SANGRIA

Drink of the week: SANGRIA.

A Spanish classic perfect for patio drinks and cooling off in the summer heat. A great drink to serve at parties, at the lake or backyard BBQs.

Sangria is kind of like a punch. It consists of red wine (generally from the region of La Rioja, Spain), chopped fresh fruit, a sweetener (honey, sugar, simple syrup), brandy or triple sec, soda and ice. It can also be made with white whine for those of you who aren't big red drinkers...and generally I am not, but Sangria just works!

Vineyards in La Rioja, Spain

When I was living in Spain, I took a cooking course with a famous Spanish chef. On one of our cooking nights we whipped up some Sangria to accompany our meal. It is so simple and so Spanish! Later in the year when I was in Seville my friend Lindsay and I cooled off from the southern heat by relaxing on a patio drinking fresh Sangria.

Give this drink a whirl this summer! It will not disappoint!

Bobby Flay's Red Wine Sangria

Ingredients:

- 2 bottles red Spanish table wine (from La Rioja if possible)
- 1 cup brandy
- 1/2 cup triple sec
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1 cup pomegranate juice
- 1/2 simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water, heated until sugar dissolves, cooled)
- orange slices
- apple slices
- blackberries
- pomegranate seeds

Directions:

- Mix all ingredients together and let stand in a tightly sealed container or pitcher preferably for 24 hours before serving.
- Served chilled with a cup of ice


photo credits: my images