July 2021 | Cook Now

White Port and Tonic (Porto Tonico)

The best way to drink white port? Try the White Port and Tonic, aka Porto Tonico! It’s a refreshing Portuguese spin on the gin and tonic.

Here’s a drink we have on repeat over here that we think should start trending: the White Port and Tonic! Otherwise known as the Porto Tónico, this Portuguese spin on the classic G&T might be even better than the original. White port is a style of fortified wine made in Portugal, sweet and light with notes of vanilla, caramel, honey, and orange peel. Add to that bubbly tonic water and it’s intensely refreshing, with aromas that linger after each sip. This one’s so impressive, we’re vying for it to catch on in the States…stat.

Help us do it: make one at home and tag us on Instagram!

Ingredients in a White Port and Tonic (Porto Tónico)

The White Port and Tonic is a popular drink in Portugal, a spin on the classic Gin and Tonic using white port wine. The Portuguese cocktail is an aperitif, or drink for before a meal. White port is a unique style of port made in the Douro region of Portugal that tastes lighter than the more traditional red variety. It makes for a deliciously refreshing cocktail that’s ideal in summer when you’re looking for a refreshing drink, but it works in any season. The ingredients you’ll need for a Porto Tonico are:

White port
Tonic water
Orange slices

What’s white port?

What is white port, anyway? Port is a sweet fortified wine from Portugal, usually served as a dessert wine. Port is most often red, so the white variety is a unique style. Here are a few more particulars on this unique type of wine:

White Port is a sweet white fortified wine made in a region of Portugal called the Douro Valley, where port has been made since the 1600’s. It made with a blend of different white wine grape varieties, such as Esgana Cão and Malvasia Fina. It’s similar to French Lillet Blanc, but the flavor is sweeter.
What does it taste like? White port tastes sweet, with honeyed fruit flavors and notes of vanilla, caramel, and citrus on the finish. It has a lighter character than most dessert wines.
How to drink it? You can drink white port straight as an aperitif, but we think it’s at its best in the Porto Tonico, paired with tonic water. It’s aromatic, bubbly, and refreshing in any season!

Don’t forget the orange squeeze

White port and tonic tastes great with just the two ingredients in its name. But to give it just that bit of edge, make sure to add a squeeze of fresh orange before enjoying. We’ve tried it with lemon as well, but orange is the clear winner here. It mimics the citrus notes in the port and gives a zesty nose to the glass. Don’t go without it!

Favorite brand of tonic water

Tonic water is a carbonated water that contains quinine and is lightly sweetened. Don’t go about substituting Club Soda here, because it’s got a lot of flavor! It’s bubbly, bitter, sweet and sour, and it’s a popular cocktail mixer going back hundreds of years.

Quinine was historically prescribed as a medicine to fight malaria, and mixing it with carbonated water and sugar helped to mask its bitter flavor. Today, the level of quinine is much lower than historical tonic water and is safe to consume. Our favorite brand is Q Tonic: it has great flavor and is sold in small cans, just enough for a few drinks.

More tonic water drinks

You can make a “blank and tonic” with just about any spirit! And trust us: we’ve tried. None of them are quite as special as the White Port and Tonic. But here are a few more tasty tonic water cocktails:

Try the classic Best Gin and Tonic
Opt for a lemon lime Vodka Tonic
Go classy with a Whiskey Tonic
Try refreshing Tequila and Tonic
Sip on subtle flavors in a Rum and Tonic
Combine it with delicate Lillet for a Lillet and Tonic

Best Gin and Tonic

Vodka Tonic

Tequila and Tonic

Whiskey Tonic

White Port and Tonic

Author: Sonja Overhiser
Prep Time: 2 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 2 minutes
Yield: 1 drink
Diet: Vegan

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Ingredients

2 ounces* white port
4 ounces tonic water
1 orange slice
Ice, for serving (try clear ice!)

Instructions

Add lots of ice to a large cocktail or wine glass and stir to chill the glass. Drain any melted water.
Pour in the white port. Pour the tonic water onto a bar spoon into the glass (to increase the bubbles). Squeeze in the orange slice and stir once. Garnish and serve.

Notes

*To convert to tablespoons, 1 ounce = 2 tablespoons

Category: Drink
Method: Stirred
Cuisine: Cocktails

Keywords: White port and tonic

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Easy Avocado Corn Salad

Here’s the trick to a fast and easy way to make avocado corn salad! It’s perfect for parties and full of zingy flavor.

