Sangria

Though I prefer my wine straight up and unadulterated, every once in a while I love a good pitcher (never just one glass!) of sangria.

I tweaked a recipe from Martha Stewart's Hors D'Oeuvres Handbook and made it my own. The first time I served it was for a big group of friends, back when we lived in Boston. We were in the Adirondacks in New York, spending a long Fourth of July weekend at a friend's "cottage" (when cottages have more bedrooms than you can count, the word gets slapped with quotes).

We all got plenty drunk thanks to my zealous addition of what proved to be too much fruit. Once we finished the sangria, we went to work on the fruit, which had been soaking in the booze for a couple of hours. The next morning...well...let's just say I didn't feel so hot.

Red Sangria
Makes about 6 drinks

3 cups fruity, medium-bodied red wine (eg, sangiovese or merlot)
3/4 cup blackberry juice
1 1/2 cups orange juice (use freshly squeezed if you can)
2 tablespoons superfine sugar (not regular sugar, not powdered sugar)
2 tablespoons brandy
3/4 cup club soda (not seltzer, not tonic water)
1 or two medium black plums, thinly sliced
12 blackberries or raspberries (or a mix of both)
1 navel orange, thinly sliced into rounds

Combine all of the ingredients in a large pitcher and fill with ice. Cheers!