COOKING WITH CLORIS -- GUEST AUTHOR/COOK CARIDAD PINEIRO

Food editor Cloris McWerther is once again checking out colleges with her daughter. In her stead today we have author Caridad Pineiro stepping in to offer a thirst-quenching treat. Caridad is the NY Times bestselling author of over twenty-six paranormal romance and romantic suspense novels and novellas. Her popular THE CALLING vampire series returns in 2012. THE FIFTH KINGDOM, a romantic suspense, was just released, and THE LOST, the first book in her new SIN HUNTERS paranormal romance series arrives in August. Caridad has also written the foreword for OBSESSED: EROTIC ROMANCE FOR WOMEN edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel which will be available in August 2011.  Her popular THE CALLING vampire series returns in 2012, but vampire lovers will enjoy A VAMPIRE FOR CHRISTMAS (October 2011) which includes Caridad's novella, WHEN HERALD ANGELS SING. For more information on Caridad, visit her website.  -- AP



First of all, thank you so much for having me here, Anastasia.  I just love all your helpful hints and am so honored to be able to share my humble recipe for sangria.

Sangria is a popular wine punch served throughout Portugal, Spain and Latin America.  It’s usually made with an inexpensive wine, some other alcoholic beverage, like brandy, and in some recipes, a sparkling soda or seltzer.

In THE FIFTH KINGDOM, my hero and heroine are in Mexico City posing as an engaged couple in order to draw out members of a terrorist group.  Their ploy requires that they spend some time lounging around a luxury hotel while acting like a couple-in-love and that includes sharing some tasty beverages poolside.  In the heat of a Mexico City day or during a hot summer night, sangria is a delightful way to cool off. I’ve been playing with the recipe and have created this refreshing variation on the traditional mix.

Feel free to try out some variations like adding some pears to the mix, using white wine or even substituting prosecco or champagne for the sparkling apple cider.  When choosing the fruits, stick to what’s in season for the best results and make sure the fruit is ripe.  For a tropical taste, substitute pineapple and mangos.  For some additional recipes, you can visit http://www.sangriasecrets.com/.

Caridad’s Sweet and Sexy Sangria

Ingredients

1 bottle red wine (a Malbec, Rioja, Tempranillo, Cabernet or Pinot Noir will do. Maipe Malbec and Folie à Deax’s Menage a Trois red wine are good choices and sub $10 at Costco)
1/2 bottle Chilled Martinelli’s Sparkling Apple Cider (or any other sparkling cider)
2 oranges

1 apple, cubed
1 cup frozen strawberries (freezing them helps keep the sangria chilled without watering it down)
1/2 cup grapes

1 cup brandy (cherry brandy really helps the fruity flavor pop!)

Directions

• Peel oranges. Cut into eighths and then cut the eighths in half. Cut grapes in half. Cut frozen strawberries in half.
• Place fruit into a pitcher and add the wine and brandy. Let fruit and wine macerate for at least 20 minutes in the refrigerator. If you can wait longer before serving, the flavors will be better.
• When you are ready to serve, add chilled sparkling cider to fruit and wine mixture.
• Remove some fruit from this mix and place in individual wine glasses. Pour wine/cider mixture into the wine glass and serve.
• Decorate the edge of the wine glass with a slice of orange or a fresh strawberry.

What I like about this mix is that you get the extra fruitiness and sweetness with the addition of the cider and brandy and you don’t have to add sugar to get that.

Some recipes call for lemon in the mix and also don’t ask you to peel the citrus, but I find that the lemon and the peels make the mix too acidic.  If you find that the mix is not sweet enough, feel free to add some sugar or make a simple syrup and add it to the mix.

Boy, does that recipe ever sound fabulous! Thanks so much for sharing it with us today, Caridad. Readers, what do you think? Post a comment to enter the drawing for a free book from our Friday Book Club guest author this week. -- AP