On Thursday, relax and celebrate a mini-holiday that doesn’t involve gift-wrapping or fighting for a parking space at the mall: National Sangria Day.
The popular Spanish drink, a fusion of wine and liquor, isn’t your ordinary adult punch. A terrific sangria, one with seriousness and intricacy, is an icy, fruity, juicy, deeply flavorful beverage.
The metro’s only Spanish tapas restaurant, Bolero, 200 S. Oklahoma, pours its version of the beverage canal-side in Bricktown. Get the best of both worlds, with red and white versions available by the glass or pitcher.
The red is made with a Malbec (a medium-bodied red wine) base, which is subsequently blended with orange liqueur, fruit juices and sliced lemons. The lemon tanginess balances out the sweetness of the liqueur. The pomegranate-red cocktail is served over ice.
The white — a lovely golden hue — is quite a bit sweeter and lighter.
“I am a sangria connoisseur,” said Amanda Kizzee, a regular patron at Bolero. She called Bolero’s white “one of the best I have ever had.”
The recipe is not complicated. “The simplicity of the drink is a great way to change up wine,” said Bolero bartender Justin Plumblee.
These
days, sangria is paired with more than tapas. At the swanky Red
PrimeSteak, 504 N. Broadway, bartender Colby Poulin mixes up an
unpretentious sangria. He said the key is using fresh juices.
“We go the extra mile to please our guests,” Poulin said.
One might not think sangria would pair well with steak, but Red Prime delivers a blood-red concoction that will persuade you.
Poulin
combines white and red wine, Cointreau, brandy, sweet and sour mix, a
little simple syrup plus fresh orange, lime and lemon juice. The liquid
then is gently rolled back and forth in a cocktail shaker.
A few blocks away, on
the bottom floor of the Colcord Hotel, mixolo gists at Flint, 15 N.
Robinson, offer the drink at brunch. Two very different sangria recipes
are used to please all palates.
At
Flint, it’s all about the presentation. Sparkling sangria, complete
with colorful fruit slices, is transported to your table in a large
glass pitcher. The celebratory libation is then poured into oversized
goblets fit for royalty — a great way to toast.
If you’d like to stay in and mix up your own version of the pleasing punch, try this classic red sangria:
1 lime
1 orange
1 lemon
1½ cups rum ½ cup white sugar
1 (750 milliliter) dry red wine
1 cup orange juice
Directions
1. Chill fruit, rum, wine and orange juice in advance.
2. Slice the lemon, lime and orange into thin rounds. Put in a large glass pitcher. Pour in the rum and sugar. Chill in refrigerator for two hours.
3. When ready to serve, crush the fruit lightly with a wooden spoon and gently stir in the wine and orange juice. Adjust sweetness to taste.
