What better way to send the summer off with a bang, than a nice fresh sangria. I’ve always loved sangria. Recently on my trip to Florida it became my drink of choice. Mainly because almost every restaurant and bar had a fantastic fresh version! One of my favorites was at a little bar and restaurant called The Salty Pelican. It has a great view of the water & an abundance of laid-back charm! They make theirs with muddled blackberries. This inspired my drink for today! I could not find blackberries that met my standards so i’m using fresh blueberries, alongside oranges, limes, lemons, & apples.
One of the beauties of Sangria : use whatever fruits and wine you want! I’m using a nice Shiraz. It was moderate in price. First, I will dice my apples. Than I slice my oranges, lemons, & limes. I washed my blueberries and place them in a measuring cup, which is just what I decided to use for muddling, you can use a bowl or even a cup if you have an actual muddler. I’ve yet to buy one, so for the time being i’m improvising with a potato masher!
I’m pouring just about an inch of red wine on top to make it easier to mash. Be careful not to pour too much in, as than you will have to worry about it splashing all over you! After mashing the blueberries I’ll add the rest of the fruit and continue to muddle it.
I’m also adding a splash of agave nectar. Now that I can tell I have succesfully extracted the fruits essence to my liking I’m adding a generously large splash of Chambord. If you’re planning on serving this right away you can take everything in your mixing cup & add it straight in to a pitcher. Than pour in your wine leaving just a little bit of room. Top it off with sparkling water . ( I’m using Berry La Croix , you can use any flavor, or no flavor at all, sprite is also a good alternative if you like your sangria on the sweeter side) Finally, garnish it with some lemon,orange, and lime slices.
If you are prepaing to serve it next day, I highly recommend taking the lemon & lime slices you muddled out before you store it, so it doesn’t leave you with way too much citrus after sitting. Than, you can add fresh slices the day of. I stored mine in a bottle, pouring the sangria including blueberries,apples, and oranges straight in to it. Because I stored it in a bottle, I will be topping it with the sparkling water as I pour it into each cup the next day . That way I’ll be able to shake the bottle up really good and fix the natural settlement while avoiding an agitation of the carbonation.
Sangria is a great summer staple, but it can be delicious all year long. Just use seasonal fruits as your guide. Cheers!
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