Summertime Sangria

I had some of the best sangria when I was in Spain a few years ago. I couldn't wait to come up with some of my own recipes and share them with friends and family. Here are two of my favorites, which I love to serve on warm summer evenings. ¡Olé!

Melissa's Sangria de Cava

This sangria is like a champagne punch. It's delightful at brunch or during a cocktail hour served with light hors d'oeuvres.

Ingredients:
1 lemon, 2 limes, and 1 large orange, sliced thin
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup Cointreau
1/4 cup brandy
1 bottle cava, chilled
1 cup no-pulp orange juice (better yet, fresh-squeezed if you can)
1 can lemon-lime soda, such as 7-Up, chilled

Directions:
Combine fruit, sugar, Cointreau and brandy in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least four hours or overnight. In a pitcher, combine the marinaded fruit, orange juice, lemon-lime soda, and cava. Stir together and add ice cubes (for fun, I froze large strawberries in an ice cube tray and added those for more color). Serve immediately.

Melissa's Traditional Sangria

This full-bodied, traditional sangria goes down cool but warms your insides fast. Pace yourself!

Ingredients:

1 lemon, sliced thin

1 lime, sliced thin

1 orange, sliced thin

1 green apple, cubed

1 red apple, cubed

1/4 c. plus 1/8 c. sugar

1/3 c. plus 1/4 c. brandy

1/4 c. plus 1/8 c. Cointreau

3 liters red wine, well-chilled (a full-bodied Rioja is preferable)

Directions:

Combine fruit, 1/3 c. brandy, and 1/4 c. Cointreau in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for two hours up to overnight. Add 1/8 c. sugar to the fruit and combine well. Transfer fruit (and any juices in the bowl) to a punch bowl. Add wine, 1/4 c. brandy and 1/8 c. Cointreau. Serve chilled.

Note: I recommend freezing an ice cube tray with the same wine you are using for sangria. These 'wine cubes' ensure a fresh chill to your drink without watering it down.