Sangria & Sunshine

Two things I can’t live without.

This should brighten things up and even if it doesn’t, after a glass or two, you won’t really care so much.

This is actually more of a Sangria Punch than a true sangria, because it has sparkling juice added and true sangria is pretty much booze ( I like to say booze, it makes me feel all Bette Davis with a cigarette hanging out of my mouth) and fruit.

And sugar.

Is there sugar in syrup?

Well this one definitely contains booze and fruit, but also some sparkling apple cider and cranberry cider to lighten it up. It is perfect for hot summer days and is safer than the traditional recipe, which has an effect much like napalm.

I had a Sangria party for some close girlfriends recently and 5 of the ladies brought their sangria. Kind of like a chili cook-off, but better. 3 were fruity punch based recipes and two were traditional sangria. All of them lovely.

Some of them deadly.

Deadly enough to make you forget how he broke your heart.

This recipe is one of the less deadly. It will not make you forget past wrongs or cause you to call old boyfriends and leave rambling messages on their answering machines.

It will not make you think you are worthy of a spot on Dancing With the Stars and cause you to bust a move to prove said worthiness to your friends.

It will not make you think you can sing like Susan Boyle.

It will make you not really care that you cannot sing or dance.

Summer Sangria

2 bottles cheap white wine.

Really, the cheaper, the better. Sometimes I use a chardonnay and a riesling. Other times a pinot grigio and chardonnay. Doesn’t really matter. Your choice.

1/2 cup apricot brandy (or blackberry brandy or peach schnapps, or whatever you have on hand. Plain brandy would also work)

1/2 cup lemon liquer (if you don’t have it, just increase brandy to a cup and don’t worry)

1 bottle sparkling apple juice

1/2 bottle sparkling cranberry juice

You could mix these up and use sparkling grape or cherry as well. Whatever your store carries.

Lotsa fruit

Any kind.

I always use oranges and lemons because they are pretty floaties. I also add frozen strawberries and blueberries and blackberries. Again, you can use whatever kind of fruit floats your boat (or your sangria, as the case may be).

Mix it all together in a big pitcher or jug and let it sit for a good long while. I prefer it to sit at least 8 hours. If I am serving sangria, I will usually mix it the night before or first thing in the morning. Nothing like hauling out the brandy at 6am.

Enjoy