Greetings, everyone!

I spent a wonderful Sunday afternoon swimming and sunning on gorgeous Lake Travis, Texas, one of my very favorite places on Earth. It was a party, all right, and the luscious Sangria Wine Cocktails that were served were so effective I had no idea I was getting so sunburned!

Be wiser than I was - lavish on a fresh layer of sunscreen before whipping up this quick and easy batch of Sangria Wine Cocktails for your own al fresco entertainment:

Sangria Wine Cocktail Punch

Into a large pitcher, pour

1 bottle red wine
1 large bottle dark (red) colored fruit juice - raspberry, cranberry, strawberry, etc.
1 large bottle light (yellow, orange) colored fruit juice - pineapple, apple, orange, etc.
1 small can frozen lime juice concentrate, thawed
1 heaping cupful fresh fruit, any kind, any assortment (cut larger fruit into 1-inch chunks)

Stir to thoroughly blend flavors, squeezing the fruit a bit as you do, to release their juices and flavors. Allow this punch to set about an hour before serving for best results.

At party time, pour punch into tall glasses over ice till they’re 1/2 to 2/3 full. Top with a splash of club soda, ginger ale or ginger beer, or your favorite lemon/lime-flavored soda water. Garnish with more of the fruit used in the punch.

Use white wine if you prefer. For a light, refreshing touch, use two light-colored fruit juices instead of a red one and a light one.

What’s new at the BellaOnline Cocktails site today?

Explore the deep-sea adventures of a group of divers who discovered a treasure trove of champagne that dates back at least 200 years. Speculation surrounding this cache o’ bubbly, thought to be a gift from a doomed French king to an almost equally doomed Russian czar, hints of multi-million dollar price tags if this champagne ever leaves its briny cellar. Find a Southern Champagne Cocktail recipe to celebrate the discovery.

Frozen Strawberry Daiquiris seem to be a hot topic this summer! Choose from three recipes that range from basic and easy to a those with a gourmet twist or two. Either recipe is sure to delight thirsty guests, especially at an outdoor or pool-side party.

Last Saturday was National Tequila Day, which came with the request for a Tequila Mojito recipe. This thirst-quenching recipe, a Caribbean staple, was ordered up by a newsletter reader. Please feel to request recipes just as this reader did.

Parties spell F-U-N but there are some rather weighty legal issues that surround the serving of alcoholic beverages, even within the privacy of one’s home. Legal issues and those of social responsibility will be discussed in up-coming posts but read this week about blood alcohol content (BAC) and how drinking makes us tipsy. And learn why it is that those darn guys can drink the same amount as a woman of the same weight and not get as inebriated. It ain’t fair and there’s nothing we can do about it.

BellaOnline Cocktails Forum

Don’t forget to check out my forum; get to it from the link below. I’ve posted many questions about cocktails and readers’ preferences and I’d love your feedback. The more I know about my reading audience, the more you’ll enjoy my website. I think of it as our Barfly Buzz, a great place to get better acquainted with everyone. Please do feel free to join the conversation. Today’s question:

Do your drink preferences change with the seasons?

Mine do!

Coming Soon:
I think I’ll be boot-scootin’ at a Texas honky-tonk this weekend so I’ve got BBQ, cowboys, and the two-step on my mind. Check my Cocktails site tomorrow for a cowboy-inspired cocktail recipe or two. Yaa-HOO, y’all!

Until we meet again . . . !