I tried sangria on my 2nd trip to Barcelona, SP many, many years ago (98′).
I was on a 3-day layover and hanging with my fellow flight attendant buddies, Nitza Rodriguez, Gladys Montisenos & Jorge Carballo who was our self-appointed city tour guide.
On this one particular day, we did a little shopping, people watching & tons of tapas eating. It was perfect! As the sun began to set, Jorge found a little restaurant for us to have dinner.
The restaurant was quite small yet charming & I remember all of the marinating octopi & squid in this case & dangling lights hanging from the ceiling.
Jorge, Nitza & Gladys all had paella & I recall it smelling & looking WONDERFUL but since I cannot eat shell fish, I settled on a chicken dish. The chicken was pan-fried in olive oil with garlic & I swear to this day that it was the best chicken I ever had.
Most importantly, Jorge ordered a pitcher of sangria. When it came to the table, I asked what it was (I was young & not as international & sexy as I am now). When Jorge explained, I was like sure, pour me a glass up.
Well, several glasses later I remember us getting in a cab & me waking up in my hotel room with no sheets on the bed.
After that night out dining, laughing etc, I was hooked on sangria!
Sangria goes with any meal if you ask me but it’s PERFECT on hot summer evenings when enjoyed with friends.
My recipe is fail-safe & certainly a crowd pleaser. If you try it, I hope that you will enjoy.
Ingredients:
– 3 bottles of red wine (Doesn’t need to be super expensive. I used a mix of Merlot & Cabernet Sauvignon)
– 3/4 cup Sugar
– ½ cup Cherry brandy
– ½ cup Grand Marnier
– 2 Apples sliced (granny smith & pink ladies are perfect)
– 1 Orange sliced (I prefer navel)
– 1 Star fruit sliced
– 1 Lemon sliced
– 1 cup Strawberries
The Jump Off:
– In a large pitcher, mix your liquids & sugar until the sugar is dissolved
– Mix in all of your fruit & refrigerate over night.
– Before serving, your sangria give it a good stir then enjoy glass after glass.
Factoid:
Sangria was introduced to America at the 1964 World’s Fair in Ney York City.
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MonaMade / August 19, 2010
This looks very good, and the backstory makes it even more wonderful. I have never made sangria but looking at your recipe, I must try this before summer ends. Love.
Lester Spence / August 20, 2010
This story is helluva. And the recipe looks good. But where’s the juice? I think of sangria as fruit juice and wine. does the sheer presence of fruit and sugar do the trick, or does this taste more like wine with something extra?
Tafari / August 20, 2010
Thx Mona, this period of my life was quite rich with wonderful experiences abroad with friends. Id do anything to go back & relive any one trip. Good times.
Lester, you let the smooth taste fool you my brother. It tastes like wine with a kick to me, a very nice fruit filled kick. I don’t think that it should ever taste like juice, especially when you’re trying to be grown & sexy with it.