At the Start
The beauty of the grill is its ability to encourage spontaneity. This collection of light bites with festive cocktails makes that even easier, with recipes to suit any occasion. When friends drop by unexpectedly, try mixed vegetable kebabs or chicken satays—these require little preparation and you may already have most of the ingredients on hand. Grill some crusty bread alongside (you’ll find it goes with everything) and serve with creamy burrata cheese; mix up a pitcher of sangria or a frosty lime shandy, and your friends may never leave. When you have more time to plan, you can brine wings in honey and salt, toss shrimp with a Vietnamese-style sauce, and dollop oysters with an herbed shallot butter (and serve with a basil-infused gin cocktail). But even these hors d’oeuvres aren’t fussy at all. They’re just incredibly delicious, and they elevate the notion of what an appetizer can be.
Honey-Brined Chicken Wings
SERVES 6 TO 8
Brining—soaking in a solution of salt, water, and sometimes sugar—results in moist, tender meat. The honey rounds out the flavor of this brine and aids in caramelization on the grill. Wings are the ultimate grab-and-go food, made sweet and spicy here with an additional drizzle of chile-flecked honey. Serve them with a refreshing, tall drink, such as our twist on a standard Southern cocktail, Bourbon Mint Tea (this page).
½ cup coarse salt
¾ cup honey
2½ pounds whole chicken wings and drumettes
Vegetable oil, for grill
1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
½ teaspoon chile powder, such as ancho
Bring 6 cups water, the salt, and ½ cup honey to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring until salt dissolves. Let cool completely.
Place chicken in a large bowl and pour cooled brine over top. Refrigerate, covered, at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours. Remove meat from brine, rinse under cold water, and pat dry with paper towels.
Heat grill to medium. Lightly oil grates. Grill chicken, turning often, until cooked through, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine remaining ¼ cup honey, the red-pepper flakes, and chile powder. Serve chicken drizzled with chile honey.
Kielbasa Bites with Potato Salad
SERVES 12
Smoked Polish pork sausage is a quick starter on the grill, since kielbasa has already been cured—all you have to do is heat the sausage until you see pleasing grill marks. Slicing the kielbasa lengthwise before cooking means that more surface area is in contact with the grill, for better charring. It contrasts nicely with buttery Yukon Gold potatoes coated in a light grainy-mustard vinaigrette, which you can make up to two days in advance. Serve with your favorite sauerkraut.
1 pound baby Yukon Gold or new potatoes, peeled and sliced ½ inch thick
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
¼ cup vegetable oil, plus more for grill
2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon grainy mustard
3 tablespoons snipped fresh chives
2 pounds kielbasa, halved lengthwise
Sauerkraut, for serving
Cover potatoes by 2 inches of water in a medium saucepan; add 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook until just tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and return to hot saucepan to dry, 5 minutes. Immediately toss with oil, vinegar, mustard, and 1½ teaspoons salt; season with pepper. Refrigerate until cool, at least 30 minutes and up to 2 days. Stir in chives.
Heat grill to high. Lightly oil grates. Grill kielbasa until heated through and charred, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and cut crosswise on the bias into 2-inch pieces. Serve with potato salad and sauerkraut.
Italian Sausages and Tomatoes on Focaccia
SERVES 4 TO 6
This play on a deconstructed sausage pizza makes for a much in-demand appetizer. Slices of focaccia are first spread with a fresh relish of grilled tomatoes, oregano, salt, and pepper, then topped with halved links. You can substitute ciabatta or rustic Italian bread for the focaccia.
4 tomatoes (about 2¼ pounds), halved crosswise
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for grill and drizzling
¼ cup fresh oregano leaves, coarsely chopped
6 sweet or spicy Italian sausages
6 slices focaccia, each approximately 6 by 4 inches
Heat grill to medium-high. Season tomatoes with salt and pepper, and drizzle with oil. Lightly oil grates. Grill tomatoes, cut-side down, until charred in spots and beginning to soften, 5 to 7 minutes. Turn tomatoes, and grill until soft and juicy but still holding their shape, 5 to 7 minutes more. Transfer to a cutting board; let cool slightly. Coarsely chop, then transfer to a medium bowl. Add oregano and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper, and stir in 2 tablespoons oil.
Grill sausages, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked through, about 12 minutes. Cut each sausage in half lengthwise. Using a slotted spoon, divide tomato relish among focaccia. Top each with 2 sausage halves and fold to eat.
