Strawberry Rosé Spritzer

As soon as the temperature hits 75 degrees, I start to feel it -- that all-consuming, cannot-be-denied urge to forgo all other boozy drinks but my absolute favorite, rosé. I'm not ashamed to admit it: I've already purchased this year's one-way ticket on the rosé bandwagon, my seatbeat is firmly fastened, and I'm not looking back until fall.

Really, is there anything better on a balmy evening -- or afternoon, for that matter -- than a few hunks of cheese, a pile of soft pink prosciutto, a dish of briny olives and a glass of crisp rosé?

I've traditionally been a purist when it comes to pink wine, but it occurred to me recently that if someone wanted to enjoy the illusion of drinking more rosé without actually getting tipsy, she could combine it with soda water and make a spritzer. (You can take a girl out of the 80s...) What's more, she could whizz up some of those divine strawberries from the farmers market with a little sugar and add a sweet, fruity burst to her spritzer.

I'm happy to report that the combination of fresh strawberry puree, rosé and soda water not only calls to mind a Degas ballerina, but it also tastes pretty darn delicious -- unless everyone in the test kitchen this week was lying to me to spare my feelings. If you don't like it, you have only them and their good intentions to blame.

Bottoms up!

Strawberry Rosé Spritzer

Makes one drink, with enough strawberry puree for many

• 1 pound strawberries, rinsed and hulled
• 3 tablespoons sugar (more or less, depending on the sweetness of your berries)
• 3 tablespoons strawberry puree
• 3 ounces dry rosé
• Soda water

See the recipe (and save and print it) here.