Summer Fruit by the Sip

When you get right down to it, in the summertime, cooking is easy. Light the fire, grill the meat, toss a salad. . . . You don’t have to get creative with that.

You can play around with the drinks, though. Given the bounty of fresh fruit that’s available in the summer, and the wonderful way in which it can transform even a humdrum wine into something special, it’s a natural.

Mix just one of these drinks for a backyard barbecue or fix all three for a large party. They don’t take long to make and they can be fixed well in advance. Just keep everything well-chilled until you’re ready to serve.

Raspberry Spritzer

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 15 minutes plus 1 hour chilling time

1 cup raspberries

1 tablespoon water

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

1 (750-milliliter) bottle white wine, chilled

2 to 2 1/2 cups sparkling water, chilled

Chilled raspberries, for garnish

Ice cubes, optional

* Puree raspberries through food mill, or use food processor or blender and strain puree through a fine mesh sieve. Add water to thin, if necessary. Stir in sugar. Chill for 1 hour.

* Stir puree again to be sure sugar is dissolved. Put 1 tablespoon puree in chilled wine glass. Add about 1/2 cup wine and 1/4 to 1/3 cup sparkling water. Stir. Add raspberries and ice cubes, if using. Serve immediately.

8 servings. Each serving: 74 calories; 7 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 0 fat; 4 grams carbohydrates; 0 protein; 0.46 gram fiber.

Bellinis

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 15 minutes plus 1 hour chilling time

The Bellini, from Harry’s Bar in Venice, was invented in the 1930s and named later in honor of the artist for the big Giovanni Bellini exposition in Venice in 1948. It is typically made with white peaches, I also like it very much with pureed yellow peaches. The puree should be absolutely smooth. You can buy frozen and bottled white peach puree. Try mango, too. Prosecco is an Italian sparkling light wine.

4 large peaches

Sugar

1 (750-milliliter) bottle Prosecco, chilled

* Cut shallow “X” in bottom of each peach and immerse in large pot of boiling water. Remove 1 after 15 seconds and pull peel back; if peach peels easily, remove remainder from pot with slotted spoon and rinse under cold running water. Peel. Pit peaches, cut into slices and puree in food processor or blender. Sweeten with sugar to taste. Chill 1 hour.

* Stir puree to be sure sugar is dissolved. Mix puree and Prosecco in chilled pitcher; pour into chilled glasses (stemmed or small tumblers). Serve immediately.

6 servings. Each serving: 125 calories; 10 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 0 fat; 12 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.37 gram fiber.

Strawberry Lemonade

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 20 minutes plus 6 hours chilling time

1 cup sugar

6 cups water

1 pint strawberries

1 1/3 cups lemon juice, chilled

1 lemon, thinly sliced

12 large ice cubes

Small whole and sliced strawberries, for garnish

Mint leaves, for garnish

* Bring sugar and 2 cups water to boil; stir until sugar is dissolved. Add remaining water. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 6 hours. (Can be made a few days ahead.)

* Puree pint of strawberries in food processor or blender. Chill 1 hour.

* To serve, combine lemon juice, 1 cup strawberry puree, lemon slices and ice cubes. Adjust water if too lemony. Pour into chilled glasses. Garnish as desired. Serve immediately.

10 (1-cup) servings. Each serving: 100 calories; 1 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 0 fat; 27 grams carbohydrates; 0 protein; 0.16 gram fiber.