Quaintrelle Weekender

Rosé sangria and summer time hits

It’s my sister’s birthday today, and in just a few hours she will be airborne, headed to France. A trip to Paris, Strasbourg, and Normandy.

Sadly, I will stay in Toronto.

We had a sort of birthday/send off bash for her last night, though it was maybe more like a simple family barbecue, the in-laws and friends-that-are-family gathering before the hurly burly of summer schedules sends everyone running madly in all directions.

With a mix of eclectic tastes we kept the menu reasonably middle-of-the-road. Everything delicious but nothing too wacky that would test the boundaries of someone’s palate.

With jugs of big batch margaritas and rosé sangria, we sat under the awning in coolish/mild rainy Toronto evening, noshing on crudité and chips while wafts of barbecue smoke drifted by.

Rosé Sangria

I say this every time I share this recipe, but you need to use it with caution. No one takes me seriously until they catch a couple in flagrante delicto in their washroom. But maybe that’s the kind of party you want. In which case it might be helpful to know Homesense currently has an excellent assortment of bowls on sale to hold all your guests’ keys.

Ingredients:

• 750ml bottle dry rosé

• 750ml lemonade

• ½ cup orange flavoured liqueur, such as Triple Sec

• Watermelon chunks, lime wheels, hulled strawberries

How to Make It:

1. Toss the fruit in an empty pitcher and pour over the orange liqueur. Stir to combine and allow to infuse for an hour or so.

2. Pour in the rosé and lemonade and stir again, refrigerate until needed.*

3. When ready pour into ice-filled wine glasses or high balls, scooping some fruit into each glass.

*you can make this up to a day before, but don’t add the limes until an hour before serving. The lime pith will turn the sangria unbearably bitter if left in the mixture for too long.

Hello and welcome to Quaintrelle Weekender, my weekly postcard of what’s on my mind.

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This Week’s Big 3

Really Good Bathing Suits. Last February before I left on my cruise, I was gifted this fantastic, extremely flattering (even when I was fat!) deep-V one-piece from Knix. My sister bought this very cute, very supportive bathing suit for half the price from CupShe.

Face Sunscreen. When it comes to my body, any old sunscreen with decent SPF will do, and generally that’s what’s on sale at Shoppers, but my face is another story. I really like Clarins, it’s pricey, but my face is worth it.

My Favourite Sun Hat. I’m so happy I bought this panama hat. It’s stylish and practical. I wore it on my cruise, and I’m wearing it poolside. An inner band helps it fit your head and on windy days you can use the chin strap. You’ll look like a major dork, but at least your hat won’t fly away.

Currently Reading:

Villa Coco by Andrew Sean Greer. This started off slow (soooo many lengthy descriptions of the Tuscan country side, and confusing detail on the mansion) so I was worried it would be a stinker hiding under the smart marketing of Pulitzer Prize winning author. However, Parts 2 and 3 really picked up the pace and I’m enjoying it. I also really like how food works its way into the narrative. Greer doesn’t bang you over the head with it, but sprinkles it in, like parmesan on pasta.

See my summer reading list here:

The Weekend Menu

Last Sunday’s Dinner: Saucy, spicy shrimp and chorizo with a leafy green salad (I am dieting, after all) and focaccia

Tonight’s Dinner: Chicken, black bean, and kale bowl with garlic crema, hot sauce and pickled jalapeños. (Basically a protein bowl. But a delicious one. I’ll explain more on Monday.)

The Weekend Cocktail: Rosemary grapefruit spritz

The Weekend Wine: Attems “Ramato” Pinot Grigio 2025. Fruili, Italy $20

Bon Weekend!

On Monday, for premium subscribers, I have the second instalment of my weight loss journey that saw me drop 23 pounds in a little over three months.

This one is a break down of what I ate, my meal plan, and ideas on painless (or mostly, painless) swaps for favourite indulgences. I cover how I maxed out my fibre (about 30 grams per day) and protein (about 140 grams per day), while keeping calories low.

If you missed last Monday’s post on the general story of what I did to shape up, it’s linked below.

Until then –

xo – Erin