Gay Cook’s strawberry sangria and cucumber mint sandwiches

Makes at least 12 servings
Marinating time: at 3 hours or longer

Our warm weather has given us fresh juicy strawberries. It’s the perfect time for a delicious chilled summer drink. I bought locally picked fresh strawberries and created a Strawberry Riesling sangria to sip outdoors with fresh cucumber and mint tea sandwiches. Sangria is an ancient Spanish drink; the word sangria comes from the word sangree, meaning blood and was made with red wine making a dark drink. Today the wine can be either white or red. On a trip to Spain, my sangria was made with grapes. The recipe came home with me so I created this one using our local fresh strawberries.

• 3 cups (750 ml) fresh ripe strawberries
• 1 (750 ml) bottle chilled Riesling wine or your choice
• ¼ cup (60 ml) granulated sugar or more to taste
• ½ navel orange (seedless), thinly sliced
• ½ cup (125 ml) brandy or Cointreau, optional
• 1½ cups (375 ml) bubbly mineral water.

1. Set aside ½ cup (125 ml) small strawberries or half and quarter large strawberries for garnish. Remove stems and blemishes from remaining berries then puree in blender or processor. Place puree in large glass pitcher with wine and sugar with small berries and orange slices in refrigerator for several hours to combine flavours.
2. To serve, add brandy or Cointreau and bubbly water.  Pour into large glasses with orange slice and 1 or 2 small or slices of large strawberries.

Cucumber Mint Tea sandwiches    1 – 2 dozen finger sandwiches

• 1 white or wholewheat sandwich loaf sliced horizontal sold at bakeries or Loblaws in the bakery department. If the whole loaf is not used at one time, wrap it well and freeze for another time. Discard top and bottom crusts. Cut off side crust.
• 2 Lebanese or 1/2 an English, seedless cucumber, thinly sliced
• ¼ tsp (1 ml) salt
• ½ cup (125 ml) butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) mayonnaise
• 2 – 3 tbsp (30-45 ml) packed, finely chopped fresh mint leaves
• ½ tsp (2 ml) lemon juice or more to taste
• Salt and pepper to taste

1. Sprinkle the cucumber slices with the salt and leave for 20 – 30 minutes to draw out water in the cucumber slices. Squeeze the slices to press out the juice and discard juice or use for soups.
2. In a bowl, beat together the butter and mayonnaise. Season to taste with lemon juice, salt and pepper.
3. Spread the butter/mint mixture on bread slices. Lay cucumber slices, over lapping in one layer on one bread slice and top with second bread slice. Press gently but firmly together. Cut into finger shapes or cut into triangles. Chill before serving.