**Many of you are in Spring Break Vacation Mode right now…
so let’s keep it going…**

Pull up a beach chair,
pour a glass of White Spring Sangria,
and relax with the Sockmonkeys!

White Spring Sangria

This sangria centers more on fruit, and less on wine

It’s officially Springtime, and the weather has certainly been warming up here in Southern California.

While I’m putting on my 100 SPF sunscreen, my Facebook buddies across the country are posting photos of themselves, all decked out in hats, scarves, and mittens. Being a lover of the cold, I am officially jealous. It makes me wonder why on earth I live in SoCal. Then I remember the year-round farmers markets… and the ability to get nearly any produce that’s in season…

Okay. I’ll stay. For a while.

During these warm weekends, when folks are lighting up the BBQ, it seems like the perfect time to bring out a pitcher of Sangria. This delightfully fruity beverage is such a good match to a moist grilled chicken breast, or an appetizer course filled with cheeses and artisan breads.

Note: I don’t make Sangria the typical way. Far be it from me to be normal… right? 😉

Generally “Sangria” is made from red wine, thus the name (loose translation means “bleeding“). But since I have allergic reactions to reds, I’m only able to drink whites. And, generally only the sweet whites at that. PS: if you ever take me wine tasting… I’ll probably be your driver, since I can’t really drink most of the offerings. I’ve even been to a winery where all I got was a T-shirt… but that’s another story.

Back to the task at hand…. When I make a Sangria, it’s pretty apparent that I love fruit.
Remember, when you’re making this recipe, there are no exact measurements, and of course you can add or subtract to your own likings!

Any white wine will do. I use Sutter Home Moscatto, because it's a sweet wine, and even the tangiest grapefruit will stay sweet in it. — Any white wine will do. I use Sutter Home Moscato, because it’s a sweet wine, and even the tangiest grapefruit will stay sweet in it. Plus, it’s quite inexpensive… after all, you really don’t want to doctor up a bottle of the really good stuff!

I chop up a red apple…

Tip: Core your apple with a melon baller and 2 knife cuts.

a juicy pear…

The melon baller and knife also works well on pears for coring — The melon baller and knife tip also works well on pears for coring

a navel orange…

Peel the orange... and make sure it's a Navel. If not, make sure to remove all seeds! — Peel the orange… and make sure it’s a Navel. If not, make sure to remove all seeds!

and a pink grapefruit.

This grapefruit is a beautiful Ruby Red! It looks so pretty in the Sangria!

Then I put them in a glass container and add 1 bottle of sweet white wine.

The beautiful layers of fruit + white wine = yummy Spring Sangria!

Use a long handled spoon and mix up the fruit really well.

At this point, most recipes will generally call for a couple tablespoons of orange liqueur, but I like to let the natural orange flavor come through. So, I use a second orange and squeeze the juice of it into the wine.

Add the orange juice and mix again.

Mix up the Spring Sangria with a long handled spoon. Then add the orange juice.

Mix well, cover, and set it in the fridge. The longer it sets, the better. I’d suggest at least 6 hours for the fruit to macerate. The apple will soften a bit, and the pear will become quite tender.