Sangria Weather!

It's suppose to be winter but it kind of felt like summer today. This is a problem. The solution? Winter Sangria! I'm a fan of this pomegranate vanilla sangria. With it's underlying hints of cinnamon and vanilla it was just different enough from summer sangria but had a nice toasty wintery feeling. I used a bottle of Hazlitt Red Cat (Woo NY Wine!) and my special vanilla beans that Miss Boo brought me from Tonga.

Obviously I need to get a pretty pitcher so my beverages can look all nice and classy instead of looking like a super alcoholic vat of booze.

Pomegranate Vanilla Sangria

(adapted from how sweet it is)

Ingredients:
1 orange, sliced
1 apple, chopped
1 pear, chopped
1 pomegranate
1 cinnamon sticks
2 vanilla beans
1 bottle red wine
1/2 cup brandy (I subbed Rum)

Club Soda, personal preference
Directions:
1. Add orange slices, apples, pears, cinnamon stick and pomegranate seeds to the bottom of a big pitcher. 

2. Pour wine and brandy in. Scrape vanilla beans and add to the mix. Throw in the bean pods too! 

3. Stir it all up and chill for 1 hour. Add desired amount of club soda.

4. Serve with spoons so you can eat all the yummy fruit!

The Sangria Bunny

In the past few years the Easter Bunny has gotten a wee bit alcoholic with his gift giving. This year he came early and left me with a bottle of Hazlitt Red Cat wine, cute little cocktail umbrellas and dark chocolate. Awesome. So I took advantage of my easter basket, the overabundance of random fruit in my kitchen, and the pleasantly warm weather to make some sangria. While there are many recipes for Sangria and I was inspired by the Food Network Magazine Article "Sangria Three Ways," I was feeling brave and winged it with whatever I had in the kitchen (Evidently this is how it was done back in the day).

Easter Bunny Sangria

(My Kitchen!)

Ingredients:
1 bottle of Hazlitt Red Cat wine
A couple of shots of Rum (or Brandy)
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 Plum
1/2 Mango
Some Blackberries
Left over Strawberries (from the Pavlovas)
Seltzer
Directions:
1. Mix together the wine, rum, sugar and fruit. Let it sit in the fridge for a couple of hours.
2. Before serving add the seltzer.