Sangria, red as blood, is the drink of scorching Spanish summers. Fresh and thirst-quenching, it lasts in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and is immediately a party as soon as it is placed within generous pitchers in the center of the table.
Sangria
Few things are more Spanish than sangria, a drink made by macerating fruit in wine, with various and sundry additions, that refreshes scorching Spanish summers. Historians, however, turn up their noses, speculating that none other than English sailors stationed in Punjab during the time of Queen Victoria came up with the idea.
The indigenous people used to flavor black tea with slowly fermented fruits and spices; the English, on their part, wanted to incorporate rum into the drink. Rather, it would be to the credit of the Spanish to adopt and evolve the recipe, which today involves steeping for at least 5 hours and the festive practice of sharing in generous containers in the center of the table. But the more refined replace the macerated fruit with fresh fruit before use. This is the interpretation of José Andrés, a Spanish-born chef who has made his fortune overseas.
José Andrés and his recipe
Born in Mieres, Asturias, he moved to Catalonia following his family when he was six years old. Here he attended hotelier school and became a cook during the military, spent in the service of an admiral. Karmic then was his meeting with Ferran Adriá, for whom he worked at elBulli from 1988 to 1990. And it was as a result of his dismissal that he decided to expatriate. At the helm of numerous Spanish cuisine restaurants scattered across the United States, Andrés has received many awards, including the prestigious James Beard Award, for gastronomic merits (such as having introduced small plate service, tapas-style, to the American scene), but also for social commitment. In fact, he is the founder of World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit organization aimed at providing meals during wars, extreme weather events, and natural disasters. Many people, however, know him from TV shows and his partnership with Ferran and Albert Adriá at the New York-based Mercado Little Spain.
Everywhere he pours his sangria: you can choose the red, more intense one, fortified with vodka and Grand Marnier, the rosada or the white one, typical of Catalonia, to be made with the same syrup, substituting verbena for mint.
Sangria rosé
- 3.75 dl of rosé wine
- 1.5 dl of sangria base
- 3 dl soda
- 4 lemon slices, mint sprigs, orange zest and berries for garnish
For the sangria base
- 0.3 dl syrup
- 0.7 dl of sangria syrup
- 0.15 dl of sherry brandy
- 0.15 dl of dry gin
For the sangria syrup
- 3 cups of orange juice
- ¾ cup of lemon juice
- 100 g sugar
- 1 bay leaf
- 5 juniper berries
- 10 black peppercorns
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 cloves
- 1 sprig of flaky mint
- Peel of 1 orange
- Peel of 1 lemon
Procedure
Mix all the sangria syrup ingredients in a medium saucepan and simmer, stirring constantly. When sugar has dissolved, remove from heat and allow to cool. Strain through a fine strainer and store in the refrigerator inside an airtight container for up to a week. This syrup can be used for different types of sangria.
For the sangria base, bring together all the ingredients and mix well. Set aside while making the sangria.
Now combine the wine, sangria base and soda in a pitcher. Fill 4 glasses with cubes and pour in the sangria. Add the lemon and other flavorings (verbena for white sangria, mint for pink sangria, plus a few berries for garnish). Serve without delay.
