If you are visiting Spain, be sure to try the sangria recipe at your favorite restaurant or bar. This is a traditional Spanish drink and you will find it served in most bars and restaurants. Recipes vary from place to place, so be sure to try it with a few meals in different locations. The ingredients used in the recipe can also vary according to the food that is being served.
Sangria is served throughout the country in the summer. In the northern areas, it is considered a summer drink. In the eastern and southern areas of the country, the drink is served all year round. These areas have a warmer climate and tend to have mild temperatures even in the winter. The strength of the drink varies from place to place. In general, it is stronger in bars and tends to be weaker at dance clubs or discos.
Origins of the Sangria Recipe
Sangria originated in Spain, & the word sangria is Spanish for bleeding. The drink gets its name from the red color of the wine used in a traditional sangria recipe, however, it is also made with white wine, this is called sangria blanco.
Sangria is basically a mix of wine, juices, soda water and fruit. Any young red wine can be used in a traditional recipe. Good, quality ingredients are important in this drink. Wine is the dominant ingredient, so care is taken to use a good wine.
Sangria is often served in one-liter pitchers. The pitcher used should have a strainer on the lid. This strains out ice and fruit, keeping them in the pitcher and out of the glass. You can order the beverage by the glass, but it is usually served in pitchers. At parties, it is usually served in a punch bowl.
Creating Your Own Sangria Recipe
The typical recipe contains red wine, sliced fruit, a sweetener such as honey or sugar and a small amount of triple sec or brandy. A basic recipe is one bottle red wine; two cups clear soda, two cups orange juice, one half cup triple sec and sliced oranges.
The type of fruit can vary according to your taste or with the type of food that will be served. White wine can be substituted for red if you are making sangria blanco. Be sure to use a quality white wine for this variation. Whether or not carbonation is used in the recipe is another common variation of the basic recipe.
With any recipe, itís important to allow time for the liquid to blend with the fruit. This enhances the flavor. To allow time for this, mix all the ingredients except ice and soda. Adjust ingredients in the recipe to suit your tastes. Pour into a pitcher and leave in the refrigerator for several hours or over night.
Add soda and ice just before serving. If desired, more fresh fruit can be added just prior to serving the beverage. For parties, pour sangria into a punch bowl. Add ice, soda, and more fresh fruit. Add these ingredients just before serving. Serve the beverage just after the final ingredients are added.
Try a variety of good quality red and white wines when creating this beverage, and experimenting with a variety different of fruits, clear sodas. Make a note of each one and keep these notes for future reference. Try a different recipe at each party or to go with different foods you may be serving.