“Summertime, and the livin’ is easy.”  So goes the most famous line of George Gershwin’s opera, Porgy and Bess.  Personally, I think Gershwin was on to something.

Summertime livin’ can be easy, at least in the dining department.  What is more enjoyable than simple summer meals, served on the patio?  In my opinion, a simple burger, grilled to perfection, topped with some fresh salsa, and accompanied by a chilled glass of Bumbleberry Fruit Wine can’t be beat on a warm summer day.  But don’t stop there.  As we say around here, “With fruit wines, the possibilities are endless!”

Fruit wines are a wonderful main ingredient for so many of summer’s favourite patio drinks.  Do you love sangrias, wine spritzers, lemonades, wine slushies, Italian sodas, old-style cocktails, fruity martinis or even adult popsicles?   You can whip up excellent versions of these treats using the luscious flavours of fruit wines to give them new life!

And with that in mind, here are four of our all-time patio favourites …

Number 1:  Field Stone Floradora

A variation on an old favourite….

2 oz. gin

1 oz. Raspberry Dessert Wine

½ oz. lime juice

2 oz. ginger beer

Mix together in a glass, over ice.  Garnish with raspberries and a twist of lime.  (For a slightly sweeter drink, substitute ginger ale for the beer).  Yum!

Number 2:  Blissful Blueberry Sangria

1 bottle Field Stone Blueberry Fruit Wine

2 cans San Pellegrino Aranciata (orange)

500 ml.  Lemon Ice Tea

1 – orange, sliced

1 – lemon, sliced

1 – cup blueberries

Mix well and chill for optimum flavour.  Add ice just before serving.

Yes, yes … so yummy for a gathering of friends and family!

Number 3:  Cherry-Berry Wine Slushie

2 cups frozen cherries

2 cups frozen saskatoon berries

3 cups Cherry Fruit Wine

Place berries, cherries and wine in blender.  Blend until it reaches your desired consistency.  Pour into four glasses and serve immediately.  O my!

Number 4:  Fruity Field Stone Lemonade

3 parts lemonade

1 part Field Stone Dessert Wine

You choose the flavour!  Mix together in a tall glass over ice, adding mixed berries and lemon slices.  For a pitcher, use 3 cups lemonade and 1 cup dessert wine. Your summer lemonade will reach new heights!

Of course we can’t talk about summer without including ice cream and creamy desserts. Using Field Stone dessert wines to make scrumptious desserts has always taken the fuss out of the final course.  This one is an oldie but a goodie.  If you haven’t yet tried our Summer Swirl… you might want to give it a whirl!

Raspberry Summer Swirl

125 ml Raspberry Dessert Wine

1 litre French Vanilla Ice Cream

Soften the ice cream and put into the blender with the dessert wine.  Blend well and pour into martini glasses. Re-freeze.  Serve with fresh raspberries, or a mix of berries on top.  Add a shaving of chocolate.

And this one, creamy and light, a patio delight….

Saskatoon Berry Crème

2 1/2 cups whipping cream

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup Saskatoon Berry Dessert Wine

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

Heat cream and sugar over medium heat and whisk occasionally, heating just until the sugar has fully dissolved.  Remove from heat, stir in wine and lemon juice.  Allow to cool for 15 minutes, then carefully pour into clear serving dishes.  Chill overnight.  Top with an assortment of fresh berries.

And there you have it.  Summer Desserts?   Easy and Scrumptious!

In addition to our regular website recipe pages, we’ll be adding new patio ideas to our Facebook , Twitter and Instagram feed all summer, so be sure to check often.  We’d also love to hear from you.  What new patio drink did you invent this season using Field Stone products?

As many shoppers know, finding wonderful ingredients for patio dining can be fun and interesting at your local farmers markets.  As we highlighted in last month’s newsletter, Field Stone is participating in many new seasonal markets around the province this month.  With B.C. berries and fruit arriving early this year, there’s already a plethora of great ingredients awaiting you.  You can find a list of the markets we attend anytime at www.fieldstonefruitwines/find-us.  Summer’s bounty is in vast supply at a market near you!

And finally, it’s time for our Very Big News!

Friday, August 12^th, we will be opening the doors at our brand-new, year-round location:  Calgary Farmers Market Greenwich! 

Three years in the making, this beautiful indoor market is an outstanding addition to the city of Calgary and its impressive market scene. Home to over 80 year-round vendors, the available local products include everything you can imagine.  Come see for yourself:  we are open every Wednesday through Sunday at 25 Greenbriar Drive NW, right at the west edge of the city on Highway #1.  We hope this lovely market becomes a regular shopping stop for you!  You can read much more about it at www.calgaryfarmersmarket.ca/locations/cfm-west.  We look forward to welcoming you really soon.

And that’s all for August!

What can we say?  Isn’t summer great?  Warm weather, sunshine, farmers markets, seasonal fruits, garden bounty.  Just add patio-perfect, award-winning, Alberta fruit wines, and stir.

Happy August everyone!  May you have a “berry” wonderful summer.