Spanish Beverages

Sangria

Let’s start with something fun! Sangria is a refreshing, fruity drink great for cookouts or parties. You can make it with red or white wine. For an extra touch of authenticity, serve it in a Spanish ceramic pitcher. Via a Facebook conversation, several Rota Admirals (and one non-Admiral!) contributed recipes. Pick the one you think sounds the best, try them all, or if you’re really not in the mood to make it, just buy a bottle of sangria!

Katie Tibbetts Morello
Jacky Ward Kimmel swears by this sangria recipe and has been using it for years.
3 T sugar
3 cinnamon sticks
2 shots each: rum, cognac, gin, triple sec
Mix the above ingredients.
Cut up fruit such as oranges, apples, berries, pears, etc. but NOT bananas.
Marinate the fruit in the above mixture overnight.
Next day mix in:
1/3 – ½ bottle 7-up
one large jug of red wine (cheap)
a few squirts of lemon juice
Mix and serve chilled. If a little tart, add more sugar.

Shawna Mills Greiner
2 bottles Rioja Crianza
1 cup simple syrup (equal parts water & sugar simmered ’til clear)
1 quart club soda or Kas (add right before serving)
½ cup brandy
sliced fruit of choice
Combine all ingredients. Chill sangria for at least one day before serving.

Kelly Phillips Viars
1 C cherry brandy
1/2 C Cointreau orange liqueur
1/2 C gin
1/2 C Licor 43
1 bottle red wine
1 liter orange soda
1 liter lemon soda
Serve sangria chilled with sliced oranges & lemons.

Erin Lane Wallis
1/2 liter red or white wine
1 oz triple sec
1 oz cherry brandy
1 oz apricot brandy
1 cup fruit
1 cup fruit juice
1 cup Sprite or ginger ale
Add ice; serve chilled.

Karyen Kesseler Lipscomb
A friend of Amanda Hoffman McGoff was kind enough to share her shortcut sangria recipe with us. Thanks, Karyen!
1 large frozen 5 Alive juice mix, thawed
1 bottle red wine
1 bottle champagne
Sliced fruit to garnish
Mix, chill and enjoy!

Enjoy your sangria with some light tapas such as olives, picos, and Spanish cheese like manchego or mahon.