a Sip of Summer with Annalea Hart

hello!  my name is annalea.  you can usually find me over at annalea hart, but i am thrilled to be here today for this oh-so-fun summer series.  i am going to begin this post with a confession:  i am not a huge fan of summer.  it is my least favorite season and, since it is followed by most favorite season, i tend to want to rush through the heat and humidity.  in order to slow down and stay in the present,  i cling to the good stuff.  pool days and lighter schedules.  cute sandals and less laundry.  growing food and grilling out.

and my tolerance for the hot days is made easier with a cold glass of something yummy in hand.  will you join me for a pitcher of peach-y sweet sangria?

this is my go-to summer party drink.  it is light and refreshing.  everyone always asks for seconds and the pitcher is empty before the guests leave.  it is the kind of drink that will be remembered and asked for at the next gathering.

peach-y sweet sangria

ingredients needed:

peaches, strawberries, and lemons

1/2 cup of peach schnapps

1/4 cup of sugar

1 bottle of moscato

1 liter of club soda

begin by cutting up your fruit and adding it to a pitcher.  for this batch, i used 3 peaches, 7 strawberries, and three slices of lemon.  add as much as you want!  you really can't have too much fruit, in my opinion.

next, add the peach schnapps, sugar, and wine to the fruit.  stir it well, dissolving the sugar.  if you are serving immediately, go ahead and add the club soda now.  but i recommend waiting (i know, it's difficult) and chilling the mixture at least a few hours in the fridge - if not overnight.  those flavors will soak together and be all the more amazing.  when you are ready to serve, add the club soda and watch it sweetly bubble.

you can also omit the sugar and substitute ginger ale or fresca for club soda.  but i enjoy the taste of moscato and would rather not muddy it up with extra flavors.

i'll never forget the time my girlfriends and i forgot that last step.  after a large glass of basically fruit, wine and peach schnapps, my face felt so hot and i kept saying, "i am such a lightweight."  well, we soon discovered our mistake and spent the next couple hours giggling a bit more than usual.  :)

try reserving some of the fruit and adding it to a second pitcher of water for the littles and non-alcohol drinkers.  after a few hours chilled, this drink is a treat in itself.  some seriously refreshing yumminess.  instead of just watching the adults' enjoyment, the kiddos will love their special fruit-y water.  extras like this are a nice touch to an all ages gathering.

thank you for taking this little sip of summer with me.  i hope we all can slow down and drink in the last of the season's sweetness while it lasts.

thanks, rebekah, for having me over!