A Little Sunshine 

Cocktails Anyone?
by Sheila Swerling-Puritt

Mother Nature is a stubborn old thing. It's warming up slowly in central Canada, but winter's cold breath is hanging on in eastern Canada and parts of the eastern seaboard like muck on your favourite shoes. True to my nature, I'd like to offer you a little sunshine to warm your wait for glorious summer. Said sunshine is a new made-in-Canada product named "Alegria," the Spanish word for jubilation.

Alegria is appropriately named. Containing a modest 17% alcohol (some of today's dry zinfandels can top that), Alegria is a tropical fruit juice blend of sweet mango and tart pink grapefruit refreshment guaranteed to induce a warm, joyful, convivial spirit. It could become a patio staple, delicious over ice but dazzling in tropical and exotic mixed drinks.

Alegria is currently available in Quebec at $23.95 and will cost you a loonie more when it appears on Ontario shelves in late May. Alegria's agent, MOSAIQ Inc., located in Montreal, is in the process of applying for listings in other provinces.

Here are a few Alegria-based recipes to help you warm up now and cool off later:

Granada

• 1½ oz. Alegria
• ¾ oz. Chemineaud Brandy
• 2 oz. pomegranate juice

1. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
2. Add Alegria, Chemineaud and pomegranate juice.
3. Shake, strain and serve in a chilled cocktail glass.
4. Decorate with orange zest

Love Letter

• 2 oz. Alegria
• ½ oz. Grand Marnier
• 2 oz. tonic water
• 1 mandarin orange

1. Peel the mandarin, separate pieces and drop into a highball glass.
2. Fill with ice. Pour ingredients in the order listed above.
3. Drop in a long handled spoon, stir once and serve with the spoon to retrieve the mandarin sections.

Alegria Sangritta

• 1½ oz. Alegria
• 1½ oz. dry white wine
• ½ oz. mango juice
• ¼ fresh mango, cubed
• Ginger ale

1. Add fresh mango cubes to cocktail shaker and fill with ice.
2. Add Alegria, wine and mango juice. Shake vigorously.
3. Pour into a highball glass and top up with ginger ale.
4. Decorate with a slice of ripe starfruit (carambola).

Drinks created by F. Maillard, Mixoart

For more information, you can contact Sheila at spuritt@hotmail.com.