LAMORINDA WEEKLY | Tackle summertime sizzle with refreshing fruit-filled ros� sangria


Rosé Sangria Photo Susie Iventosch

We love a good summery cocktail and there is almost nothing more refreshing for an afternoon in the backyard than a pitcher of fruity sangria. With hints of strawberry, orange, grapefruit, lime, cucumber and mint, this drink is sure to make you and your guests happy!

Our recipe calls for rosé because we love the lighter version of this drink that's normally made with red wine. We also add a little Aperol (an Italian liqueur) to our sangria. Besides, the taste, which is delightful and sparkly with lots of fresh and macerated fruit, the color is gorgeous. The Aperol adds a rich coral hue to the drink. By macerating some of the fruit with sugar for about 20 minutes, you get a super intense fruit flavor and then you simply toss in some additional sliced fruit for color and texture. We also like to add the cucumber and mint to balance out the sweetness of the drink.

You can add a little seltzer to lighten up the alcohol content, too, which is nice if you're enjoying it during the daytime!

INGREDIENTS

1 orange, sliced with peels on

2 cups strawberries, sliced

2 tablespoons sugar

1 lemon, sliced with peels on

1/3 cucumber, sliced

1/2 small grapefruit, sliced with peels on

1/2 lime, sliced with peels on

1 bottle of rosé wine

1/3 cup Aperol

1 can of plain seltzer, optional

A handful of mint leaves

Garnishes: sliced orange, grapefruit, lemon and lime, and whole strawberries

DIRECTIONS

Chop the orange (keep the peel on) and slice the strawberries. Put both in a pitcher and add the sugar. Stir and let sit for 20 minutes to macerate and allow the fruit to develop some juices.

Meanwhile, slice lemon and cucumber and chop grapefruit and lime (keeping the peel on both).

Pour rosé and Aperol into the fruit mixture.

Add cucumber, lemon slices, grapefruit, lime pieces and mint, then stir.

Refrigerate for 1-4 hours.

Garnish the pitcher or individual glasses with the sliced citrus, cucumber and strawberries.

Serve as is, or over ice, and/or with a dash of sparkling water!