Sangria... Yes Please!

I have never tried to make Sangria, but I have mastered the art of drinking it.

I was introduced to Sangria via a Bellini.

http://www.bhg.com/recipe/drinks/blackberry-sangria/
http://www.bhg.com/recipe/drinks/sunset-sangria/
http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/11-sinfully-easy-sangria-recipes.html
http://www.canadianliving.com/food/cooking_school/yum_making_perfect_sangria.php
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipe-collections/sangria/index.html

Here is a simple recipie I found to start with....

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 Bottle of red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Rioja reds, Zinfandel, Shiraz)
• 1 Lemon cut into wedges
• 1 Orange cut into wedges
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Shot brandy
• 2 Cups ginger ale or club soda

Preparation:

Pour wine in the pitcher and squeeze the juice wedges from the lemon and orange into the wine. Toss in the fruit wedges (leaving out seeds if possible) and add sugar and brandy. Chill overnight. Add ginger ale or club soda just before serving.If you'd like to serve right away, use chilled red wine and serve over lots of ice.
Addition ideas: sliced strawberries, peaches, handful of fresh blueberries, raspberries, kiwi, a shot or two of gin, brandy or rum, a cup of ginger ale, citrus soda pop or lime juice.

Bellini's

I love Bellini's.

More specifically, the frozen bellini.

Wikipedia says:
A Bellini is a long drink cocktail that originated in Venice. It is a mixture of sparkling wine (traditionally Prosecco) and peach purée often served at celebrations. It is one of Italy's most popular cocktails. A frozen Bellini is the signature drink of Romano's Macaroni Grill.

I have to admit I have yet to master the art of making a frozen bellini at home, but we just bought a new blender which we hope will help us perfect this drink.

At Cactus Club, Milestones or many other resturants I order Bellini's that are made to perfection. Boston Pizza (and other resturants also) serve flavoured bellini's such as Mango and Raspberry, but the most common flavour is simply Peach.

I like all the flavours but prefer the blended frozen version to be topped with sangria.

Which by the way, I have amazing recipies for also... coming soon.

Here is a site who found the Milestones recipe:
North Space:

Milestone's uses “A cool blend of Lamb’s white rum, peach liqueur and champagne, topped with sangria” however the “peach liqueur” is actually peach drink flavoured crystals [the grocery store has packets] mixed with 7-Up. Milestones mix it all up in a slushy machine ready to pour into a martini glass, top it with sangria around the edges, and garnish with a plastic toy monkey, mermaid or elephant. [Frogstone grill uses frogs]

You can do this....

Try this:

-9 parts 7-Up mixed with peach crystals (frozen beforehand to form the slush.. I have tried to do this blended with ice and it isn't as tastey)
-12 parts champagne
-4 parts white rum
-“Sangria” topping [I will have sangria recipes coming soon, for now try red wine, 7-Up, brandy & orange juice.

Be sure to fiddle with the ingredients to suit your personal taste. I usually just pop up the street to Milestones, Cactus Club, Earl's or one of those kinds of places that have slurpee machines and ingredients ready to serve me.... at home it tends to get messy and takes time to sort out exactly how you like yours.... but for those not in Vancouver or near a bellini haven like myself.... give it a go!!!

My only advice about bellini's is to sip slowly.... or you will get a brain freeze!!!

Frog Stone Grill

The Frog Stone Grill is in Maple Ridge and Coquitlam BC and offers a variety of food in a casual setting fun for friends, co-workers and families to get together.


My husband and I love to go for their guacamole, which they hand-make at your table to your tastes. They also offer a children's menu so we can bring the lil' one along [unless it's date night, then she gets home-made dinner with Gramma]

It's a great combination of food and drinks.

Their drink menu has a variety of martini's, bellini's, cocktails and something in between. I love the way they combine slushed drinks with martini's for a rare mixture of sweet flavours.

The decor has a frog theme in the rainforest and they have lil' toy frogs served with all their bevvies.

I love going their for drinks and dinner [and guacamole] with my husband whenever we can.