Kofta Kebabs
MAKES 18 SKEWERS
The seasoned ground meat known as kofta has many variations; while lamb or beef is typically used, we also think ground dark-meat turkey holds its own. Kofta is usually served with a cooling yogurt sauce; ours includes za’atar, a Middle Eastern spice blend of sesame seeds, sumac, and dried herbs such as thyme and marjoram. Garlic-forward Lebanese Tomato Sauce and Chopped-Chile Relish offer a touch of heat in counterpoint. Serve the kebabs with pita bread, sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, red onion, and fresh mint.
2 pounds ground lamb or dark-meat turkey
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for grill
2 teaspoons cumin seeds, toasted and ground
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Yogurt-Cucumber Sauce (this page)
Lebanese Tomato Sauce (this page)
Chopped-Chile Relish (this page)
Soak 18 wooden skewers, if using, in water 30 minutes.
In a large bowl, gently stir together meat, onion, parsley, oil, cumin, cinnamon, 1½ teaspoons salt (or 2½ teaspoons, if using ground turkey), and ½ teaspoon pepper until just combined (do not overmix). Using your hands, form ¼ cup of meat mixture into a 3-inch-long oval and place on a rimmed baking sheet brushed with oil. Repeat with remaining mixture. Refrigerate, covered, at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
Heat grill to medium-high. Thread each meat oval onto a skewer. Lightly oil grates. Grill kebabs, turning as needed, until cooked through and charred in spots, and an instant-read thermometer inserted in each middle (avoiding skewers) registers 160°F (for medium) for lamb, 6 to 8 minutes; or 165°F for turkey, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve with Yogurt-Cucumber Sauce, Lebanese Tomato Sauce, and Chopped-Chile Relish.
Shrimp with Cilantro, Lime, and Peanuts
SERVES 4
Before tossing the shrimp in this vibrantly flavored Vietnamese-style sauce, grill them with the shells on to seal in the flavor. Shrimp should be deveined before cooking: Use a sharp paring knife to make a slit along the back of each shrimp, and with the tip of the knife, pull up on the vein to remove it.
2 limes
2 teaspoons fish sauce
½ teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons vegetable oil, plus more for grill
1 pound jumbo shrimp (about 15), shells on, deveined
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1½ cups coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
½ cup roasted salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
2 scallions, finely chopped
Using a microplane zester, finely grate zest of limes into a small bowl. Squeeze in juice from 1 lime. Whisk in fish sauce and sugar.
Heat grill to high. Lightly oil grates. Brush shrimp with oil on both sides; lightly season with salt and pepper. Grill until pink and firm to the touch, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Toss shrimp with fish-sauce mixture, cilantro, peanuts, and scallions until thoroughly coated. Squeeze juice from remaining lime over shrimp and serve immediately.
Grilled Oysters with Fennel-Shallot Butter
SERVES 4
The intense heat of the grill is ideal for direct-cooking oysters. As the oysters cook, their shells will pop open slightly; you’ll need a knife to open them completely. Be sure to hold them with the curved shells down, which will catch the saline liquor when the flat top shells are removed. Fennel fronds add a delicate, aromatic accent to this shallot butter; but finely grated lemon zest makes a nice substitute. You can further enhance the anise flavor with a few drops of an aperitif, such as Pernod or absinthe, stirred into the butter. To accompany the oysters, serve an effervescent Basil French 75 cocktail (this page).
1 tablespoon finely chopped fennel fronds
1 small shallot, finely chopped
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
12 oysters
Heat grill to high. Stir fennel fronds and shallot thoroughly into butter, and season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use or up to overnight. Place oysters directly on grill, with curved side of their shells down.
Grill until oysters begin to open, 2 to 5 minutes (depending on size). Remove each oyster from grill as soon as it opens up. Transfer oysters to a platter, curved-side down, returning any that did not open to grill (if, after 5 to 10 minutes, they have not opened, discard them). Holding each oyster with a kitchen towel, use an oyster knife to open further, keeping curved side down. Spoon a small amount of fennel-shallot butter on top of each one and serve immediately.
TIP: Keep the oysters on ice until you’re ready to grill. Once they’re cooked, you’ll need to be ready to serve and eat, so pour your drinks first and gather your supplies—two thick kitchen towels, grill tongs, an oyster knife, and a platter to hold the hot oysters.
Grilled Fresh Sardines with Crostini
SERVES 4
Sardines don’t require a lot of dressing up, since their bold flavor speaks for itself. We like to prepare them as they are enjoyed in the Mediterranean region—tossed in olive oil and grilled to perfection. Serve them just as simply—with garlicky grilled bread and fresh lemons.
