonde Hefeweizen, maple-colored Jeremiah Red, easy and cheap Bud Light -- as long as it's not Newcastle, I'm happy. But in the sweltering heat? No thanks! This fun and refreshing drink, however, changes that attitude completely.

I first tried this concoction in Germany and Austria, where they called it a "Radler" or a "Russian." It's so simple I couldn't believe I hadn't come across it sooner. All it is is beer and lemonade. That's right, just two ingredients. But it's amazing how the two complement each other. The drink retains the fizziness and "hoppiness" of the beer, but laced with notes of sweet and sour from the lemonade. Use as much beer or as much lemonade as you'd like. Cheers!

Ingredients 3/4 to 1 bottle of Miller Genuine Draft (or a medium-bodied beer) 1/4 cup Newman's Own lemonade

1. Pour beer into a pilsner. Fill with lemonade. You can use more or less lemonade, depending on how you prefer the taste.

My Notes: Does it have to be Miller Genuine Draft? Not necessarily, but it's the one I most highly recommend. I just found MGD to taste similar to some of the German and Austrian beers I had during my trip. I've also had this drink made with Bud Light Lime; the result is an even lighter, almost floral flavor.

Does it have to be Newman's Own lemonade? If not Newman's Own, you should use a lemonade that's tends to be less sweet and more sour. The key is to utilize that oomph you get from a lemon. You can also use a carbonated lemon water if you want to infuse even more fizziness in the drink.

Editor's Note: In case you were wondering, yes, that is a small Yoshi toy in the picture.

A Strong, Sweet, Sparkling Cocktail: Bloody Orange Vodka

It's tangy. It's sweet. It's fizzy. But the best thing? It's strong. The problem with most cocktails is that the high sugar content and trace amounts of alcohol often leave you more jittery than tipsy. A typical concoction would have you drink pineapple juice, orange juice, cranberry juice, grenadine and a splash of rum -- two if you're lucky -- all in one glass. The Bloody Orange Vodka, however, will change how you feel about "girlie" drinks. It satisfies your sweet tooth and gives you the best buzz for your buck. Just don't skimp on the star ingredient: Blood Orange Bitters. It somehow is able to ease the bite of the Stoli Razberi while enhancing the flavor. If you don't have a jigger, you can use a shot glass to measure out your portions. This drink doesn't need to be precise -- just make sure you add equal parts Stoli Vodka and Blood Orange Bitters.

Serves: 1 Prep time: A few minutes

Ingredients: 2 oz. Stolichnaya (Stoli) Razberi Vodka 2 oz. Blood Orange Bitters 2 oz. Cranberry Juice 3 oz. Ginger Ale

1. Add the Stoli Razberi, Blood Orange Bitters and cranberry juice over ice in a shaker and then, well, shake.

2. Pour mixture into a glass, then add the ginger ale. Serve!

My Notes: How exact do you have to be? Not very! I love that this drink is so easy to make. Depending on how strong you like your drinks, you can probably stand to use a little less cranberry juice. And, if you're not a carbonated cocktail fan, you can skip the ginger ale altogether -- instead you may want to add an extra splash of juice.

Do I really need that Blood Orange stuff? I said it earlier and I'll repeat it here: YES. C'mon, don't be cheap; Blood Orange Bitters is only $4-5 at your local BevMo.