Sangria: Booze that Beats the Heat!

In the words of Cole Porter, "it's too darn hot!"  Here in New Jersey we have had excessive heat warnings for the last two days, with temperatures nearing 100 degrees and stifling humidity.  Though I love a bottle of red wine, it just does not fit the bill on a hot summer day.  But mix it with some booze and a whole lot of fruit and pour it over ice, and you've got drink that will cure all y'alls ills. 

Sangria is essentially the Spanish version of punch, commonly served at informal gatherings in the summer months.  Typically, it consists of an inexpensive red wine, a variety of sliced fruit, sugar (or some other sweetener), and a small amount of brandy, triple sec or other liquors.  So if you have a bottle of wine that is just...eh...drinkable.....take a few minutes to whip up a batch and you'll be mightily pleased with the results.  

 

Red Wine Sangria

Ingredients:

1 750-ml bottle of Red Wine

1/4 cup brandy

1/4 cup triple sec or grand marnier

1/4 cup sugar

2 tbs lime juice

1 orange, thinly sliced

1 apple, thinly sliced

1/2 lemon, thinly sliced

Combine all the ingredients in a large pitcher and stir.  Cover and chill for 1 to 2 hours or, if in a hurry, serve over ice.  This keeps well in the fridge over a couple of days - we made a pitcher two days ago and have been sipping glasses of it in the evenings after dinner!  Easily doubled for company - of if you (like us) just can't have too much of a good thing!