Tag: Wine

Beverages

Recipe—Strawberry Sangria

Diva di Cucina

Recipe—Strawberry Sangria

We have had a hot streak out here in California with every day last week being over 100º and being that it is strawberry season I figured it was time to whip up a batch of refreshing sangria using some of my favorite seasonal fruit! This sangria is so perfect for sipping on in this summer sun. It is light, refreshing, and ridiculously easy to make! You just stir together a bottle of wine, some silver rum, a little sugar, and a splash seltzer. You can certainly make it and drink it right away but I like to let mine sit in the fridge for about an hour so that the wine really takes on those strawberry flavors. Mmmm…mmm… tastes like summer in a glass!Recipe—Strawberry Sangria

And if you like this recipe then be sure to also check out my Red Wine Sangria or Summertime White Sangria.

Notes: 

  • If you are watching your carbs or don’t like drinks that are too sweet, feel free to leave out the sugar all together. I made it that way the other day and it was still delicious! You get lots of natural sweetness from the fruity wine and fresh strawberries.
  • For the white wine I used Pomelo’s sauvignon blanc (one of my favorite summer wines). It has a nice refreshing grapefruit flavor. Anything with citrus notes will give you wonderful results. I recommend using a pinot grigio, rosé, or sauvignon blanc for this recipe. Something fruity and light.

INGREDIENTS
750 ml bottle of sauvignon blanc (see above note)
1/3 c silver rum
1/4 c sugar
1 lemon, sliced
2 c fresh strawberries, sliced
1 1/2 c seltzer

STEPS

  • Pour the wine, rum, and sugar into a large pitcher.
  • Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
  • Add the sliced lemons and strawberries to the pitcher and refrigerate until ready to serve.
  • Add the seltzer right before serving.
  • Pour over ice and enjoy!

 

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Beverages

Recipe—Red Wine Sangria

Diva di Cucina

The big question is, when you take a two-year break from blogging, what do you post? It has to be something amazing, right? Something you are known for by your family and friends.

Is it bad that my mind went right to sangria? LOL What can I say, I have a busy life and this girl loves her wine. One of my favorite things to do on the weekend is have friends over for a relaxing dinner where we can all just sit around and laugh over our crazy lives and yes, wine is almost always involved. Many of my friends have come to know me for my sangria. I make a bomb sangria and it is so easy! So here you have it folks, the Diva’s go to sangria recipe. And guess what, I have one for each season. Here is my summer one if you want to take a peek at that.

Note: I like to let my sangria sit in the fridge for a couple of hours with the fruit. It really allows the sangria to take on some nice flavors from the fruit and allows the fruit to soak up some of the boozy goodness.

INGREDIENTS
750 ml bottle of your favorite red wine
1/2 c brandy
1/2 c orange juice
1/2 c sugar
fresh fruit, sliced (I like oranges, limes, and blackberries)
12 oz can of gingerale or sprite

STEPS

  • In a large pitcher mix together the wine, brandy, orange juice, and sugar until the sugar is dissolved.
  • Add in the majority of your prepared fruit. (Set some aside for a nice garnish).
  • Place in the fridge and allow it to set for a couple of hours. (Or drink it now if you don’t have time. It will still be delicious either way.)
  • Add in the 12 oz can of soda right before serving.
  • Pour over ice and garnish.
  • Drink up!
Beverages

Recipe—Summertime White Sangria

Diva di Cucina

So I have this incredible friend named Brandy. We have many things in common. One of which is our fabulous taste in refreshing adult beverages. A few weeks back I was at her home for a summer birthday party, and she made this white wine sangria. It was incredible! I would define it as being the perfect summer drink. I have had red sangria before but found it to be a bit heavy for a warm summer day. (I’m more of a white wine gal anyways.) This could not be further from the traditional sangria. It is light and super refreshing. I decided to make Brandy’s recipe for 4th of July for my aunt who says she doesn’t like sangria. (She had a bad experience.) Well guess what, my aunt could not get enough. Who am I kidding? No one could get enough! We had the pitcher wiped out within an hour. It could have been the 100º+ day that had us drinking glasses hand over fist, but either way every drop was enjoyed. This is the perfect drink for a summer party or just a lazy day by the pool. And don’t forget to eat the fruit. That is one of the best parts! Gotta get in your vitamins.

