Christmas, a festival which is not left unknown by any of us these days is very close and I am sure each one of you is waiting for the lovely Christmas Party.
Christmas is a festival honouring the birth of Lord Jesus and it has evolved into a worldwide religious and secular celebration which incorporates many pre-Christian and pagan traditions into the festivities. Christmas has several other names such as Noël, Nativity, Xmas, Yule and the celebration is done every year on 25th December. Christmas now is not limited to only Christians but it is celebrated by Non-Christians as well in every part of the world.
The celebrations of Christmas or the trend to celebrate Christmas is by giving Gifts, doing symbolic decoration to mark festivity, feasting and most important social gathering. The annual holiday Christmas party is one way we can use to show the love and affection. It also works in building good relations with our friends, relatives, colleagues and others. It is a time which we take out from our daily busy schedules and give it to others in the last of every year. In my opinion Christmas party celebration is in the end of the year during Christmas week of December so that we can meet our circle of influence and ask them personally how they are, is everything going fine in their life be it personal or professional and not only this but also to tell them that how much we love and miss them during the year although they might have not met throughout the year.
So here what I am going to talk about is one most important part of Christmas party i.e. Drinks. Every party fails if food and drinks both are not good. So both are needed to be planned well so that they are good and also within your budget.
Sangrias play a great role in drinks and so they should selected in such a way that everybody likes them.
Sangria is a Spanish word. Sangria is an alcoholic beverage. It is a punch and the sangria traditionally consists of red wine and chopped fruit, often mixed with other ingredients such as orange juice or brandy. Sangria recipes vary widely with regional distinctions.Sangria Blanca (sangria with white wine) is a recent innovation. For Sangria Blanca, dry white wines such as a Rueda, Jumilla, or Valdepenas are recommended. In some sangria recipes additional ingredients, such as brandy, sparkling water, or flavoured liquor are also used.
Here are some recipes:
Raspberry-Lemon Blush Sangria:
To prepare this yummy sangria all you need is 10 minutes of time and patience which is easily affordable.
Ingredients:
# 2 (750 ML) bottles blush wine
#1/2 cup Limon cello (lemon liquor)
#2 lemons, sliced
# 1 pint raspberries
#2 cups cold sparkling water
Instructions:
Combine the ingredient given above that are: Wine, Limon cello, Lemons, and Raspberry in a large jug. Mix all the ingredients well in the jug and then put in Refrigerator to cool it. Refrigerate until cold.
Once you have guests at your party just take out the jug and it is ready to serve.Top it with sparkling water and give it a gentle stir to mix all ingredients. It will serve the purpose for 6 people.
Caramel Apple Sangria:
Preparation of this sangria is as easy as slicing apples, measuring some booze, and letting it all come together in the fridge.
Ingredients:
# Ripe Apples Cored: 2, Sliced: 1.
# Dry White Wine: 750 ml (such as Chardonnay).
#1 Bottle Sweet White Wine: 750 ml (such as Riesling).
#Unfiltered Apple Cider: 2 Cups.
#Caramel Flavored Vodka: 6 ounces.
Instructions:
Place the pieces of sliced apples in large quantity in the bottom of a large pitcher. Pour the wines, cider, and vodka over the top of the apples and stir well to combine all the things in the pitcher.
Then keep into Refrigerator for all ingredients to mix well with each other and also to cool it. You can refrigerate the mixture overnight, or until its chilled.
Once you have guests it can be served.You just need to pour some ice over it and then garnish it with an apple to give it a nice look.
Elderflower Sangria:
This Sangria idea is one of those wonderfully easy drinks you can throw together at a moment’s notice if you have unexpected company. This list of ingredients given below here will fulfill your drink purpose for 6 members:
750 ml. (1 bottle) dry white wine (It can also be a un-oaked chardonnay)
1.5 oz. orange liquor (triple sec).
3 oz. Elderflower liquor.
1/4 c. blueberries, halved.
1 red plum, sliced thin.
1 c. cherries, pitted and halved.
2 c. unsweetened sparkling lime water (You can also use club soda and lime juice)
Instructions:
Mix all the above provided first 6 ingredients well in a big pitcher or jug. Leave the pitcher or jug for some time and this is done to let the flavors mingle with each other nicely. The more time you keep, the more time it has to mingle well. Put the jug in refrigerator to cool the mixture and in the meantime ingredients of Sangria will also mix well. When you want to serve the drink to your guests, you just need to add the bubbles pour!
Blackberry Sangria Ice Cream:
Nothing is more beautiful than a wine and Ice Cream coming together so seamlessly. Here is the recipe which you can use this Christmas.
For Ice Cream:
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk.
- 1/2 cup white granulated sugar.
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar.
- 1/4 cup light corn syrup.
- Pinch of kosher salt.
- 5 egg yolks.
- 1&1/2 cups heavy cream.
For Blackberry Sangria Syrup:
- 1&1/2 cups blackberries.
