Sangria

This cocktail does not need any introduction. A perfect summer punch, Sangria is undeniably one of the most popular drinks in Spanish cuisine.

Sangria is fruity, refreshing and exciting. Perfect for any party you host. Made from a mix of fruits like apples, oranges, peaches and wine, this is simple, relaxing and fun to make. Technically, there's no standard way of making Sangria. You could customise by adding generous splash of brandy, any flavoured liqueur, soda water and a sweetener like maple syrup or even brown sugar.

Pair it with olives, assorted cheeses, crackers and roasted nuts and you are good to go.

Here's how Sangria is made.

Ingredients:

• 750ml bottle - of an inexpensive red wine. Choose a wine which is fruity, dry, lower in tannins and high in acidity. Preferred types are Garnacha or Grenache and Pinot Noir.

• 80 ml of Brandy. This is the liquor which is most commonly used in Sangria. If you don't have one you could always substitute with any flavoured liqueur or even cognac.

• 60 ml of Cointreau. This is an orange flavoured triple sec liqueur. If you don't have one, you could use orange juice.

• 30 ml of Midori. This is a sweet bright green-coloured muskmelon flavoured liqueur. If you don't have, you could always skip it.

• 1/3 cups or 45 gms of brown sugar or maple syrup as sweetener.

• 1 cup of cubed apples.

• 1 cup of diced oranges.

• 1 cup of any seasonal fruits of your choice like peaches, pears or berries (optional).

• Fuzzy drink or soda water (optional).

• Lots of crushed ice.

Method:

• In a pitcher, pour your wine, brandy, orange liqueur or Juice, Midori, crushed ice, cubed fruits and stir well.

• Taste and check for sweetness. If you desire, which I do, add the brown sugar or maple syrup.

• Cover and refrigerate for upto 4 hours. For better results overnight chilling is preferred.

• Serve Sangria over ice. If you desire splash some soda water over.

Your chilled Sangria is ready in under 10 minutes.