Sangria

I'm back! The cold has welcomed me home with open arms, I'm afraid. I had tons of fun on my trip and I'm sure you will hear more about it in the next post, but for now I'm just popping in quickly in-between laundry and unpacking to share this drink with you. I just posted a cocktail not too long ago but I had not been cooking much on my trip so I don't have a new "real" recipe to share. However, I had been doing a whole lotta drinking, so...here she is.

I swear I'm not an alchie, but when life gets me down (or it's bone chilling cold for months on end with no breaks and you are a little worn out anyway) vacation and drinking is all I can think about. A book in one hand and a steady stream of drinks in the other. That's what I'm talking about!!! Uh, as long as I have plenty of water in between, don't drink too much, and am in bed by 10:00pm because, really, I am a weenie and like to take the proper precautions.

Clarification for my Grandma: I don't "dream" about drinking. There is no need to be concerned. Besides, cut me a break, you had four little kids (or three, depending on which Grandma we are talking about) and they were all girls for crying out loud. You know how daunting it can be. You also know how by the end of your second cocktail everything that seemed horrific and stressful before just somehow magically melts into giggly silly dreaminess, if only for an hour. Um, you do, don't you? Shoot. Yes, yes!! I am almost certain I have been with you when Grandpa has been making his Moscow mules or vodka tonics out on your porch on a summers evening. You can't even deny it now. Those rare nights were positively dreamy weren't they? uh, huh. You know it's true. Vindication. Ok, moving on.

And so, behold... Our vacation with the Fielding's looked like this:

My hubby and the kids, plus Taylor and Reese but minus Olivia :)

Shawn and Melissa

It also looked like this:

It's the first drink I made for us in Arizona. It was our welcome drink if you will. I love Sangria if it's made well. I blogged about a Texas White Sangria last summer that I love but this recipe is more traditional in that it uses red wine and is helped out by a little brandy. The citrus is just right at tying it all together and rounding out the sweetness. This drink is refreshing. Grill some shrimp on a kabob with chunks of chorizo and lots of paprika, rosemary, olive oil and salt and have a Spanish night. Why not? Sangria screams special celebration to me.

Sangria

adapted From Everyday Food, Martha Stewart

makes 9 cups

4 oranges, 2 juiced, two halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

1/3 to 1/2 cup superfine sugar

1/4 cup brandy

1 bottle chilled dry red wine

2 lemons, thinly sliced

2 cups seltzer or club soda

ice cubes

In a large pitcher, combine orange juice, sugar, and brandy; stir well to dissolve sugar. Add wine, orange slices, lemon slices, and seltzer. Stir. Fill glasses with ice; pour sangria over and serve immediately.