- Merlot: 1 Cup or a dry red wine.
- 1/4 cup sugar.
- 1 tablespoon Cointreau.
Instructions:
Combine the whole milk, white sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt in a saucepan, heat over medium, stirring frequently, until the sugars are melted and the milk is warm.
Place the egg yolks in a bowl. Whisk to beat the eggs until well-combined. With the Stand Mixer running on the “stir” speed slowly trickle a ladle full of warm milk into the yolks to temper. Put the egg mixture into Saucepan and cook the custard, stirring constantly, over medium heat until thick enough to coat a wooden spoon is created. Turn off the heat and strain into a large bowl and stir in the heavy cream, cover, and chill for a minimum of 2 hours.
Combine the blackberries, merlot, sugar, and Cointreau in a Saucepan and set over medium heat. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring and breaking up the blackberries, until the mixture reduces to the consistency of a thick sauce and then over a liquid measuring cup place a fine mesh strainer and pour the blackberry mixture into the strainer. Press the blackberries against the strainer to extract as much liquid as possible aiming to have less than 1/3 cup of blackberry-sangria syrup. Then cover the liquid measuring cup and refrigerate until chilled.Replace the bowl of Stand Mixer with Ice Cream Maker. Once both ice cream mixture and blackberry-sangria syrup chills, turn the mixer on to the “stir” speed and transfer both to the frozen Ice Cream Maker. Churn for 20-30 minutes to reach the desired consistency. Scrape the soft serve ice cream into a freezer-safe air-tight container and freeze until solid and later serve in sugar cones or in bowls.
Holiday Sangria:
For this idea, the ingredients required are:
#1 750 ml bottle red wine.
#1 cup Cranberry juice.
#1/2 cup Apple liquor.
# 3 Cinnamon sticks + 1/2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon.
# 1 Orange – sliced.
# 2 Apples – cubed.
# 1 cup fresh Cranberries.
Instructions:Pour your wine, apple liquor and cranberry juice in a pitcher, add all ingredients and stir. Let the mixture sit for at least an hour in the fridge and then serve with some ice and a few extra cranberries for taste.
Red Sangria:
Sangria is fruity, festive and fun and also a perfect party punch to pair with Spanish tapas and Mexican food. To make this recipe, the things you require are:
#1 bottle red wine.
#1/2 cup orange liquor.
# 1 orange – sliced
# 1 lemon – sliced
# 1 apple in small wedges
# Handful of rinsed blueberries
# Ginger ale
Instructions:Chop all fruits and pour in wine into a large pitcher. Stir and let it sit for 1 hour or overnight. If adding ginger ale, add it when serving so it stays nice and bubbly. To serve, pour ice and top with 2-4 ounces of the ginger ale depending on dilution needed.
White Sangria:
For this idea, you will need:
3/4 cup Peach Pucker.
1lemon, thinly sliced.
5 strawberries, sliced.
1small green apple.
Sprite for mixing.
Ice and 1.5Lwhite wine.
Instructions:
Add wine and pucker to a large pitcher.
Chop fruits which you wish to use or fruits you like and add the fruits to the mixture and stir.
Let it sit in refrigerator for at least 2 hours and then pour ice and fruit into the glass to serve.
Top with Sprite and stir before serving.
White Berry Sangria:
This is easy to make.
Ingredients:
#8 oz. White Wine.
#4 oz. Triple Sec.
#2 oz. Kinky liquor.
#2 oz. Ginger Ale.
#Ice
#Frozen mixed-berry fruit (strawberry, blackberry, raspberry etc)
Instructions:
Fill your glass with ice and pour the ingredients and stir. Let fruit steep for a few minutes and serve it garnished with fruits. The longer the fruit is steeped the pinker the drink gets!
White Nectarine Prosecco Sangria:
It can serve 6-8 people.
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons mild honey.
1/3 cup (35 g) finely chopped fresh ginger.
2 medium-sized white nectarines or peaches, chopped.
2 medium-sized white nectarines or peaches, sliced.
1/4 cup strained lemon juice.
1 Bottle Prosecco or a dry white sparkling wine such as cava, chilled: 750 ml.
1 cup St. Germaine Elderflower liquor, chilled.
Ice.
1-2 cups sparkling water, chilled.
In a pitcher, muddle honey and chopped ginger until the juices run out of ginger and then chopped nectarines and lemon juice until well crushed. Stir in half of the Prosecco and strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a large pitcher, pressing on the fruit pulp to extract all the good stuff. Discard the pulp and add the remaining Prosecco, the St. Germaine and the sliced nectarines. Add ice and sparkling water to the pitcher, and serve within the hour while the drink is bubbly with bits of the fruit.
Spiced Winter Sangria:
It can be prepared in 20 minutes.
