Instant sangria

The easiest way to enjoy a favourite summertime beverage!

Sangria is one of my go-to summer sippers and while I enjoy the fancy kinds that are so delicious on a restaurant patio, I don’t always have all the special ingredients bartenders often use for sangria, like Triple Sec, Cointreau or Brandy. My solution is a really simple one: I fill ice cube trays with juice along with a couple of berries and freeze. Pop a few in a glass, add wine and whatever else you like, and presto! Instant sangria that tastes better and better with each sip, as the cubes melt. As a bonus, you won’t be diluting your drink with water as you would with conventional ice.

Ingredients

For the cubes:

• 32 blueberries, fresh or frozen
• 16 raspberries or small strawberries, fresh or frozen
• 2 cups (500 mL) fruit juice (orange, peach nectar, apricot, etc.)

For one cocktail:

• 4 frozen sangria cubes
• 1/3 cup (90 mL) dry red, white or rosé wine (or dealcoholized wine)
• 1/4 cup (60 mL) soda water or ginger ale (approximately)

Method

• Place two blueberries and one raspberry or strawberry in each compartment of your ice cube tray (most have 16 compartments; you may need more berries if yours is larger).
• Pour fruit juice to fill the compartments and carefully transfer to freezer. Once frozen, cubes can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 6 months.
• To assemble one drink, put four sangria cubes in a glass. Add wine then top with soda water or ginger ale. Let sit for a few minutes so cubes begin to melt; stir and enjoy.
• Note that you can also prepare pitchers of sangria using frozen cubes; they will need 10 minutes or so to melt before you start pouring drinks.

Makes enough cubes for approximately four drinks; recipe can easily be multiplied.