SANGRIA

I know..I know…We’ve all heard the old joke,  “How can you tell the tourists in a Spanish bar?  They’re the one’s drinking Sangria”.  Yeah, yeah – Sangria is the low brow, touristy, non-authentic, only-dumb-asses-drink-it beverage of the lower classes.  I’ve heard it all.

But I don’t care.

I remember the hot summer two years ago (or was it three?) when a good friend and I were working on my basement and his wife came over and we jokingly said, “Make us some Sangria!” 

Damned if she didn’t. 

She should have walked away and left us to some warm diet Coke. But, fine lady that she is, she came back with some ice cold Sangria.

Oh, man……it was good.

So the first warm day of the year, I made some – and oh, man…..it was good.

Mike’s Sangria

• 1/8 cup superfine sugar
• ¼ cup hot water
• 1 bottle, cheap, unoaked red wine
• ½ cup orange liquor
• ¼ cup of brandy
• Juice of ½ lime
• 1 orange, sliced thinly
• 1 lemon, sliced thinly
• Club soda

In a glass pitcher, add sugar.  Add hot water and stir until blended.  Add liquor, brandy, wine, lime juice, orange and lemon slices.  Stir and chill.  Serve in glasses, 2/3 Sangria to 1/3 club soda, over ice with orange wedge.