Hostess with the Mostess - Volume 2: Backyard BBQ Sangria Soiree

Hostess with the Mostess - Volume 2: Backyard BBQ Sangria Soiree

It’s tempting to simply slap some hot dogs and hamburgers on the grill and some beer in the cooler, by this point in the season, everyone’s already been there/done that several dozen times.
We suggest you have a Spanish-themed Sangria Soiree. Instead of hot dogs, grill up some spicy chorizo, but for the piece de resistance, why not opt for a giant seafood-studded platter of paella? Though lazies will opt to cook it stovetop, the traditional way is to cook it over an open flame. You’ll need a giant paella pan, some short-grain rice, olive oil, beans, tomatoes, spices and your imagination. Poke around online and find the recipe you like best—you can even make a vegetarian version, though that seems a bit of a waste. Possible ingredients include clams, mussels, shimp, scallops, chicken, eel, and even bunny! Since paella is traditionally cooked by men, we highly suggest you delegate the cooking and concern yourself with beverage prep.

White Wine Sangria:
Ingredients:
1 bottle Black Swan Riesling
1/3 cup white sugar
3 oranges, sliced
2 apples, sliced and cored
1 handful sliced, hulled strawberries and/or blueberries
1 lemon
1 lime
½ liter club soda or lemon-lime soda
Combine the wine, sugar and fruit in a pitcher the night before and refrigerate. Just before serving, pour in the club soda and stir.
Note: depending on how many people you’re inviting and how thirsty these particular friends are, you might want to double, triple or quadruple this recipe.