When I think of summertime, I think of sangria. It just goes perfectly with warm nights and friendly faces. The “wine punch” is commonplace at barbecues and campfire get-togethers, and it’s a great drink to make for large groups of friends. Our Honey Sangria has an extra sweet touch thanks to the Eastern Shore Honey instead of cane sugar. In any recipe, we like to replace processed sugar with honey as a natural sweetener, even in baking.
Speaking of fruit, summer is prime time for nature's candy-use whatever kinds you like! Sangria is a great drink to make a few hours ahead of time so that the fruit flavors have time to blend with the wine. ’Berries and peaches would be great for a red wine sangria, and melon would pair perfectly with white wines. Some fruits are almost impossible if you do not want chemicals in your drinks! Try to use organic and local produce whenever possible to avoid pesticide contamination.
Adapting our Honey Sangria
A recipe is not perfect until you’ve added your touch. That’s why we encourage you to play with your food. Call your inner chef to come out and play and change up this recipe. Here are some ideas:
- Add your favorite diced seasonal fruits
- Add a small handful of pineapple sage leaves to the mix
- Use a dry white or rose wine instead of red
- Add edible flowers to beautify the presentation
Use your favorite Eastern Shore honey! We recommend lighter honey for a milder flavor, such as spring. Or you can play with the seasonal fruits you added and mix in either blueberry, blackberry, or orange blossom honey. Remember, our honey is not artificially flavored; the flavor is all about the surrounding flowers that the bees pollinate.
