As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, this is my favorite time of the year. I’m a fan of sparkly decorations, glittery lights, and everything that a winter wonderland entails. And of course, holiday food, especially when I’m on break from work and have time to experiment in the kitchen (while listening to Pink Martini, Diana Krall, and Nat King Cole’s holiday albums, of course).
Sangria is one of my favorite drinks to make, as it showcases seasonal fruit so well. My local little quirky grocery store stocks kumquats this time of year, so I’m sure to do my best to get my fill. The persimmons grow happily here in my region of the PNW and I had several that had been hanging out from the farmer’s market since Thanksgiving. These are Fuyu persimmons – so can be eaten safely before they are entirely ripe (Hachiya are the other common type of persimmon and are very, very astringent if they aren’t ripe). I also used a bit of the kumquat simple syrup from last week to sweeten the sangria.
Winter Fruit Sangria
1 bottle of red wine (I used a red wine blend from California. I also like to use a fruity Zinfandel or even a Cabernet for sangria)
1/4 cup Brandy
1/8 cup Kumquat simple syrup
1 Fuyu persimmon, sliced
1 Meyer lemon, sliced
½ cup whole cranberries
½ cup whole kumquats
¼ cup pomegranate seeds
Combine ingredients in a pitcher or a quart Mason jar. I usually use a Mason jar, which won’t be large enough for all the wine, and just add the remaining wine after I’ve poured my first glass. Stir and chill. If you are patient enough, it’s best to let the sangria hang out for a while in the fridge – four or so hours lets the flavors develop.
Serve with a bit (or a lot) of the fruit.
