Sangria

April 14th, 2012  |  21 and over, Drinks, Fruit  |  0 Comments

It was recently my best gal's birthday, so we took her special day as an opportunity to get out of town, relax and recharge a bit after the chaos of the holidays and spring break.  We decided to plan a girls {moms} only getaway to Santa Monica to do some shopping, eating and hopefully enjoy a good bit of peaceful pool time.

The day before we left, I picked up my South Coast Farms basket and discovered a batch of the most gorgeous, deep, dark, sweet strawberries, plump Meyer lemons and juicy tangerines I'd ever seen, so I knew a refreshing sangria would be in order for our trip--I couldn't leave town for the weekend and let all of that beautiful bounty go to waste!  I mixed the sangria together in the morning on the day we left and it was ready to drink by 5 o'clock for our in-room happy hour once we arrived at the hotel.

I've had sangria made with red wine and I've had sangria made with brandy, but I prefer to use vodka and a dry white wine for a crisp, clean, and fruity cocktail that goes down oh so easy!   Just remember, as with any sangria, you must pace yourself or it could end up being an early night...

 

Ingredients:

1-2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
1 Meyer lemon, sliced
1 tangerine, sliced
2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice (from about 6-8 oranges)
1 cup vodka
1 bottle dry white wine (sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio)
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons triple sec or grand marnier

club soda, 7 up or ginger ale {if you like bubbles}

Directions:

Chop and slice fruit and place in the bottom of a large gallon {beverage dispensing type} container with a lid.  Pour in vodka and sugar and stir {or shake} until sugar is mostly dissolved.  [If you prefer not to add the sugar, you could substitute a tablespoon of agave nectar or just skip it altogether--the fruit and juice certainly have a good amount of sweetness all their own].

Pour in the bottle of wine, orange juice, and triple sec and give it another good stir {or shake}.  Store sangria in the refrigerator for about 4-5 hours--or overnight if you're planning ahead.

Before serving, stir once again and pour into desired serving glasses.  Top with a splash of club soda, 7-up or ginger ale, if desired.

Salud!  and Happy Birthday Heather!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *