The best way to forget a rainy night

Sangria, in my mind, practically demands to be sipped al fresco. Ideally, you should enjoy it in the company of good friends. While wearing a breezy dress and leather sandals. Nibbling on tasty snacks, like a translucent slice of jamon iberico.

Never mind that it is October and the weather in Houston has turned drizzly and gray and that, these days, a classic pair of Hunter wellington boots would be much more useful than flimsy sandals. But the company of good friends? Good friends we got. We consider ourselves lucky to have amazing friends, Brandon and Elvia, who we can call in the morning and make impromptu dinner plans for that night. And it is even nicer when they volunteer to bring carnitas, tortillas, and guacamole to supplement our black beans, sangria, and chocolate cake. I love them!

I am a huge, huge fan of homemade sangria and its presence is always welcome during parties. It is delicious and is easily made the night before with in-season fruit. It is a relatively inexpensive affair; I use good quality liquor but the wine doesn't have to be great (thank you Spec's for stocking drinkable $6 bottles of wine) because you are adding tons of flavor with fruit and Cointreau. And, for a fun, casual dinner with close friends, well, I can't recommend anything better.

For the sangria, I used the same base --citrus sugar syrup, freshly squeezed orange juice, sparkling water, Cointreau, 1 diced apple and half of a diced pear, and orange wedges-- to flavor two pitchers: a red-wine sangria from a bottle of Tempranillo and a sparkling wine sangria from a bottle of Cava.


I wish I had taken a better picture -- but let's just say this was more fun to drink than it was to photograph.

Improvised sangria

1 bottle Spanish red wine, such as Tempranillo or Rioja or 1 bottle sparkling wine, such as Cava
1/2 cup citrus-flavored simple syrup, or more to taste (see below)
1/2 to 3/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 large, juicy orange plus 1/2 cup thinly sliced orange or small orange wedges
1/2 cup apple slices
1/2 cup triple sec
sparkling water, if desired

To make the citrus-flavored simple syrup

1. Squeeze the juice of 1 orange into a large pitcher, reserving the peels.
   
2. In a saucepan, add equal parts sugar and water and the reserved orange peels. Note: If you only want to make enough for the recipe, add 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar, stir, and and heat until dissolved. (I like to make at least 1 cup at a time, because the citrus simple syrup will keep in the refrigerator in a jar and is nice to have around for cocktails or to sweeten tea.)
3. Remove the orange peels and allow syrup to cool. Strain to remove pulp if desired.
   

To make the sangria:

1. In the pitcher containing the orange juice, add the diced apples, orange wedges, triple sec, red wine or sparkling wine, and the simple syrup. Stir and taste to make sure it is sweet enough and strong enough for you. Those of you with a higher tolerance for alcohol may want to sneak in another glug of triple sec or maybe even some brandy. This is forgiving stuff.
   
2. You should let this macerate overnight in the refrigerator. If you can't wait that long, though, give it at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
   
3. To serve, pour in a glass (with or without ice) and top off with sparkling water, if desired.

One pitcher should serve 4 moderate sangria lovers but 2 pitchers is better than 1.