Foodie Fridays: Red Wine Lemonade
Bringing Happy Hour home this summer
Going out for happy hour can be lots of fun, but it also comes with the need to drink responsibly and the impact of high-priced cocktails (and maybe the occasional let-down of a watered-down drink). Try bringing your happy hour home with some refreshing drink recipes, and not only do you get more bang for your buck, but you get a drink mixed exactly the way you want it!
Red wine lemonade is a perfect summertime cocktail – a little sweet, a little bubbly, and not quite as involved as making sangria (translation: easy to throw together after a long day). I imagine this would go nicely with a variety of red wines, but I loved the first wine I chose for this recipe so much that I’ve never strayed from it. Pick a wine you like and you can’t go wrong! Not a big red wine drinker? Seek out the one recommended below (perfect for people who aren’t really red wine fans) or check in with the folks at your local wine shop and ask for a recommendation.
Be sure to take a few minutes and make the simple syrup. Though you can use granulated sugar, it won’t dissolve as well in your drink. You could also try a little agave nectar in place of the syrup!
Cheers!
Red Wine Lemonade
8.5 ounces club soda
juice of 2 lemons (approx. 4 tablespoons)
2 tablespoons simple syrup
1/2 cup sweet red wine (recommended: II Conte D’Alba NV Stella Rosa)
Combine all ingredients in a small pitcher and stir. Taste and adjust sweetness or lemon juice if necessary. Serve immediately over crushed ice and garnished with a lemon slice.
Yield: 2 drinks