8 whole fresh sardines (about 1 pound total), cleaned, rinsed inside and out, and patted dry
Extra-virgin olive oil, for grill and brushing
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
1 (6-inch) baguette piece, cut on the diagonal into thin slices
1 garlic clove, halved
Lemon wedges, for serving
Heat grill to medium-high. Brush both sides of sardines with oil. Season with ½ teaspoon salt.
Rub bread with cut sides of garlic. Brush with oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Lightly oil grates. Grill bread, turning once, until golden brown and lightly charred, less than 1 minute per side. Grill sardines, turning once, until cooked through and well charred, about 2 minutes per side. Sprinkle with salt, and serve with crostini and lemon wedges.
Shishito Peppers and Chorizo
MAKES 12 SKEWERS
These Japanese chiles, which are in the same family as the padrón pepper, are slightly sweet and take on a delicious smoky flavor when charred. They range in color from light green to a mature red, with the latter tasting meatier and a bit spicier than the milder light green. Here, we grill the peppers with Spanish chorizo, but they also fly solo beautifully, with just a sprinkle of salt.
24 shishito peppers
24 one-inch pieces (1 pound) dried chorizo
Vegetable oil, for grill
Coarse salt
Soak 12 wooden skewers, if using, in water 30 minutes.
Thread 2 peppers and 2 chorizo pieces onto each skewer. Meanwhile, heat grill to medium-high. Lightly oil grates. Grill, turning often, until peppers are blistered and chorizo shows char marks, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and serve immediately.
Red-Curry Salmon Bites
MAKES 14 SKEWERS
Salmon is a wonderful fish to cook on the grill, as it’s less delicate than other varieties, such as sole. Here, we’ve prepared it using fillet strips on skewers, keeping the skin on to help the fish stay intact. This appetizer is endlessly customizable—we added instant heat with curry paste, but you can add oil to your favorite spice rub and brush it on the salmon; or make a paste from Madras curry powder, minced shallot, lime zest, a pinch of sugar, and oil. Be sure to grill the fish just until it’s done, as it will begin to flake off the skewers if overcooked.
1 skin-on salmon fillet (about 1¼ pounds; no more than 1 inch thick; preferably tail end)
2 tablespoons Thai red-curry paste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for grill
Lime wedges, for serving
Soak 14 wooden skewers, if using, in water 30 minutes.
Using a sharp knife, slice salmon fillet into strips about 1 inch wide and 3 inches long. In a medium bowl, stir together curry paste and oil; add salmon and coat on all sides. (If not cooking immediately, salmon can be refrigerated, covered, up to 8 hours.) Thread salmon strips lengthwise onto skewers.
Heat grill to medium-high. Lightly oil grates. Sear salmon until strips can be lifted with a metal spatula, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn and cook until flesh is just opaque but before it flakes when pressed, 1 to 1½ minutes. Serve on skewers, with lime wedges on the side for squeezing.
Charred Okra with Paprika and Fresh Thyme
MAKES 30 SKEWERS
Cooking okra quickly over high heat helps keep the Southern favorite crisp-tender. For easy grilling, thread the vegetable from stem to tip on a skewer. We serve it with thyme and hot paprika for a Creole-inspired snack.
1 pound okra (about 30 pieces)
Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing and grill
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1½ teaspoons hot paprika
1 tablespoon flaky sea salt, such as Maldon
Soak 30 wooden skewers, if using, in water 30 minutes.
Heat grill to high. Thread each okra from stem to tip onto skewers and brush with oil. Combine thyme, paprika, and salt in a small bowl.
Lightly oil grates. Grill okra, turning a few times until charred in places and crisp-tender, about 4 minutes total. Remove from grill and sprinkle with thyme mixture.
Chicken Satay
MAKES 12 SKEWERS
The Southeast Asian method of marinating chicken, grilling the tender meat, and then serving it with a smooth peanut sauce has made satay a classic crowd-pleaser. Sliced into bite-size pieces, the chicken cooks in less than 5 minutes.
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6 to 8 ounces each), thinly sliced lengthwise into 12 strips
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
Coarse salt
½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes, or to taste
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
Vegetable oil, for grill
Thinly sliced scallions, for serving
Soak 12 wooden skewers, if using, in water 30 minutes.
Toss chicken with sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon red-pepper flakes in a medium bowl. (If not cooking immediately, chicken can be refrigerated, covered, up to 8 hours.) Thread each chicken strip lengthwise onto a skewer.
