WFY’s discussion about his gin & tonic preferences reminded me of an excellent article on sangria in Saturday’s Wall Street Journal[non-free subscription may be required]. The most interesting thing about it is the discussion of the canyon-wide gap between the two styles they discuss. Check out the sample recipes:
| Mexican style | Spaniard-esque |
|---|---|
| Half a bottle of good Spanish red wine Juice of 3 limes The peel of one lime, grated 2 tbsp sugar Combine in a pitcher with a dozen ice cubes, and let sit until all the ice is melted. |
1 bottle Spanish Grenache wine 2 oz Spanish brandy 2 oz Cointreau 2 oz peach liqueur 1 peach, 1 green apple, and 1 orange, all peeled and diced 1 pinch ground cinnamon 6 oz orange juice 4 oz Sprite or 7UP Soak the fruit in the liquors for up to a day. When ready to serve, add wine, cinnamon, orange juice and soda. Pour over ice into tumblers. |
Personally I feel like it’s not sangria without chunks of fruit to scoop out and chew on, but there’s something to be said for simplicity. I don’t feel like I’ve had really good sangria since I visited Puerto Rico about a year and a half ago. Jaleo’s, which is made with cava (Spanish sparkling wine), is not bad, but it doesn’t thrill me. I think when I try making the above recipe I’ll sub cava for the 7-up, though. I recall Tapeo‘s being pleasant, but not exceptional.
Have you had any stellar sangria experiences in DC?
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
Well I used to say something in my profile about not quite being a “tinker, tailor, soldier, or spy” but Tom stole that for our about us page, so I guess I’ll have to find another way to express that I am a man of many interests.
Hmm, guess I just did.
My tastes run the gamut from sophomoric to Shakespeare and in my “professional” life I’ve sold things, served beer, written software, and carried heavy objects… sometimes at the same place. It’s that range of loves and activities that makes it so easy for me to love DC – we’ve got it all.
