Photo Credit: E. Rosemond-Hoerr
One of our favorite things to do is eat dinner with my grandparents. We're lucky enough to have them just a half hour away, and we love spending time with them. They crack us up with their banter and stories, and the food is always amazing.
My favorite part of dinner with them is inevitably when my grandfather offers us a drink. He'll say something like, “You want a cosmo?” And when you gladly accept, he’ll respond with, “Hmm, what do you think is in a cosmo?” Then he'll walk off to experiment. Sangria in their house is made much the same way—with a little bit of a recipe, whatever ingredients are on hand, and a lot of love.
My grandparents are the ones that introduced me to sangria, and I think about them every time I drink it (which is as often as we have an excuse to). A mixture of wine, liquor, and fruit, it's a delicious and refreshing drink that’s perfect for entertaining. And the best part? Eating the leftover fruit the next day!
Red Wine Sangria
1 bottle dry red wine
1 cup brandy
½ cup triple sec
1 orange
1 apple
1 pear
2 cups grapes, frozen
1 liter club soda (optional)
In a large pitcher, mix wine, brandy, and triple sec. Slice your oranges, dice your apples and pears, and add them to the wine. Allow mixture to sit in the fridge for at least an hour so that the fruit can soak and the liquid can mix.
I like to keep a bag of grapes in the freezer to use as “ice” for drinks without watering them down. When you're ready to serve, add a few grapes to each glass. Either fill all the way with sangria, or for a lighter drink, fill ¾ way with sangria and top off with club soda.
PLUS:
- From Arugula to Ziti: Iced Coffee
- See all of Elena's posts here