Whisk together peanut butter, vinegar, and remaining ¼ teaspoon red-pepper flakes in a small bowl. Whisk in up to 3 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until mixture reaches desired consistency.
Heat grill to high. Lightly oil grates. Working in batches, cook chicken until opaque and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Sprinkle chicken with scallions and serve with dipping sauce.
Grilled Spring Vegetables with Almond Aïoli and Anchoïade
SERVES 6
A study in brilliant green comes with four of spring’s freshest flavors, served with rustic Provençal sauces. Asparagus and spring onions are familiar with the grill, but fava beans and garlic scapes are a delicious surprise. Grill and eat the favas, pods and all, which saves you from the finicky shelling usually required. Do make sure to choose very young beans—the pods are much more tender. Scapes, the pungent, chewy tops of the hardneck garlic plant, take on a mild, sweet flavor when lightly charred.
4 to 6 spring onions
1 bunch asparagus (about 1 pound), trimmed
1 pound fava beans in the pod
4 to 6 garlic scapes
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling and grill
Coarse salt
Almond aïoli (this page), for serving
Anchoïade (this page), for serving
Heat grill to medium-high, with an indirect-heat zone. On a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle spring onions, asparagus, fava beans, and garlic scapes with oil and toss to lightly coat; season with salt.
Lightly oil grates. Grill vegetables directly on grates, turning occasionally. For spring onions, grill until softened and bulb is charred in spots, 5 to 7 minutes; move greens over indirect heat to avoid charring, if necessary. For fava beans, cook, turning once, until softened and charred in spots, about 5 minutes. For asparagus, cook until tender, 2 to 4 minutes, depending on thickness; move over indirect heat to avoid charring, if necessary. For garlic scapes, cook until softened and lightly charred, about 3 minutes.
Serve vegetables warm with sauces.
Grilled Vegetable Antipasto
EACH RECIPE MAKES 4 SKEWERS
For a quick, tasty bite, grill a variety of seasonal vegetables on skewers (soaked in water for 30 minutes, if using wooden). Remove them from the skewers and arrange on a serving platter as you would a classic antipasto: with olives, breadsticks, and cured meats, if desired. Or serve the skewers hot off the grill, with dipping sauces (beginning on this page).
Artichoke and Crusty Bread
2 cans (15 ounces each) artichoke hearts, drained and patted dry
½ loaf crusty bread, torn in large pieces
Eggplant and Bell Pepper
1 eggplant, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and ribs removed, cut into ½-inch pieces
Red-pepper flakes
Scallion and Mushroom
5 ounces mixed mushrooms, trimmed
4 scallions, cut into 3-inch pieces
Potato, Celery, and Onion
8 ounces small potatoes, scrubbed, boiled until just tender, and halved
2 celery stalks, sliced crosswise in ½-inch pieces
1 medium red onion, cut into 1-inch wedges
Snipped fresh chives
Tomato and Bocconcini
1 pound cocktail tomatoes or large cherry tomatoes
4 to 8 bocconcini
Fresh oregano leaves
Extra-virgin olive oil, for grill and drizzling
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
For all vegetables, heat grill to medium-high. Thread ingredients onto 4 skewers, in alternating order (if making tomato and bocconcini, only thread tomatoes). Generously drizzle skewered vegetables with oil and season with salt. (Add black pepper, if grilling artichokes or mushrooms.) Lightly oil grates. Grill, turning occasionally, until lightly charred (see chart below for times).
Sprinkle eggplant and bell pepper with red-pepper flakes. Sprinkle potato, celery, and onion with chives. Sprinkle tomato and bocconcini with fresh oregano.
COOK TIMES
Artichoke and Crusty Bread: 2 to 3 minutes
Eggplant and Bell Pepper: 8 to 9 minutes
Scallion and Mushroom: 3 to 5 minutes
Potato, Celery, and Onion: 7 to 8 minutes
Tomato: 4 to 5 minutes (then add 1 to 2 bocconcini on either end of skewer and grill 30 seconds more)
Grilled Bread and Chiles with Burrata Cheese
SERVES 4 TO 6
Take advantage of the many assorted chiles and sweet peppers at the markets in late summer by serving them as simply as can be: grilled with bread and cheese. Balance some of the chiles’ heat with a refreshing aperitif, such as an Upside-Down Martini (this page), which is more spritz than boozy cocktail, subbing in the fresh and slightly effervescent Portuguese vinho verde for the vermouth.
