Sangria for Your Soiree

SANGUINE SANGRIA

Doesn't the saying go, "when the universe gives you lemons (and limes, oranges, apples and grapes too), make sangria"? FInd all the best ingredients at the Little Italy Mercato to blend together a personalized, refreshing wine punch. Sangria (from the word sanguine, meaning blood), is a light, sweet drink native to South America and enjoyed worldwide. By using dry, inexpensive wine and fresh slices of citrus flavored fruits, you can set the mood for your next picnic or party or lazy summer afternoon with any variation of this recipe.

Go ahead and buy a few pounds of juicy oranges, grapefruit, and limes from Polito Farms. Pick up a few tart gravenstein apples from Smit Orchards, a box of tender, just plucked raspberries from Pudwill Farms, and two or three extra ripe nectarines from Lone Oak Ranch. Slice all the fruit thinly and mix with one or two bottles of red or white wine, nothing too sweet or too expensive. Head on over to Mona Lisa after the market to find a good selection. Allow the fruit to soak in the wine for at least a few hours, or overnight if possible. This allows the fruit to infuse the wine with all its sweet, complex flavors, creating the most sumptuous sangria. Add ice and seltzer if you prefer when ready to serve, and enjoy in the company of close friends and even better sunsets.