Note: For the white wine I used Pomelo’s sauvignon blanc (one of my favorite summer wines). It has a nice refreshing grapefruit flavor. Anything with citrus notes will give you wonderful results. I recommend using a pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc. I actually bought two bottles and made ice cubes with one of them. This way rather than get watered down as the ice melted, the sangria just got better. 😉

INGREDIENTS
750 ml bottle of sweet white wine (see above note)
2/3 c peach schnapps
1 peach, sliced
1 mango, sliced
1 orange, sliced
1 lime, sliced
1 1/2 c raspberries
2 c ginger ale

STEPS

  • In a large pitcher combine together the wine, peach schnapps, and all the fruit.
  • Place the pitcher in the fridge and allow it to set overnight. (This step is not necessarily but it is highly recommended. Sitting overnight will allow the fruit to soak up some of the boozy goodness and allow the fruit flavors to infuse into the wine.)
  • Add the ginger ale to the pitcher right before serving.
  • Top off the pitcher with ice.
  • Pour. Relax. Enjoy.
Uncategorized

It’s Not Aspen

Diva di Cucina

Back in October my friend told me about a contest hosted by Cupcake Vineyards. To enter you had to upload a picture of a dessert to Instagram and then come up with a name for one of their upcoming wine blends inspired by your picture. I was game! I figured what do I have to loose? The grand prize was an all expense paid trip for two to Aspen Colorado for the 2013 Food and Wine Classic. A foodie’s dream come true! I didn’t think I stood a chance, but what did I have to loose?

I submitted the picture below of my chocolate cherry baby cakes (chocolate cupcakes with a cherry pie filling toped with a chocolate ganache and a cherry on top) and came up with the name Black Forest. I imagined a red wine with cherry notes.  If you aren’t familiar with Cupcake wines I will fill you in. Desserts inspire their most popular wines. For example they have a red wine called Red Velvet and a white wine called Angel Food. I thought my submission was pretty basic but would make any judge’s mouth water.

4 months later… I received an email from someone at a large marketing firm in New York notifying me that I was the “potential GRAND PRIZE WINNER.”

WHAT?!?! I nearly died! No way! But what did “potential” mean? I followed their instructions and contacted them via email.  I quickly got a response. All it said was, “Can you confirm you live in California?”

I enthusiastically replied, “Yes! That is correct!”

While waiting for a response I started dreaming of what an awesome getaway it would be. Fantasies of meeting some of the greatest chefs danced through my head. My belly was delighted at the thought of enjoying some of the most delicious cuisine ever. I knew my husband and I would enjoy every minute of our getaway to Aspen. I squealed with joy and shared the awesome news with all my coworkers. I had actually won! Holy crap!

Minutes later, I received another reply saying they regretted to inform me, but I had been disqualified. Are you kidding me?!?! Dis-freaking-qualified! Apparently California is the only state in the U.S. that prohibits residents from receiving prizes from contests hosted or sponsored by alcohol companies. How could this be possible? My dream prize was at my fingertips and then just snatched out of my reach in an instant.

I begged and pleaded and asked if there was anything I could do but there wasn’t. I even told them I had family members out of state as though that would do me any good. I was grasping, I know. They did try and cheer me up by letting me know that California had repealed the law so as of 2013 I may now participate in these sorts of contests. What good does that do me right now?

Heartbroken and devastated, it suddenly dawned on me what the “potential” meant. They had to confirm I met all the regulations. Uggghhhhh… I had won, but then again not really at all. (I won’t deny, lots of profanity spewed from my mouth.)

It was a very weird mix of emotions. I was definitely devastated and really pissed off that I didn’t get this prize of a lifetime but at the same time I was pretty darn stoked. Had it not been for this one stupid California law I would have received my first recognition as an amateur cook. Won my first ever contest that was because of my talent, not just because of good luck. That is a really rewarding feeling, so I am moving on.

Cupcake Vineyards, being the awesome company they are, did send me a consolation prize. These 3 fabulous bottles arrived at my doorstep last week. And while it’s not Aspen, being the wine lover I am, free wine is pretty freaking fabulous too. I’ll take my consolation prize and drink it all thank you very much.

Cupcake Wine