Extra-virgin olive oil, for grill and drizzling
1 pound mixed peppers and chiles of varied sizes
8 thick slices crusty bread
2 (4-ounce) balls burrata cheese
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Heat grill to medium-high. Lightly oil grates. Grill peppers whole, turning occasionally, until skin is mostly blackened and peppers are completely softened, 5 to 10 minutes depending on their size. Place in a medium bowl and cover 10 to 15 minutes. When cool enough to handle, remove skins and pull peppers apart, discarding skins, seeds, and stems, if desired. Tear in half if small, or cut into strips about ¾ inch wide.
Lightly oil both sides of each bread slice and grill, turning once, until marked by the grill and beginning to crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Divide burrata among plates, drizzle generously with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Serve burrata with grilled bread and peppers.
Grilled Peaches and Figs with Prosciutto and Robiola
SERVES 10
Grilling stone fruits and figs deepens their natural sweetness. Pair them with prosciutto and a soft Italian cheese like Robiola for an unbeatable flavor trifecta: sweet, smoky, and salty. When selecting fruits, make sure it yields gently to the touch but is not too soft. You want it at just the right stage of ripeness so it will hold up over high heat. Serve with an Americano (this page), a bittersweet and refreshing cocktail.
Extra-virgin olive oil
5 medium peaches, ripe but firm, halved, pits removed
10 fresh figs, halved
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, for serving
8 ounces Robiola cheese
Breadsticks and crackers, for serving
Heat grill to medium-high. Lightly oil grates. Brush peaches and figs with oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Grill peaches and figs, turning occasionally, until charred and softened, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a platter. Season fruits with pepper and drizzle with oil. Serve with prosciutto, Robiola, and breadsticks and crackers.
Craft Cocktails
EACH MAKES 1 DRINK
There are no firm rules when it comes to matching cocktails with grilled food—just make them delicious, icy cold, and fun. Here’s a collection that fits the bill, including a Kentucky Derby–ready spiked tea (this page), an effervescent gin drink, an invigorating martini-alternative, and a barkeeper’s bittersweet classic.
Bourbon Mint Tea
1 tablespoon sugar
½ cup boiling water
1 black-tea bag
1 tablespoon fresh mint leaves
2 ounces (¼ cup) bourbon
Ice cubes
Combine sugar and boiling water in a pitcher, and stir to dissolve. Add tea bag and steep (discard tea bag). Add ½ cup cold water and refrigerate until chilled. Add mint leaves and muddle until fragrant. Stir in bourbon and serve over ice.
Basil French 75
5 basil leaves, plus more for serving
1 teaspoon superfine sugar
2 ounces (¼ cup) gin
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Ice cubes
4 ounces (½ cup) champagne
Muddle basil leaves with sugar in a shaker. Add gin, lemon juice, and ice. Shake and strain into an ice-filled glass. Top with champagne. Serve immediately.
Upside-Down Martini
¾ ounce gin
Ice cubes
2 ounces (¼ cup) vinho verde
3 pimiento-stuffed green olives
Pour gin over ice in a small glass. Top with vinho verde and stir. Add olives. Serve immediately.
Americano
2 ounces (¼ cup) sweet vermouth
2 ounces (¼ cup) Campari
2 ounces (¼ cup) club soda
Ice cubes
Orange slice, for serving
Mix vermouth, Campari, and club soda in a tall glass filled with ice. Garnish with orange slice. Serve immediately.
Beer Cocktails
EACH SERVES 6
There’s no denying the allure of hot barbecue and cold beer. But beer doesn’t have to be sipped straight up—it can be mixed as well as any spirit (take the spicy michelada, with beer, hot chile sauce, tomato juice, and limes). Our lively shandies use limeade or freshly squeezed lemons instead of the traditional lemonade. And our take on kriek lambic, a sweet Belgian beer brewed with cherries, is a pale ale combined with sour-cherry nectar.
Lime Shandy
1½ cups fresh lime juice (from about 25 limes), plus wedges for serving
½ cup superfine sugar
Ice cubes
2 (12-ounce) bottles Mexican beer or pilsner
Coarse salt, for serving
Combine lime juice and sugar with 4 cups water in a large pitcher. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Fill another large pitcher with ice. Pour in beer and 1⅓ cups lime-sugar mixture, and stir to combine. Pour into salt-rimmed glasses and serve with lime wedges.
Lemon Shandy
⅓ cup superfine sugar
½ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 3 lemons), plus wedges, for serving
6 (12-ounce) mild pilsner beers
Chill six 16-ounce glasses or mugs. In a small saucepan, combine sugar and ½ cup water over medium heat. Cook, stirring until sugar dissolves, about 1 minute. Refrigerate until cool, at least 10 minutes and up to 1 week.