Some salads sound simple, but then you find yourself standing at the cutting board for ages. (Wait, where did the last 30 minutes go?) Here’s a salad that won’t take you half an afternoon to prep: this fast and easy Avocado Corn Salad! This one uses our favorite quick trick to a killer salad we use in our black bean and corn salad. It’s got a quick way to shortcut a bunch of chopping and the flavor? Incredible.

Another great option? Try our Avocado Tomato Salad with lemon vinaigrette!

Ingredients in avocado corn salad

This avocado corn salad can be quick and simple, or you can make it a little fancier using cooked corn on the cob. It’s the perfect summer salad for a barbecue or cookout, but it works for any season. Here are the essentials you’ll need for this recipe:

Avocados
Canned corn or cooked corn on the cob (see below)
Fresh pico de gallo, aka fresh salsa
Red onion, cilantro: optional!

Throw them all together, and you’ve got one salad with massive flavor and minimal chopping required. In fact, all you really need to chop is the avocados!

The key: pico de gallo (aka fresh salsa)

The key to this concept? Purchased fresh pico de gallo in modern grocery stores. (This is true in American stores, at least!) You may also see it labeled as “fresh salsa” or “salsa fresca.” Why use it for an avocado corn salad?

Pico de gallo is a type of salsa made with fresh tomatoes, onion, garlic, cilantro, and lime juice.
It cuts down on chopping. You can find it in the fresh food section, already chopped up and ready to mix into your salad!
The lime juice makes a natural salad dressing. Make sure to pour on a little of the juices into the mix. Then add a drizzle of olive oil, and you’ve got dressing!

Alternative: homemade pico

Purchased pico de gallo is pretty easy to access in American grocery stores in the produce aisle. Don’t have access to it? You can make your own pico! The salad will take a little longer to make, of course. But it’s worth it for the flavor. Go to our Best Pico de Gallo recipe and make ½ the recipe.

Main types of corn for avocado corn salad

This salad easily transforms from basic to fancy by using corn on the cob! It’s delicious with canned corn, but if it’s corn season: make a stunning salad using grilled or boiled corn. It’s also a fantastic use for leftover corn on the cob! Here are all our favorite ways to cook corn on the cob:

Canned: Fastest and easiest, and still has great flavor
Grilled: make it three ways: Perfect Grilled Corn (on the grates), Grilled in the Husk, or Grilled in Foil
Boiled: go basic and make Boiled Corn on the Cob
Roasted: an easy way to cook it? Oven Roasted Corn on the Cob

For the cob methods, hit up this way to How to Cut Corn Off the Cob. It’s easy and eliminates the mess! Can you use frozen corn for this salad? You can, but we find the flavor of canned is better in this case and you don’t even need to defrost it.

How to cut an avocado: the safe way

Last up for this avocado corn salad: do you know the best way to cut an avocado? This vegetable (well, fruit!) is notorious for inducing knife injuries. Here’s how to cut it…the safe way:

Remove the pit: Using a large chef’s knife, cut lengthwise around the avocado. Twist the two halves to separate them. Place a towel in your hand and put the avocado on top. With a gentle but quick motion, tap the knife into the avocado pit, then twist it to remove it.
Safely pull the pit from the knife: Do not remove the avocado pit with your hand! Instead, pull the cutting board close to your body, then place the pit against the far edge of the cutting board and pull back to release it from the knife. (See the video at the link.)
Remove from the peel and slice: Use a large spoon to scoop out the avocado from the peel. Place the avocado with the cut side down, then cut it into slices.

And that’s it! We hope you love this avocado corn salad: let us know in the comments below!

More avocado recipes

Love avocados? Here are a few more great avocado recipes to make with this tasty fruit:

Go for our zesty and simple Avocado Tomato Salad
Try a quick and easy Avocado Club Sandwich
Sip a Avocado Banana Smoothie
Make up Baked Avocado Fries or throw them into Crispy Avocado Tacos
Stir up a batch of Avocado Tuna Salad

Avocado Club Sandwich

Perfect Avocado Smoothie

Baked Avocado Fries

Crispy Avocado Tacos

This avocado corn salad is…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free.

Easy Avocado Corn Salad

Author: Sonja Overhiser
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6
Diet: Vegan

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