It seems like Sangria is popping up on menus everywhere this summer – and rightfully so with an invitation to enjoy cool, refreshing wine along with the summer’s ripest fruits. The cocktail’s recent popularity inspired me to make my own Sangria this past weekend as a fun, yet easy contribution for a friend’s birthday BBQ.
To get started I selected two crisp white varietals from Mirassou Winery (client), the Chardonnay and the Pinot Grigio. To bring out the aromas and flavors of stone fruits in this Chardonnay, I choose to add sliced peaches and a few handfuls of blueberries. And, for the Pinot Grigio, with its already intense aromas of peach, pear and citrus, I combined oranges, limes and lemons to add to its lively acidity.
Both blends were superbly refreshing and added brightly colored accents to the bar. The beauty of Sangria is that you can add any fruit combination you’d like: strawberries, raspberries, kiwis and even cucumber would make for gorgeous pops of color. But, no matter how you slice it, Sangria is the perfect sip this summer. The best part: each was made in about 5 minutes.
Ingredients for each pitcher of Sangria:
1 bottle of white wine (Riesling, Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, or Sauvignon Blanc)
2/3 cup of white granulated sugar
3 oranges; 1 cut in half to squeeze into the wine and 2 sliced for garnish
1 lemon sliced
1 lime sliced
½ liter of ginger ale
(An optional suggestion from About.com is to add 2 oz. of brandy to your mixture. Or, for a less sweet combination, you can also try using club soda instead of ginger ale.)
Directions:
Open and pour your wine into a pitcher. Then, squeeze both halves of the one half-cut orange into the pitcher. Add the sugar and stir. Next, add all of the sliced fruit. If you’re making the Sangria ahead of time, I would suggest chilling overnight to let the fruit infuse into the wine, and then add the ginger ale before serving. If serving right away, like I did, be sure to use chilled wine, add ice and stir well.
Archives for July 2012
An Olympic-Sized Happy Hour at Grange Restaurant and Bar
As the world’s elite athletes gathered in London for the 30th Summer Olympic Games, the SacFoodies came together last Friday to kick off the opening celebrations with a gold medal-worthy happy hour at Grange Restaurant and Bar.
The Grange’s Executive Chef, Oliver Ridgeway, has pulled together a brilliant happy hour menu inspired by his home country’s traditional British cuisine. But this is no ordinary pub fare – each dish incorporates seasonal and fresh ingredients.
And while there is no Olympic event for eating, Team SacFoodies has perfected the sport of tasting to bring you the menu highlights:
Jake
Favorite sipper: The West Bengal Cocktail – which is made with Hangar One Mandarin, orange zest and Darjeeling-Infused Yellow Chartreuse giving it a taste of tea-fitting for celebrating London
Gives the appetizer gold to: Artisan Sausages with Flavored Mustards
Won’t miss Olympic event: Swimming
Sarah
Favorite sipper: California London Style Gin Flight – favorite gin was the No. 209 San Francisco CA
Gives the appetizer gold to: Wild Salmon Croquettes
Won’t miss Olympic event: Any swimming event with Ryan Lochte
Shelly
Favorite sipper: The English Ale
Gives the appetizer gold to: Miniature English Scones with House Preserves and Clotted Cream (crazy good!)
Won’t miss Olympic event: Women’s gymnastics
Vanessa
Favorite sipper: The house sangria
Gives the appetizer gold to: Wild Salmon Croquettes with Pickled Cucumbers
Won’t miss Olympic event: Women’s gymnastics
Kim
Favorite sipper: What the Blue Blazes, but loved the presentation of the California London Style Gin Flight
Gives the appetizer gold to: Artisan Sausages with the Horseradish Mustard
Won’t miss Olympic event: Swimming!
Liz
Favorite sipper: What the Blue Blazes (this isn’t part of the Olympic Happy Hour menu, but it’s delish!)
Gives the appetizer gold to: Chilled Watanabe Tomato “Tea” with marinated baby tomatoes
Won’t miss Olympic event: Gymnastics! It’s the most nerve-wracking sport to watch
Rachel
Favorite sipper: The No Pimm’s no. 1 Cup
Gives the appetizer gold to: The Scotch Eggs with Jalapeno Remoulade
Won’t miss Olympic event: Women’s gymnastics and diving
Tracy
Favorite sipper: The No Pimm’s no. 1 Cup – so refreshing and scores a gold for presentation
Gives the appetizer gold to: Artisan Sausages with Flavored Mustards
Won’t miss Olympic event: Women’s gymnastics – I hold my breath during each event!
Sallie
Favorite sipper: The No Pimm’s no. 1 Cup – huge fan of Pimm’s cup and this one did not disappoint!
