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July 16, 2020This is about...
Frozen Berry SANGRIA---YUM!
Frozen Berry SANGRIA---YUM!
IT'S HOT IN UPSTATE NEW YORK, REALLY HOT. Every day for weeks, we've been modeling a more tropical climate, high 80's with a thunderstorm almost every afternoon.
Is New York, the New Florida??
Well, when it's this hot, icy cold everything is in order. And THIS FRUITY, ICY, THIRST-QUENCHING BIT OF FROZEN HEAVEN IS THE PERFECT WAY TO COOL DOWN. Along with some wine and orange liqueur or brandy, a bunch of ice cubes and frozen fruit in your freezer is all you need. It will be only minutes before you'll be kicking your feet back by a pool, or in the shade of your backyard or in front of an air conditioner, with one of these in your hand.
Sangria seems to have originated a couple of thousand years ago, when the Romans invaded the Iberian peninsula planting vineyards as they moved east. The water they found was not drinkable. So, in an effort to make it safe to drink, they added wine, herbs and spices. From there a sangria-like drink moved to England and France, and sangria officially arrived on our shores during the 1964 World's Fair. Although certainly associated with Spain today, you'll most likely only find the tourists, and not the Spaniards, enjoying it.
A TYPICAL SANGRIA RECIPE REQUIRES A LITTLE ADVANCE TIME, as you want the fruit flavors to meld with the wine for at least 30 minutes, or even better, up to 4 hours. It usually has cut up oranges, lemons and green apples, muddled in a large pitcher with the back of a wooden spoon. Add some red wine, orange juice, and orange flavored liqueur or brandy, stir to combine and chill.
Here, we're skipping right over that wait time and switching up the fruit with more blendable berries. Then we whiz everything up together with some ice in a blender. COULDN'T BE SIMPLER. You can also freeze the mix for a later time. Since there's alcohol in it, the sangria won't freeze solid and will be easy to re-blend, or scoop out for an alcoholic slushy.
Of course, you can come up with your own variations. White or rose wine, other fruits or liqueurs. White wine with peaches and raspberries -what could be bad? Just as long as it's frosty, you can't go wrong. The dog days of summer are upon us, but we can still stay cool as a cucumber with a few of these on hand.
LESSONS Learned:
1. You can easily make your own frozen fruit. Just rinse off the berries. Dry them off by rolling them back and forth on a few sheets of paper towels on a rimmed sheet pan. Then place them separated in one layer in the freezer, transferring them to a container after they've frozen.
2. I like Cointreau, but you could use brandy or rum instead.
3. Feel free to switch up the wine and the fruits too.
4. A sweetener is optional, depending on the sweetness of the fruit.
5. Freeze any leftovers. It won't freeze rock hard, and will be easy to re-blend or eat like an adult slushy with a spoon.
Frozen Berry Sangria
1 1/2 cups red wine, half of a 750ml bottle, like a Spanish Rioja, or Cabernet Sauvignon
1 1/2-2 cups ice cubes
2 cups frozen fruit ( I like 1 1/2 cups strawberries, 1/4 cup blueberries and 1/4 cup raspberries.)
1/4 cup orange flavored liqueur, like Cointreau
1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1-2 Tablespoons sugar or other sweetener, optional
Fresh berries as garnish, optional
sugar for the glass rim, optional
Make the frozen sangria:
Place all of the ingredients in a blender container and blend until smooth. Serve immediately with fresh berries to garnish the glass. Or freeze until ready to use. It will not freeze rock hard, but will remain slushy.
If you want to sugar the glass rim: Spread some sugar on a flat plate. Wet the glass rim with water or orange juice, and dip and twist the rim in the sugar until coated.
Makes 5-6 servings. YUM!
Well, when it's this hot, icy cold everything is in order. And THIS FRUITY, ICY, THIRST-QUENCHING BIT OF FROZEN HEAVEN IS THE PERFECT WAY TO COOL DOWN. Along with some wine and orange liqueur or brandy, a bunch of ice cubes and frozen fruit in your freezer is all you need. It will be only minutes before you'll be kicking your feet back by a pool, or in the shade of your backyard or in front of an air conditioner, with one of these in your hand.
Sangria seems to have originated a couple of thousand years ago, when the Romans invaded the Iberian peninsula planting vineyards as they moved east. The water they found was not drinkable. So, in an effort to make it safe to drink, they added wine, herbs and spices. From there a sangria-like drink moved to England and France, and sangria officially arrived on our shores during the 1964 World's Fair. Although certainly associated with Spain today, you'll most likely only find the tourists, and not the Spaniards, enjoying it.
A TYPICAL SANGRIA RECIPE REQUIRES A LITTLE ADVANCE TIME, as you want the fruit flavors to meld with the wine for at least 30 minutes, or even better, up to 4 hours. It usually has cut up oranges, lemons and green apples, muddled in a large pitcher with the back of a wooden spoon. Add some red wine, orange juice, and orange flavored liqueur or brandy, stir to combine and chill.
Here, we're skipping right over that wait time and switching up the fruit with more blendable berries. Then we whiz everything up together with some ice in a blender. COULDN'T BE SIMPLER. You can also freeze the mix for a later time. Since there's alcohol in it, the sangria won't freeze solid and will be easy to re-blend, or scoop out for an alcoholic slushy.
Of course, you can come up with your own variations. White or rose wine, other fruits or liqueurs. White wine with peaches and raspberries -what could be bad? Just as long as it's frosty, you can't go wrong. The dog days of summer are upon us, but we can still stay cool as a cucumber with a few of these on hand.
LESSONS Learned:
1. You can easily make your own frozen fruit. Just rinse off the berries. Dry them off by rolling them back and forth on a few sheets of paper towels on a rimmed sheet pan. Then place them separated in one layer in the freezer, transferring them to a container after they've frozen.
2. I like Cointreau, but you could use brandy or rum instead.
3. Feel free to switch up the wine and the fruits too.
4. A sweetener is optional, depending on the sweetness of the fruit.
5. Freeze any leftovers. It won't freeze rock hard, and will be easy to re-blend or eat like an adult slushy with a spoon.
1 1/2 cups red wine, half of a 750ml bottle, like a Spanish Rioja, or Cabernet Sauvignon
1 1/2-2 cups ice cubes
2 cups frozen fruit ( I like 1 1/2 cups strawberries, 1/4 cup blueberries and 1/4 cup raspberries.)
1/4 cup orange flavored liqueur, like Cointreau
1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1-2 Tablespoons sugar or other sweetener, optional
Fresh berries as garnish, optional
sugar for the glass rim, optional
Make the frozen sangria:
Place all of the ingredients in a blender container and blend until smooth. Serve immediately with fresh berries to garnish the glass. Or freeze until ready to use. It will not freeze rock hard, but will remain slushy.
If you want to sugar the glass rim: Spread some sugar on a flat plate. Wet the glass rim with water or orange juice, and dip and twist the rim in the sugar until coated.
Makes 5-6 servings. YUM!