In a small pitcher, combine sugar mixture and lemon juice. Pour 1 beer into each chilled glass, then add about ¼ cup lemon mixture. Serve with lemon wedges.
Cherry Beer
Ice cubes
2 (12-ounce) bottles pale ale
1½ cups sour-cherry nectar, such as Tamek
Lemon wedges, for serving
Fill a large pitcher with ice. Pour in pale ale and sour-cherry nectar, and stir to combine. Pour into glasses, garnish with lemon wedges, and serve.
Three Sangrias
EACH SERVES 6
Sangria’s winning combination of chilled fruit and wine can be dressed up and down in a multitude of ways. Try these variations on the original: use sherry, warm-weather favorite rosé, or white wine and mint, then experiment further—and do plenty of taste-testing.
Sherry Sangria
1 bottle (750 milliliters) amontillado sherry
1 cup Cointreau or Grand Marnier
8 to 10 ounces frozen, pitted red cherries
1½ to 2 pounds sliced fresh stone fruit, such as apricots, peaches, and plums
Ice cubes, for serving
Combine sherry, Cointreau, and fruit in a pitcher. Let stand in refrigerator at least 1 hour or up to overnight. Serve over ice.
Sparkling Rosé Sangria
1 tablespoon fresh organic lavender buds (optional)
2 teaspoons sugar
2 cups strawberries
8 green figs, halved
2 cups mixed red and golden raspberries
3 cups chilled dry rosé wine
1 bottle (250 milliliters) chilled sparkling wine, such as cava
Ice cubes, for serving
Using a mortar and pestle, grind together 2 teaspoons lavender buds, if using, with sugar until fragrant. Toss with strawberries, figs, and raspberries, and allow to macerate at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.
Place fruit in a chilled pitcher along with accumulated juices, remaining teaspoon lavender buds, if using, and rosé. Stir well, top with sparkling wine, and serve over ice.
White Sangria
½ medium honeydew melon, cut into 1-inch pieces
½ medium English cucumber, sliced into thin spears
1 lime, thinly sliced crosswise
1 cup fresh mint leaves
¼ cup elderflower liqueur, such as St-Germain, or syrup
½ cup silver tequila
1 bottle (750 milliliters) dry white wine
Ice cubes, for serving
Combine melon, cucumber, lime, mint, elderflower liqueur, and tequila in a large pitcher. Stir to combine. Let stand in refrigerator at least 1 hour or up to overnight. Pour in wine and stir to combine. Serve over ice.
Iced Teas with a Citrus Twist
EACH SERVES 2
Inspired by the pairing that launched the Arnold Palmer—tea with a splash of lemonade—we’ve crafted three colorful duos. Fresh orange, lime, and grapefruit juices invigorate gentle jasmine, chamomile, and rooibos herbal teas for grillside drinks that are built to refresh.
Jasmine Tea and Orange Juice
2 teaspoons loose-leaf or 2 bags jasmine tea
2 cups boiling water
2 cups fresh orange juice (6 to 8 oranges)
Ice cubes, for serving
Orange slices, for serving
Steep tea in boiling water 4 minutes; strain or remove bags. Let cool completely, then combine orange juice and tea in a pitcher. Refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 2 days. Serve over ice, garnished with orange slices.
Chamomile Tea and Limeade
2 teaspoons loose-leaf or 2 bags chamomile tea
2 cups boiling water
½ cup sugar
Juice of 3 limes (⅓ cup)
Ice cubes, for serving
Lime wedges, for serving
Steep tea in boiling water 4 minutes; strain or remove bags. Let cool completely. Meanwhile, combine sugar and ½ cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Let cool completely, then combine with lime juice and tea in a pitcher. Refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 2 days. Serve over ice, garnished with lime wedges.
Rooibos Tea and Grapefruit
2 teaspoons loose-leaf or 2 bags rooibos tea
2 cups boiling water
½ cup sugar
Juice of 2 Ruby Red grapefruits (1 cup)
Ice cubes, for serving
Grapefruit slices, for serving
Steep tea in boiling water 4 minutes; strain or remove bags. Let cool completely. Meanwhile, combine sugar and ½ cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Let cool completely, then combine with grapefruit juice and tea in a pitcher. Let stand in refrigerator until ready to serve, up to 2 days. Serve over ice, garnished with grapefruit slices.