Gives the appetizer gold to: The English Style Cheeses with Chutneys and Pickles
Won’t miss Olympic event: The water sports – swimming, diving and water polo
This high tea happy hour runs for only a limited time until August 12 from 3-6 p.m. daily, so head over to the Grange to cheer on Team USA in true foodie fashion.
A special thank you to the Grange and Chef Oliver Ridgeway for providing us with a complimentary spread of their happy hour menu.
Happy Hour at Zocalo
I always enjoy a good happy hour. Discounted eats and reasonable prices on specialty drinks? Sounds good to me! Last week I swung by Zocalo, one of my Sacramento favorites, and enjoyed their awesome happy hour with a friend. Their happy hour runs Monday-Friday from 3-6 p.m. with a variety of beverages on special and select appetizers for only $5.
Insider tip: Be sure to visit Nick the bartender as he mixes up some of the best drinks in town.
Zocalo
1801 Capitol Ave.
Sacramento, CA 95811
Urban Solace, San Diego
A guest blog from Erika Ulring in Fleishman-Hillard’s San Diego office. If you find yourself in San Diego, be sure to check out this local favorite.
Urban Solace lives up to its name. It’s an urban retreat providing comforting yet adventurous dishes in an environment that’s both relaxing and upscale. The restaurant is located in the adorable San Diego neighborhood of North Park, which is known for its eclectic and diverse array of restaurants and its hip yet neighborly vibe. Smack dab in the middle of North Park’s restaurant row sits Urban Solace. From the outside, the restaurant almost appears Southern in décor due to the scrolling ironwork and lush outdoor seating area. The menu, however, is a combination of sophistication and locally sourced treats.
A favorite restaurant hot spot among locals, Urban Solace offers a variety of dining delicacies. I decided to go out on a limb and try their beef cheeks, a dish they’re well known for and one I’d never before seen on a menu. The item is described as “Braised Paso Grass Fed Beef Cheeks, Smoked Tomato Jam, Mustard and Garlic Jus, Sweet Potato Mash” and came recommended by our helpful, friendly and patient waiter.
The cut of meat was a bit fattier than I was anticipating, but was extremely tender. The taste was that of a delicate, earthy braised roast. The dish was extremely well executed, but I found that I prefer more traditional cuts of beef, such as braised short ribs, that still have all the tenderness but lend to a more robust savory taste. Lesson learned. That said, I did thoroughly enjoy my meal, especially the sweet potato mash, and I’m glad I somewhat uncharacteristically went for the adventurous option.
For dessert there are a variety of sweets to choose from, but I opted for the cheese board as a nice finish to my savory meal. The cheeses available were not any that I was previously familiar with, so I leaned heavily on a foodie girlfriend for descriptions prior to ordering. My three cheese selection featured the below regional highlights:
• Seascape from Paso Robles, Calif. – This cow and goat milk semi-firm cheese was somewhat mild and was a pleasant complement to the spicy glazed walnuts.
• Rimrocker from Paso Robles, Calif. – This was probably my favorite as it was a firmer cheese with a rich taste. It almost reminded me of a mild Gouda, which is possibly my favorite cheese of all cheeses. This was exceptional with the featured local honey.
• MouCo Colorouge from Ft. Collins, Colo. – This had a Brie-like consistency, though the rind was a bit more firm than Brie. True to the menu tasting notes, it was creamy and buttery. It went very nicely with the sliced apples and earthy bread that were also part of our cheese board.
The cheese was great, but I must admit the salted caramel pot de crème that my friend ordered was better. It was decadent and rich in all the right ways, and I highly recommend it.
Overall, Urban Solace is a winner. The food is amazing, and I love that I’m able to try something new and delicious each time I dine here. It’s a culinary adventure and a welcoming backdrop for gabbing with girlfriends or a nice date.
Urban Solace
3823 30th Street
San Diego, CA 92104
(619) 295-6464
Pot de crème photo courtesy of Urban Solace
Comfort Food with an Urban Flare at The Porch Restaurant & Bar
Looking for cornbread, fried chicken, and water served in mason jars? Look no further because delectable, Southern-style comfort food is right here in urban Sacramento at The Porch Restaurant & Bar.
Crab Cakes
The generous portion of crab in this cake was the star flavor, and the bacon and red rice served as the perfect complement.
Buttermilk Fried Chicken
The seasoning was savory and delicious and the chicken was tender without being greasy. The entrée is served with a choice of two sides and a Southern biscuit, naturally.
Among these decadent entrees you will also find starters like Fried Green Tomatoes and cocktails like Hot Porch Tea and Lemon Grass Mint Julep. Enjoy your trip to the South (without the humidity!) this summer at The Porch Restaurant & Bar in Sacramento.
The Porch Restaurant & Bar
1815 K Street
Sacramento
(916) 444-2423