Sunshine Sangria

Happy Friday the 13th!  By this point, I'm sure you are all well aware of my fondness for white sangria.  It is my favorite summer drink for a party.  Mostly because it is very easy to make up for a group and everyone likes to drink it.  This one was particularly fun.  I called it "Sunshine" because I made it with all fruits that have a sunny glow.  Grapefruit was the real star (because it was the largest fruit I used, it was also the most pronounced).  It added a slight sourness that was unique.  The sweetness from the sugar and the other fruit balanced it out, but the grapefruit kept this sangria refreshing and not-too-sweet, which is perfect on a hot day.  I have triple sec in the house from a ill-fated margarita making experience, so I used it here.  It has a slight orange flavor, which pairs very well with the sangria.  If you don't have it, you can use vodka or limoncello instead.  Another pet peeve of mine is when people tell you to use a nice bottle of wine for sangria (or cooking).  Rubbish.  I use a cheap-o liter bottle ($10 or so) for both cooking and sangria.  Am I going to serve a $10 liter bottle of wine at a dinner party or bring it as a gift to someones house?  No.  Will I keep one in my fridge for cooking, sangria, and the occasional one-glass emergencies (for a really tough day)?  Yes.  I try to stick with Sauvignon Blanc when I am getting my cheap wine on.  This is because it has a nice crispness and is light and dry.  Hard to mess up.  Other cheap wines can be way too oaky or sweet, but SB is usually pretty safe.  Enjoy!

Sunshine Sangria
Ingredients:
1 liter bottle white wine (I like Sauvignon Blanc)
1 liter bottle seltzer
1/2 cup triple sec
1 cup sugar
1 grapefruit
1 orange
1 peach
1 lemon
1 handful mint

1.  Chop the fruit into bite-sized pieces.

2.  Add fruit, sugar, and triple sec to a large pitcher (or pot) and mash together with a long spoon.

3.  Add your bottle of wine.  At this point, you can put it right in my fridge until you are ready to serve.  The flavors will meld and get even more delicious.

4.  When you are ready to serve, add 1 liter of seltzer to the pitcher and serve!

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