I remember the first time I had my first glass of Sangria. My internship supervisor, also a major foodie, took me out to celebrate a job well done at one of the best restaurants in Pittsburgh...Mallorca! We scheduled a late lunch and dined outside on the stione patio noshing on the best Paella and Sangria that I have ever tasted. I've been hooked on Spanish cuisine and cocktails, in a good way, ever since!
Because Sangria is the simplest of the two, let's start out with a very simple recipe submitted by Chef Eduardo Balaguer, author of the new ebook "Spanish Cuisine One Region at a Time" that contains his famous yet customizeable Paella recipe, insider secrets, and fun food facts. Purchase your copy of Chef Balaguer's ebook for only $5.95 by clicking here!
Red Sangria
Prepared by Barcelona Chef Eduardo Balaguer to accompany his favorite Paella recipe.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 bottle of red Tempranillo or similar dry and fruity wine (a nice shiraz would do nicely)
2 peaches, apricots or other stone fruits, pitted and cut into quarters or eighths
1/2 cup grapes halved
2 Tbsp fine sugar
1 1/2 cups sparkling water
Sprig of mint
Directions:
Combine wine, fruit and sugar. Refrigerate overnight. Just before serving add sparkling water, pour over ice and garnish with the mint. Enjoy!
Make it a Gift: Take this to your next dinner party or backyard barbeque in a beautiful glass pitcher and matching serving glasses. Now that's a gift with class! Here is a fabulous set of three decorative pitchers that I found online for under $20!
3-pc. Glass Pitcher Set
About the Chef:
Originally from Barcelona, Spain, Chef Eduardo Balaguer, author of Spanish Cuisine One Region at a Time: Catalonia (www.folkheartpress.com) started Venga Paella Catering in 2006 in order to continue his centuries’ old family tradition of bringing people together with food. In 2003 he spent time in Spain working at Casa Balaguer, his family’s traditional paella restaurant in Valencia, and traveled throughout Catalonia exploring the regional foods and wines.
In 2007 he completed the Culinary Institute of America’s Certified Wine Professional Foundation Level course. Today, Eduardo combines his passion for cooking and wine to create fresh, organic and seasonal paellas the way they were meant to be. Eduardo is a strong proponent of the Slow Food movement and wishes to bring that home to everyone.
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