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By JANET K. KEELER, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published August 14, 2002
cold snap
food and drink for the long, hot summer
sangria
This traditionally red punch, bolstered with wine and liqueurs and accented with slices of citrus fruits, is the perfect accompaniment to spicy foods.
And the sheer sight of an icy pitcher of this fruity Spanish melange makes us feel cooler, inside and out.
Sangria originated in Spain, its name coming from sangre, which means blood in Spanish. Not all sangria is red, though. White, or blanco, sangria is made from white wine.
There is much discussion about what makes the perfect sangria. Sometimes, it might look more like fruit salad than a cooling cocktail. If you strip it down to its basics, oranges and lemons are probably the best fruit and merlot just might be the perfect wine to use. (Spanish reds are used in the original.) Don't buy the expensive stuff. By the time you dump all the other ingredients in, the wine is thown out of balance anyway. But if you buy the very cheapest, you'll taste that too.
A simple recipe from the editors of Cook's Illustrated magazine: Add 1 sliced orange and lemon and 1/2 cup sugar to large pitcher. Mash gently with wooden spoon to release some juice and dissolve sugar. Stir in juice from one large orange, 1/4 cup Triple Sec and 1 750-millileter bottle of medium-bodied red wine, chilled. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 8. Before serving, add ice cubes and stir briskly. Serves 4. (Note: You can punch it up with brandy instead of the Triple Sec, or dilute it with sparkling water or ginger ale.)
What a lovely way to beat the heat.
this web site cooks
www.3fatchicks.com
Weight-challenged sisters Suzanne Barnett, Jennifer Honeycutt and Amy Buchanan started the 3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Web site as a way to get moral support in their weight-loss efforts. More than 19,000 dieters have become members of the site and share their struggles to lose weight. There's lots of nutrition advice and recipes, along with a very healthy dose of soul baring. Most interesting are the links to the dozens of personal weight-loss diary sites with names such as One Last Try, Such a Pretty Face, Don't Weight Around Never Give up.
constant comment
"These society women never serve chili." -- Sam Rayburn in Washington Goes to War by David Brinkley.
cooking class
When a mustard jar is empty but still has mustard residue in it, use it as the foundation for vinaigrette. Add 1 part vinegar, 3 parts extra-virgin olive oil, some salt and pepper, cover and shake it up to make a creamy, mustardy dressing.
happy birthday julia!!!
 To send birthday greetings to Julia Child, who turns 90 on Thursday, go to www.wolfblass.com/julia and write a message of up to 100 words. Wolf Blass Wines will donate 50 cents to the International Association of Culinary Professionals Foundation's Julia Child Endowment Fund for each e-mail greeting. You can also read greetings sent by many other well-wishers, including TV cooking show host Graham Kerr, chef Allen Susser of Miami and Marcel Desaulniers, author of Death by Chocolate.
avocado rules
 How to tame an avocado: Cut it in half lengthwise, going all the way around the pit. Twist the halves in opposite directions until they separate.
To remove the pit, carefully strike it with the sharp edge of a heavy knife; turn the knife to dislodge the pit. Score the skin of each piece twice lengthwise with the tip of the blade, being careful not to cut into the pulp. Peel away the strips.
To prevent the avocado from discoloring, brush it with lemon or lime juice. For later use, tightly wrap avocado halves with plastic wrap and store in refrigerator.
about canned milk
What's the difference between evaporated and condensed milk?
Evaporated milk is whole milk from which about 40 percent of the water has been removed. The liquid is then cooked and canned. It has a richer flavor than regular milk.
Condensed milk is evaporated milk to which sugar has been added. It is sweet and thick, richer than evaporated milk.
Warning: One cannot be substituted for the other.
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