On The Art Of Sangria Presentation: Garnishes, Glassware And Style
With origins in Spanish culinary cultures, the sangria is a classic cocktail that brings together a deep red wine with brandy and lots of chopped up fruits in an inviting combination of sweet, tangy and sour flavour notes. The drink is a favourite particularly at informal gatherings like slumber parties and intimate dinners where jug upon jug of the cocktail is prepared to induce a party buzz.
Over time, dozens of sangria variations have come up that incorporate seasonal fruits and citrus elements into the recipe too, to craft a blend celebrating the flavours of the particular region and season in which it is being prepared.
But simply offering sangria is not enough when you want to reign supreme as a host. The art of presenting this vibrant cocktail becomes just as integral to your hosting game. From choosing the right glassware to picking out favourable garnishes to determining what type of sangria is perfect for which occasion, there is a lot of detail involved in presenting this cocktail in an elegant manner to your guests. And how you navigate this process also shows how well you understand the cocktail and the little flourishes that go into savouring the mix.
Garnishing Sangria
Most times, sangria is a drink that makes use of seasonal fruits to add that citrus punch and zestiness into its making. In Spanish food and drink culture, the cocktail is often prepared using cut up fruits like apples, strawberries and oranges to introduce into the drink a sweet and tart finish.
But in many parts around the globe, lots of different local fruits are also used in the preparation of certain regional varieties of the cocktail. Mangoes and pineapples are added to sangria in the tropics.
On the other hand, raspberries and blueberries are added to variations favouring a sparkling rosé as its core ingredient.
Garnishes ought to change with these shifts so that they best reflect what the drink constitutes. If you are preparing a sangria using aam panna syrup made from raw mangoes, you might want to adorn your serving glass with a fresh mango slice. Alternatively, in the spring season, you could opt for chopped strawberries as a garnish. Lime wedges or twisted lemon peels are fragrant, tangy and sour elements that work all year round. Whatever garnish you choose, ensure you place it gently atop the serving glass accompanied by a rosemary sprig for a colour break.
Glassware For Sangria
Another important element in presentation is your glassware. For a classic sangria you might want to use a long stemmed wine glass which slowly releases the aromas of the drink as you bring it to your lips. This glass can also be employed to swirl the drink and let the fruits steep better in the mix before you take a sip.
Alternatively, you can also opt for a pitcher or a mason jar in which you can pour the sangria so that all the chopped up fruits float at the top. This way, you can enjoy the cocktail in a larger quantity on a bed of ice, particularly at a slumber party or a leisurely, casual brunch affair on a summer morning. The mason jar or pitcher will also have more room to accommodate large slices of fruit garnishes.
Remember to garnish the jugs in which you serve sangria too, and ensure those jugs are transparent crystal or glass containers which reflect the dark and inviting red hues and the vibrant fruity colours present in the drink.
Sangria Styles
Your garnishes and presentation are also governed by the style that governs your sangria offering. If you are making a large batch of red wine sangria, adhere to the classic Spanish recipe and use a stunning rioja to prepare the drink. Serve this in a large pitcher adorned heavily with cut fruits and herbs. Pour the cocktail in wine glasses and with a stirrer gently push some cut fruits into each glass. Build the drink on lots of ice when you are offering it at a summer bash.
For a white wine mix, you can use mason jars or pitchers which reflect the yellowish tint the drink achieves because of the presence of colourful citrus fruits. This is a classic alternative if you are serving seafood at your house party. When incorporating seasonal ingredients like mangoes or berries, ensure they enjoy the spotlight to amp up the cocktail’s allure at the dinner table.
