Cocktail of the Week: Rose Sangria

If you're like me, when you think of sangria, you think of a warm summer evening on the patio. Probably not a beverage for the chill of winter. But you forget this is a special week. It's Super Bowl time. And if you're having a party, a pitcher of sangria is a perfect option for your non-beer drinking guests. Here's a nice recipe I ran across.

Rose Sangria
Serves 4-6. (You can easily double it for your big shindig.)

2 (750 ml) bottles rose wine
1/2 cup Spanish brandy (You can omit this, but it DOES add a nice boozy kick.)
1/2 cup orange liqueur
Juice of 1 orange
1/2 cup superfine sugar
1/2 cup sliced fresh strawberries (frozen work just fine)
1/2 orange, cut in thin slices and then cut in half
1/2 lemon, cut in thin slices and then cut in half
1/2 plum, pitted, and sliced into thin wedges (couldn't find one in my grocery during winter so left it out.)
1/2 peach, pitted and sliced into thin wedges (I substituted a small bag of frozen peach slices)
1 (10 ounce) bottle club soda, chilled

Combine first five ingredients in a pitcher and stir until the sugar is dissolved.  Add the fruit and stir well to combine.

Refrigerate until well-chilled, about two hours.

Right before serving, stir in the club soda.  Serve in large wineglasses over ice.