foodie

virgin sangria


sangria
tea bags, and my largest pot.
rough cracking cinnamon
all set to boil
my largest pincher.
Orange juice, grandpa's bitter pomegranate juice
 of sugar.
round cuts of oranges, cut with a bread knife to keep my finger
lemons limes apple
sweet
finished with the bitter tea
served to snack and talk and drink
on a hot summer night i just want a drink

lovely deep maroon, with pops and punches of high contrast color: orange, yellow,green,and white.
sangria. tastes like it sounds thick and spicy, with tart citrus Finish. a summer drink, but we make it in the winter.  hot tea steaming up the kitchen, boiling with cinnamon sticks and piles of sugar, steeped to blackness. in the largest pitcher you own pour in orange juice and the bitterest pomegranate juice you can stand. I use the kind my grandpa drank, so dark red it is purple, thick enough to stick to the faceted sides of  the glass bottle. the tea should be cool, pour it in. watch the blackness mix with the maroon, bitter and sweet mixing together, stir as necessary.
now the fruit.
Christmas oranges from grandmas snowbird flight to California, supposedly from  uncle bill's tree. i wouldn't know i never met him, but his oranges are are sweet and thin skinned, and are larger than i can wrap my hands round, and smell like child hood Christmas. or you could buy some from the store. three will do nicely.  while you are there pick up some lemons, apples, and limes too a perfect blend of simulated summer.
 wash the fruit, because your uncle told you when you where 9 that apples are kept shiny with floor polish. take out a bread knife and start cutting the fruit. the knife will work great on the citrus, gripping and cutting through the spongy skin, keeping your fingers safe from cuts filled with acid. the apple will need a paring knife, and cutting it in to cubes rather than rounds so you can fit more in your glass because that is your favorite part.

dump the fruit into the pitcher, and leave it for like two days. it will be so good. don't eat the pieces of fruit don't don't don't don't ok maybe some pieces you are going to throw them out any way. may as well eat them.

for the part pour in a whole liter of sparkling water. all of it  because your aunt thinks it is too strong and mix hers with half a cup of water any way. have nice fruit out in a bowl or a plate over ice. take out the old fruit it is gross looking and stained red, but it is delicious. hide some to eat alone in the garrage when the fire is too hot and the house is too crowded and everyone is asking what classes you are taking? do you have a boyfriend yet? are you still drawing?
 take your finished glass of nectar and try to mingle, bathe yourself in the sweet smell and crunchy fruit and warmth of the house and in that glass there is the holidays