Slow Summer Weekends Call for Rosé Sangria
Serve up this lighter version for your next Summer Soirée or Sunday Brunch
I’ve sipped delicious, inky red sangria at a cool watering hole in Madrid. I’ve drunk weak, sugary Sprite-topped sangria in varying tourist traps from Barcelona to Boston. And I once had a New Year’s Eve run-in with too much sangria at a South American restaurant in NYC.
That last story started with friends who booked tickets for an “All-you-can-eat Tapas and Unlimited Sangria Extravaganza” for New Year’s Eve at a hotspot down on the Bowery. They were all in couples, but I gladly joined in. When we arrived around 9PM, the sangria flowed freely, and the tapas came around regularly. Problem was, there were only four or five types of tapas, so we quickly tired of them and stopped eating. We did not unfortunately tire of the sangria, which was muy rico and did not require variation.
Well before midnight, while my friends were dancing in the other room, I had simply had enough. Or more accurately, too much. Too much tapas, way too much sangria. So I stood up, and without saying a word to anyone, I just wobbled out the emergency exit and hailed a taxi home to my apartment in Harlem.
When they realized I had disappeared, my friends called to check on me.
“Karen, what happened? Where the hell are you?”
I was in bed, fully clothed, snoozing happily.
To my credit, after a nap, I rallied for the New Year! I made my way back downtown at around 2AM to meet my best friend at one of the coolest spots ever in NYC, the 24-hour French diner in the meat packing district, Florent. We ate two whole plates of frites and made our resolutions. One of my resolutions was to never drink that much sangria again.
For me, the red version of sangria can be too heavy and I’m not sure why, but it has a stronger effect on me on the tipsy scale. But I love to have just a little now and then, so happily I’ve found a solution. A lighter, gentler rosé sangria.
At the Summer markets in France, there is just so much delicious fruit everywhere. Do you agree with me that in general, produce tastes better in France? I’m often surprised by the level of incredible sweet juiciness in a nectarine or a melon. But then, I grew up on grocery store fruits from the Kroger’s in Ohio.
Well, we bought more than we could eat as it was just Monsieur B et moi on a recent weekend in the country. So what do you do when life gives you excess fruit? Make Sangria, bien sûr, but when you’re me, you sometimes make it rosé!
This rosé sangria is easy-drinking, colorful, festive and fun. It gets along especially well with salty and spicy snacks, as the fruitiness balances out stronger flavors. You can use whatever seasonal fruits you like (a ripe melon or a scoop of blueberries would be great too, or apples in Autumn), but scroll down for one inspiration with pics and a video. C’était drôlement bon ! (It was sooo good!)…
Also, if you want to support my stories and recipes, please do scroll down to share with someone who might like them. It’s free and I’d be very grateful. Merci merci !
INGREDIENTS
(serves 4-6 depending on your glass size and who wants refills)
1 bottle (750ml) Rosé (I prefer the lighter style wines of Provence, but you can choose your favorite)
1 big handful ripe Strawberries (or whatever berries you like)
2 Nectarines or Peaches, the riper the better, peeled and chopped
1/2 of one medium-sized Orange, sliced into half-rounds
1/4 cup Simple Syrup (store-bought or just equal parts sugar and water, boiled together and cooled)
2-3 oz Grand Marnier (more makes it stronger, Cointreau or Lillet will work, too)
Optional: My Summer Soirée Playlist to accompany you in your Sangria-making (and drinking!). It’s mostly French artists, with a little this and that mixed in for extra flavor.
PREPARATION
C’est parti ! (Let’s go!) Note: I love how in French, saying “Let’s go!” sounds like you’re saying “It’s a party!” Just one more reason to speak French. Just sayin’.
STEP ONE
Peel and chop the fruit, and put it in a bowl.
STEP TWO
Add the simple syrup and Grand Marnier and let the fruit macerate for at least an hour.
STEP THREE
Pour the fruit/liqueur mixture into a big pitcher and add the wine. Stir.
STEP FOUR
Put the sangria in the fridge for at least a half hour or up to overnight, then pour into pretty glasses, making sure to add a few pieces of juicy fruit into each.
Santé, les amis !