Plum Cardamom Sangria
Nothing says yum to me like a good sangria! I love how you can sit around with friends and loved ones sipping on this drink without even knowing you are drinking at all (maybe that is not so good 🙂 Usually, I opt for the red sangria over the white because I just like the flavors better. This got me thinking of ways to make the traditional red sangria more festive for fall and winter incorporating some warmer notes into the drink. I also wanted to make it smooth and silky like you often find out at the restaurants where they don’t have all the large chunks of fruit cluttering up the drink (you know splashing you in the face when you take a sip) :). So, the plum cardamom sangria was born! I was able to use plum preserves with hints of cardamom and then I added some freshly grated ginger to round out the spices. I loved that I could use preserves for this instead of making a simple syrup which saves me time and work! Just think about it, the preserves have all of the elements of a flavored simple syrup and it dissolves very nicely in the sangria. Of course, this sangria has to me, the most important element which is orange juice. I think that helps make it smooth and silky and adds a wonderful background fruitiness to the sangria.
Adding warmth to sangria with fall and winter flavors is such a great way to enjoy sangria in the cooler months and lets me enjoy one of my favorite drinks all year round! Give this a try and I know you will love it!
