Sweet sips of summer

Who can resist a light, refreshing, perhaps fruity cocktail while dining al fresco?

Sangria is a perennial favorite, and pitchers of red wine mixed with soda and fresh citrus slices can be found sweating on sidewalk cafe tables everywhere now.

"The secret is to soak the fruit for at least six hours," says restaurant manager Rick Font at Agua, the popular Spanish restaurant at Beijing's Nali Patio, where sangria flows like water at the restaurant's weekend brunch. "Besides the popular version with red wine, we also make sangria with white wine."