Ingredients:
1/3 c water, 1/3 c sugar, 1 cinnamon sticks, 4 whole black peppercorns, 2 whole cloves, 1 whole star anise (optional), 1 (750mL) bottle light bodied red wine , 3 small oranges, 1/4 c brandy, 1 sweet apple, quartered, cored and sliced, 1 ripe boss pear, quartered, cored, and sliced.
Instructions:
In a saucepan mix sugar, water, and whole spices. Bring mixture to simmer over medium heat and then reduce the heat to low and sim for 3 minutes. Once the syrup steepscool down at room temperature, strain the syrup reserving the cinnamon stick. Pour the wine into a large pitcher and add about ½ cup of orange juice along with brandy and the spiced syrup. Add fruit slicesto the pitcher and add the cinnamon stick reserved from making the syrup. Refrigerate it to mix well.Take sangria out before serving to let it come to room temperature. Garnish with additional fruit slices when serving.
Sangria with Citrus & Pomegranate:
Things needed to prepare this Sangria idea are:
Ingredients
1 Pear, washed, seeded and sliced.
4 Clementine’s, washed and sliced thinly.
1 Apple, washed, seeded and sliced.
1 cup Pomegranate Arils.
1/4 cup Organic Raw Cane Sugar.
1 Cinnamon Stick.
1 Bottle Red Wine.
Pomegranate Juice: 3 Cups.
1 Cup Orange Juice, ideally freshly squeezed.
Ginger Ale or Club Soda for serving.
Ice Cubes.
Instructions:
In the bottom of a pitcher combine sliced fruit and pomegranate. Sprinkle cane sugar and toss in the cinnamon stick. Pour red wine and the fruit juices over the fruit and stir well. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours.
Before serving, remove cinnamon stick. Top with ginger ale or club soda to taste and garnish with more pomegranate arils for looks.
Grand Sangria Cocktail:
It’s an orange twist on the classic fruity wine concoction.
Ingredients:
1⁄2 cup Grand Marnier.
1 cup Seedless red or black grapes.
2 Lemons, sliced.
1 Orange sliced.
2 Apples, red and green, cored and cut into .5 inch wedges.
2 Cinnamon sticks.
1 tbsp superfine sugar.
1 cup Orange juice.
1 bottle Casa Lapostolle Merlot, chilled.
Instructions:
Except orange juice and wine, combine all the ingredients in a punch bowl and let it stand for at least 1 hour. Then mix the orange juice and wine and serve chilled.
Classic Spanish Sangria:
It can be prepared in 10 minutes.
Ingredients needed are:
1 Lemon.
1 Lime.
1 Orange.
1 ½ cups Rum.
1/2 cup White Sugar.
1 (750 ml) Bottle Dry Red Wine.
1 cup Orange Juice.
Instructions:
Chill fruit, rum, wine, and orange juice. Slice lemon, lime and orange into thin rounds and place in a pitcher with rum and sugar. Chill for 2 hours to develop flavors. When serving, crush the fruit lightly and stir in the wine and orange juice.
Pink Sangria:
This is the easiest recipe which can be prepared in 5 minutes.
Ingredients needed to make this recipe are:
10 ounce frozen sliced Strawberries, Thawed.
12 fluid ounce frozen Lemonade Concentrate, Thawed.
750 ml chilled Rose Wine.
2 cups Pineapple Juice.
1 Litre Ginger Ale.
Instructions:
Stir above given ingredients in a punch bowl until combined well. Also stir in the ginger ale just before serving.
Triple Color Sangria:
Here we have a combo of 3 colors – Red, Blue & White.
Ingredients:
1 750 ml bottle Lolailo White Sangria.
1 cup Blueberries.
1 cup sliced Strawberries.
In a pitcher, combine all ingredients. Stir and refrigerate until chilled.
To serve, pour sangria into ice-filled glasses.
Instructions:
Combine white Lolailo Sangria, apple liquor, sliced red-green apples and fresh cranberries. Stir and refrigerate until chilled and rim glasses with red green sugar. To serve, pour sangria into glasses with sprig of rosemary to each glass.
Portuguese Sangria:To make this, you will need:
Ingredients:
1 Litre Bottle of Portuguese Red Wine.
1 Litre of Sumol or any Orange Soda.
1/2 Cup of 1920 Brandy.
2 Oranges (Sliced).
1 Lemon (Sliced) Optional.
2 Cups of Ice Cubes.
Grapes.
Strawberries.
Instructions
Place some ice in a large pitcher with wine. Add remaining ingredients, stir well and refrigerate for a few hours for the flavor to intensify and also to chill.Add ice and decorate serving glasses with a slice of orange and a strawberry, Serve.
Here comes an end to the list. Sangrias is an awesome option for parties because it is easy to make in a bulk batch and also an overwhelming experience and feeling to make and serve individual cocktails, but a pre-made pitcher of Sangria work is already done! Do not forget to experiment with your own ideas by mixing them up with the ideas given here.
Enjoy Sangrias!
