Though I fully believe that sangria is one of the most
perfect drinks for a hot summer day, I have a hard time imagining how someone made the leap from a fabulous, full-bodied Rioja to the sweet,
fruity concoction that I sip poolside. Who do I need to thank for this fabulous
innovation?
Turns out, sangria actually originated as a health
elixir. In the days of the ancient Greeks and Romans, water was bacteria-filled
and unsafe to drink, so people drank wine (a much lower alcohol version than
the wine we drink today) instead. The foodies among them started mixing their mediocre-tasting
wine with sugar and spices, creating a beverage called “hippocras” that was a
precursor of today’s sangria.
Versions of hippocras were drunk throughout the former
Roman empire through the middle ages. Over the years, people realized that the
combination of sweetened wine with spices was actually pretty good. They eventually
started to add fruit along with the spices, and boom – the sangria that we know
and love was born. Reportedly named for the “bloody” hue of the classic red
wine-based drink, sangria remained a mostly European secret until it made its New
World debut at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York.
Since then, sangrias have taken off. They can be made
from virtually any base wine – be it red, white, rosé, or sparkling – and have
become the perfect accompaniment to any activity that involves weather over 70
degrees. Recipes vary widely, with combinations of wine, fruit, and spices that
can be shaped to fit individual tastes.
A word to the wise, y’all – spring is coming. It’s time
to start experimenting with your own recipes before picnic season kicks in.
Sources:
https://www.epicurious.com/recipes-menus/how-to-make-sangria-without-a-recipe-article
ReplyDelete