Before making sangria, my knowledge of brandy was pretty much non-existent. If someone mentioned brandy, my first impulse was to sing the chorus of Brandy by Looking Glass, not exactly informative. However, brandy or brandywine, is a distilled wine or fruit mash that contains 35 to 60% alcohol by volume. It is produced in most countries that also produce wine. Cognac is brandy from the Cognac region of France that has been double distilled in pot stills. Brandy is often consumed as an after dinner drink, and is the alcohol ignited when preparing flamed desserts, such as cherries jubilee.
Sangria for a Crowd
Adapted from Emeril Lagasse
2 (750-ml) bottles red wine – My local wine shop suggested Merlot.
1/2 cup brandy
1/2 cup orange flavored liqueur
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup sugar
1 orange
1 lemon
1 lime
2 apples
2 (750-ml) bottle sparkling water
Begin by preparing the fruit. Peel, core, and slice the apples. An apple slicer makes coring easy but you may need to use a knife to clean up the pieces.
Next, thinly slice the citrus, discarding the ends and removing any lemon seeds. Place the sliced fruit, orange juice, sugar, and liquors in a large glass jug or punch bowl Pour the red wine in the container and mix gently with a large spoon. Refrigerate the mixture for 2 to 3 hours.
When ready to serve, remove the sangria from the fridge and pour in the sparkling water, again stirring gently with a large spoon. Serve the sangria over ice.
This sangria was easy to make and delicious. It was a hit at the party and I will be making it again. I wasn't sure if the sparkling water would make the sangria too bubbly but I didn't even notice its presence. I am looking forward to trying my hand at white sangria over the summer.
that looks amazing :) congratulations to dave!!!
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