Sangria Wine

We've mentioned our lovely Biggest Loser get togethers before, and this week, we were in charge of the refreshments. Enter a time-honored Vazquez tradition: SANGRIA!

Ingredients

• Ice
• 1 cup white rum
• 5 key limes
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 bottle red wine
• 1/2 liter of sparkling water or club soda
• Chopped fruit (watermelon, pineapple, berries, apple, pear, grapes)

Preparation

In a small saucepan over medium heat, mix sugar and water, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved. Let cool. This creates a simple syrup which you'll use to sweeten the sangria.

Put a significant amount of ice in a large punch bowl. Add rum and shimmy to "burn" (that's what our father calls it, we don't know what it actually means, but do it). Add the juice of the five limes. You may want to have a couple more on hand in case you need to add more later. Slowly stir in the simple syrup then pour in the bottle of red wine and the 1/2 liter of sparkling water.

Chop as wide of a variety of fruit as you would like. This time we used watermelon, pineapple, and frozen berries, making it slightly tropical and delicious. Sangria often includes red apples, pears, and/or grapes, so you really can't go wrong. Mix the fruit into your yummy punch, serve in a tall glass, and enjoy!

Warning: Pace yourself! Although tasty and refreshing, it can be sneaky. Especially the rum-soaked fruit. Mmmm... rum-soaked fruit.

As always, here's a little music to accompany your sipping (or downing as the case may be).

Bon appetit! Buen provecho! Why is the rum always gone!