No, this isn’t a clever play off of the movie “Sideways.” I just did some computer cleanup stuff and for some reason, iPhoto is no longer showing up for me. You can tell how much technical expertise I have from my use of the term “cleanup stuff.” Unfortunately I can’t figure out how to rotate my picture to properly show you all this glass of perfectly gorgeous summer sangria.
No worries, though, I will be able to tell you how to make it and that’s all that really matters.*
You may be thinking that doesn’t even really matter at this point considering how summer is officially over. I don’t know what’s going on outside your window right now, but in NYC, it’s as gray a day as I’ve ever seen and feels muggy and misty and sticky. I think a little flashback to the sun-filled, bare-shouldered days of summer’s end may be just what's needed to brighten up a dull fall day or two. Not only that, but you can adjust to whatever fruit’s in season and it’ll be all good.
At the end of summer/beginning of fall, I started a huge project: Operation Apartment Re-decoration. Mostly re-painting and re-organizing, ditching some old furniture, and buying some new pieces (moving on up from curbside to craigslist!). Above, our old kitchen table piled with all the goodies from each and every kitchen cabinet...as I’ve mentioned before, organizing warms my heart. Remember when the narrator in “Amelie” is describing her parents and how the mother likes to dump out her purse, clean it all out, organize, and put it back together and the father does the same with his toolbox? That’s like me, except not only do I like to organize my bags, I like to organize everything, especially messy cupboards.
Ta-da!
And what else to celebrate such a momentous accomplishment and beautiful new kitchen island? White summer sangria. I used to be all partial to the red, but I'm afraid to drink red wine with my new braces. I don't know why, it's just some irrational fear I've imposed on myself. Help!
Anyway, I had some super-ripe end of summer fruit from the farmers’ market and an arsenal of supplies in my newly-made liquor cabinet. Mmm hmm. You heard me right. This sangria is not for wimps. It may look all light and pretty, but it’s in a different category than that pitcher of cheap grape juice and bar fruit you suck down with your ladies at your neighborhood joint.
“Seriously The Best Sangria I’ve Ever Had” as named by my friend Erin
*Here’s the recipe, roughly (trust me, you don’t need exact measurements; just go for it!):
Fruit you like that’s in season (here I used 2 peaches, 2 plums, 1 apple, a handful of blueberries, and
1 orange)
Margarita mix (or sour mix)
Triple Sec
Cinnamon
White wine (I used Chardonnay, with excellent results)
Wash your fruit and cut it up into bite-size chunks. Put fruit in bottom of big glass pitcher (glass looks prettier than plastic). Pour a few glugs of margarita (or sour) mix on top of the fruit. To that add a couple of shots of triple sec. Next, a pinch of cinnamon (Don’t overdo it!! Use less than 1/8 teaspoon). Pour in your bottle of white wine and stir everything together with a big wooden spoon. Chill. Drink with friends. Preferably with more than 1 friend, unless you’re looking to get pretty darn drunk in the span of half an hour. It’s that good.
