I can "the real" Sangria

Dear Readers,

in order to celebrate, not only the reach of the milestone 3.000 visits but also the start of the Summer, today’s recipe is a favourite of mine, and in hot days, a must in my table.

Today’s "home trick" is my secret recipe of Sangria.

As you know I am Portuguese and when I start wondering around the world in my many conversation I started explaining that we indeed drink a lot of Sangria in Portugal.  All asked me the reason why? Isn’t Sangria Spanish? Why do you drink it then in Portugal?

As a matter of fact, I had never before then, been confronted with the enormous Marketing and appeal capacity of our neighbour Spain, thus I went to investigate such intregue.

As a matter of fact, there are some lines of though that reclaims the birth of Sangria in Spain (most of them are of course Spanish Sources). In others, and also in Wikipedia, the origin of Sangria is given to Portuguese Farmers that in order to drink Red Wine in hot days created this Red Wine spiced drink and named it “Sangria” that means in Portuguese Sangue (blood) or Sangria (to bleed).

Portuguese and Spanish are related languages and closest than been given credit for, so it works also in Spanish the same explanation. So, to avoid more confusion, let’s say that for sure, it is a drink that was created and still is appreciated today in all Iberia Peninsula.

Here’s my personal and secret recipe.

You can use it, both for aperitif or with meals. Your guests will love it, it is a fun easy fresh drink that celebrates life, it’s colourful, delicious and will put you and your partner in the mood.

Hope that you will enjoy it.

Here’s the shopping list:

1 lt. of Red Wine (remember the better the wine the better the Sangria)

3 Peaches

2 Oranges

1 Lemon

2 Apples

300g Strawberries (only to be used if you decide to do the Lover’s Sangria)

q.b. Fresh Mint leafs

1 small glass of Triple Sec (or if you cannot find it white spirit like Rum)

4 spoons of Sugar

2 small Cloves

2 Cinnamon sticks (or 2 spoons of Cinnamon powder)

1 lt. of 7up (the best for Sangria something else can do but it is not the same, you can also use Soda)

Step 1) Wash and dice all fruits

Step 2) Add mint, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, the Triple Sec, cinnamon in a large container (large Pan)

Step 3) Add the Red Wine and leave it to rest (for some hours)

Step 4) Add the 7up and loads of ice (just before serving)

Step 5) In Portugal we use a traditional 1l Terracota vase to serve the Sangria (together with a wooden spoon)

Bon Apetit,

Chef Gourmet Du Art

Lifestyle's, choice or monkey see monkey do?

With modern life, stress levels increase and as a direct consequence time for family and friends diminishes.

You readers know that I am Southern European, meaning that culturally we value very much family and friend’s relationships.

So, lack of time due to a stressy workload or stressy urban life has a direct hit also in your eating habits. How come?  Well, a close relation with your family means periodical lunch and dinners, meaning traditional food in our case (southern Europe) Mediterranean Style Food (healthier).

I believe that such lack of time can be observed under many external signals, obesity in Western Developed countries (with the proliferation of Junk or Plastic Food) and also the destruction of core Family values (respect, accountability, friendship).

With so many external signals, some profit for business, see the overflow of Spa’s, Gym’s, Relaxation and Philosophical courses (for body and mind) but also and coming more to my Blog Theme many Trendy New Wave restaurants promising Home Cooking, Natural Flavours, Slow Food, Healthy Resto’s, Vegetarian Resto’s, Sushi, etc, etc

What is my point? My point is, are we making a conscience choice or are we been driven to make one?!

Confused? Take a Family of four for example, living in the urban area of a large European city, both kids at school and both parents working in the city. Wake up early, prepare the kids, kids to school, train to work, more public transports, pollution, stress, workload, poor lunch in a crowed cantina or junk food small Resto, then run to catch the last train, recover kids, arrive home completely dead (mentally and physically). What is missing? Dinner? Frozen, Take away or fast food???

It is all this combination of factors or some of them, which are limiting our behaviour and affecting our choices. So, when one thinks that today I am eating Sushi because is healthier than a Burger do not think that is an innocuous choice.

My point, take a deep breath, make two steps back and try to look to the overall picture. Choose you, choose family, choose time, choose quality in terms of free time, in terms of food, make your choices but conscientious of the outcome. Choose quality food and ingredients (not necessarily expensive). Remember what my friend “Cuisine Naturelle” Chef said “You are what you eat”.

So my dear reader, my post of today is liberation. Free to think, free to choose don’t be influentiated by trends, do not follow the crowds. Eat well, eat what you decide to.

Bon Apetit,

Chef Gourmet Du Art