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Jan Scott
May 07, 2013
Jan Scott
Weeknight Sangria

As soon as the weather turns warmer, what I’m drinking becomes nearly as important as what I plan on eating. Gone are the mugs of tea, and occasional hot chocolate, and in their place are homemade strawberry rhubarb sodas, iced coffee, and simple sangria, designed for weeknight dinners.

Cool and refreshing, this diluted beverage is perfect for sipping alongside barbecued anything, and can be made in single serving sizes or plump pitchers for sharing. Feel free to great creative with the fruit additions; I keep it simple by only using citrus when it’s just my husband and I having a glass with dinner, but berries and other mixed fruits would be a charming addition as well.

If time permits chill the wine/lemonade mixture before serving in order to prevent the ice from melting too quickly and thinning out the flavour of the punch. Also, although red wine is what’s traditionally used when making sangria, white wine works nicely as well.

And if you’re entertaining mom this Mother’s Day, this drink will go nicely with brunch, lunch or dinner—whatever you’re serving.

What are some of your favourite warm-weather drinks?

Find the full printable recipe here: Weeknight Sangria

Jan Scott is an event planner, food writer and the face behind the family food blog www.familybites.ca. She's also the mom of two school-aged boys, and when she's not planning a party or writing about feeding a family she can be found in her kitchen whipping up lots of yummy things for her boys to eat.
| Tagged under recipes, summer, fruit, drinks
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How to Assemble a Cheeseboard

I’m mildly obsessed with cheese (you too?), and often keep no less than five different types in my fridge at all times. I much prefer to eat cheese over chocolate, and my husband and I have weekly wine and cheese dates every Wednesday night, where we try to add one new variety to our repertoire.

Now that December is very nearly here, I’m already thinking about the cheeseboards I hope to assemble for my holiday entertaining. After spending several years working in catering, I have some tried and true
tips that I thought you might find helpful, especially if you plan on serving cheese at any of your upcoming gatherings.

  • Estimate 3–6 oz of cheese per person, and 3–5 different varieties (odd numbers look best on a platter).
  • Choose a variety of cheeses; take milk types (goat, cow, sheep), texture, appearance, smell and taste into consideration.
  • Be sure to include small bowls of chutney, honey, jam or marmalade and small spoons for drizzling.
  • Serve sturdy crackers for soft cheese and tender crackers or baguette slices for hard cheeses.
  • Add fresh (pears, grapes) and dried (apricots, dates) fruits for colour.
  • Add assorted nuts to the platter for crunch.
  • Be sure to serve your cheese at room temperature for best flavour results. Take it out of the fridge one hour prior to serving.
  • Do not store leftover cheese in plastic wrap. Secure it tightly in parchment or wax paper and store in the most humid part of your fridge (usually the vegetable crisper).

What are some of your favourite cheeses? Is there anything you like to include on a cheeseboard?

 

Jan Scott is an event planner, food writer and the face behind the family food blog www.familybites.ca. She's also the mom of two school-aged boys, and when she's not planning a party or writing about feeding a family she can be found in her kitchen whipping up lots of yummy things for her boys to eat.
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