Sangria!
Although sangria was popular in Spain for many years, it first gained popularity in
America during the 1964 World’s Fair. I love sangria, it’s easy to whip up and extremely versatile. You can make it with red or white wine, add any fruit you like, and finish it up with some carbonated water. In Portugal, it’s common to add some cinnamon to sangria!
Sangria is a perfect drink, no matter the season. In the warm months, it feels refreshing and invigorating. In the cold months, the freshness of the fruit makes you feel like you’re drinking summer in a glass. Sangria is also a perfect drink to serve to unexpected guests - it’s a way of stretching out a bottle of wine! Much better than giving everybody tiny thimble-sized servings of a bottle!
Here’s one of my favorite Sangria concoctions:
- 2 oranges, washed and sliced thinly
- 1 apple, washed and sliced thinly
- 1 lemon, sliced thinly
- 1/2 cup of sugar
- 1/4 cup of brandy
- 1 bottle of medium bodied red wine
Pile the sliced fruit into a large pitcher. Pour the sugar on top of the fruit, and let sit for 20 minutes. Add the wine and the brandy, and stir gently. I like to served the carbonated water on the side, so people can control how much fizz they get.
There are a lot of great ideas for Sangria recipes out there! I saw one using white wine, passionfruit and kiwis! That’s definitely one I’m going to try. Do you have any awesome sangria tips? Let me know!