Summer Cocktail: Sangria
Friday, June 25, 2010
It rings a bell.
Actually, every time Providence bar ower Michael Slade makes another famous house sangria at The Stable, his new Downcity bar, he slides over to a heavy bell at the corner of the bar and gives the pull-cord a couple quick tugs.
Clang! Clang-clang!
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTWhat this announces is a drink that is a specialty at The Stable, both a big pour and a great deal. And this summer, sangria is back in style after years of being cast as part of our mother's "international" entertaining menus (see: faded Kodachrome images in Betty Crocker Cookbook of enchiladas and yellow rice). It's a light cocktail (and make no mistake... with most recipes combining red or white wine with brandy, it's a cocktail), and the fruitiness of a good sangria can be sweet but not cloying. It's great on a hot day. Actually, it's great most days (and on Sundays, Stable features a sangria special and guest bartender from noon to 8pm).
Try to ignore that fact that sangria means bloodletting in Spanish, and concentrate on the thirst-quenching, party-starting combination of a young, dry, acidic, unoaked and fruit-forward red wine, like a Spanish Rioja, with a small amount of brandy, triple sec, or other spirits. Bind the couple with a bit of honey or other sweetener along with chopped fruit. This is what God made big, blown-glass pitchers for.
If you're not strolling Downcity on a Sunday and miss the ringing bell at The Stable, whip up your own sangria. Here's a basic recipe - but know that any combination of the fundamental four parts will yield the summer party you're craving.
Sangria 101
1 bottle of young red wine
3 oranges
2 lemons
300ml cognac or rum
Sugar
Sparkling water
Ice
Cinnamon, nutmeg or vanilla (optional)
1. Peel one orange and one lemon and carefully cut them into pieces. Soak them in their own juice with some sugar for 24 hours. This is optional but it intensifies the flavour - you can also add these ingredients once you have made the sangria. You can add seasonal fruits to the orange and lemon but make sure they are ripe to get the best results.
2. Squeeze the juice from two oranges and a lemon and mix with wine in a wide-mouthed jug. Generally, the wine used should be young with a lot of color and a high alcohol percentage. Add a dash of cognac or rum to strengthen the flavour.
3. Add the fruit mix and sugar that was left to soak earlier. Mix using a wooden spoon.
4. Dilute with a little sparkling water and add ice.
5. When it’s ready to serve, traditionally it is poured into glasses and the wooden spoon is used to stop the pieces of fruit falling into the glass.
Some recipes also include spices like nutmeg, vanilla and cinnamon which can be added to the sugar when you soak the fruit depending on your personal taste.
Having fun? Check out 13 more sangria recipes, here.
The Stable, 125 Washington St, 272-6950, @thestablepvd.
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