Sangria Recipe
Olé! Olé! Olé!
Outside Spain's borders, the country's national drink has had a bad rap. But get it right and it's the perfect partner to lazy summer days. By Vicki Sleet.
Ask Anna Rasclosa, co-owner of Sea Point tapas bar and bistro La Boheme, about her student years, waitressing in Spanish holiday resorts, and she'll tell you about the busloads of British tourists whose primary aim was to drink as much cheap Sangria as possible without falling down.
You too may remember dipping into unidentified jugs as a student and filling up with a dodgy drink given the same name. Times have changed. The "cheap and nasty" reputation that this deliciously refreshing cocktail has had over the years has passed and happily it's possible to order an ice-filled jug of great Sangria from places like Rasclosa's.
Of course, in authentic tapas bars and congenial homes across Spain, Sangria remains a much-loved and plenty seen aperitif, thanks to the tartness of fresh lemons (an essential ingredient) and the balance of red wine and fruit juice.
"It's a bit of a cliché but it's true, you find Sangria everywhere in Spain," says Rasclosa. Thanks to its fruity complexity, it's the perfect partner to savoury offerings - and hence its happy relationship with tapas, the two or three bite-sized offerings that are an essential part of late-afternoon, pre-dinner Spanish life.
Having grown up in a small town some 100km from Barcelona, the home of tapas, Rasclosa and her Kenyan-born partner, Faisal Khakoo, are able to offer a truly authentic Spanish tapas experience, complete with complimentary Sangria for the first round, of course.
So what are the essentials for creating a great jug of Sangria? "In Spain you get a specific wine that you put into your Sangria but here in South Africa it's perfectly fine to use Cabernet Sauvignon," says Rasclosa who explains that box wine (unless it's a good one) simply will not do.
She makes her Sangria the night before she serves it to give the fruit (favourite fleshy seasonal fruits are best) a boozy kick. And if you're after a smarter option, substitute bubbly for red wine and you're good to go.
Simply put, Sangria is the quintessential summer drink - and the addition of fruit juice and ice takes the kick out of it so you're assured of not behaving like a legless teenager after a couple of glasses. It works like a dream with dishes like paella and, because it's relatively inexpensive to make, is also the ultimate summer party offering.
Basic Sangria Recipe
1 bottle good red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot
and Shiraz are all good)
1 juicy lemon cut into wedges
1 orange cut into wedges
1 shot brandy, vodka or rum
Sliced seasonal fruit (peaches, strawberries, apples)
2 T sugar
2 cups orange juice
Ginger ale (optional)
Ice
Pour the wine into a jug, squeeze the citrus fruit into
the wine, and then add the wedges. Add the sugar, brandy and remaining fruits. Chill overnight and serve with plenty of ice and ginger ale to taste.
