I know there are lots of people sweating through this first heat
wave of the year. The temperatures have approached 90 degrees and
we are still barely into May.
I know there are lots of people sweating through this first heat wave of the year. The temperatures have approached 90 degrees and we are still barely into May.
I love the hot weather. Personally, I do not mind sweating and even like breathing hot air into my lungs, but I also like to cool down. My recipe for dealing with the warmer weather is two-fold: keeping cool on the outside, keeping cool on the inside.
The way I keep cool on the outside is to slip into my Speedo and hit the neighbor’s pool. My neighbors insist that they not be home at the time and that my visits occur at night.
The way I keep cool on the inside is even more fun! I reach for some fruit, various liquors, ice, herbs and some wine to make a pitcher of sangria.
Sangria comes from the Spanish word sangre, meaning blood. This stems from the fact that in most recipes, sangria is made with red wine. There are versions of white sangria, or sangria blanco, which can also be made.
If you recall my advice on cooking with wine, the same goes for sangria – don’t buy pre-made or bottled stuff. By making your own sangria, you can control the variables that will give your summer refreshment character and uniqueness.
Wine should be the dominant ingredient in sangria. I like to use a variety of wines that can complement the fruit and herbs you may use, as well as the food that will be served.
I have a couple versions that riff on the classic sangria. This one is a bit spicy and goes great with Mexican food, chips and guacamole:
Sangria with chipotle-laced Grand Marnier
(serves six)
1/2 cup Grand Marnier
One bottle of red rioja wine
One lemon, one orange, one lime, one blood orange
1/4 cup simple syrup
One chipotle pepper (canned)
Four cups cubed ice
Eight ounces club soda
Cilantro
Step 1: Put the chipotle pepper in the Grand Marnier. Let this sit for 5 minutes in the liquor. Discard pepper and pour liquid into a pitcher.
Step 2: Slice all fruit into rounds. Throw one half of all fruit and the simple syrup into the pitcher, then muddle with a wooden spoon. Strain the liquid into a receptacle and discard all the fruit.
Step 3: Pour the liquid back into the pitcher. Add ice, pour in the wine and stir. Add remaining fruit, pour in the club soda and serve. Garnish glass with a sprig of cilantro.
Tips:
1. Use a glass pitcher when serving sangria. The colors are beautiful and enhance the tasting experience.
2. The muddled fruit does not look attractive, the reason it is replaced by the clean, new fruit.
3. I also prefer using the simple syrup, for granulated sugar can cause grittiness in the mouth.
4. If you are out in the hot sun, leave a few cubes of ice in the pitcher. Otherwise, discard the ice too. The ice can quickly water down the wine, fruit and spice.
5. Add the club soda at the end so you do not lose the carbonation.
Southern Sangria (serves six)
One bottle Albarino or German Riesling
1/4 cup Southern Comfort
1/4 cup Peach Schnapps
One orange, one lemon, one peach or one nectarine
Two tablespoons simple syrup
Dash bitters
3 cups ice
1/2 cup club soda or ginger ale
Maraschino cherries
Step 1: Same premise as before. Muddle half the fruit with the bitters, simple syrup, and liquors. Let this sit for a short time, strain liquid and discard fruit. Add new fruit and wine, stirring slowly.
Step 2: Add ice and soda. Garnish glass with cherry and orange peel.
The sweetness of the Riesling (do not use a dry Riesling) and peach interact well with the citrus.
This light, sweet sangria blanco goes well with many foods, but it goes best with picnic foods like sandwiches, chicken, salads, cheese and raw vegetables.
Light food and light wine keeps you moving!
Be daring and try experimenting yourself. Don’t get beat by the heat. Grab a glass or two of Sangria and hit the pool (Speedo optional!)
Cheers!
