Happy Tuesday!

If you're anything like me, you still have some booze kicking around from Labor Day weekend. Perhaps it's a bottle of Rose that swayed you by the label... or perhaps it's a box of white zinfandel someone rightfully abandoned on your counter when the party was over.




The thing that's great about sangria is, even if it's the latter, not all hope is lost for your enjoyable wine consumption. Pairing cheap rose or white zin with pears, berries and basil infuses it with some new life and makes it much more than tolerable-- but downright, goddamn delicious.



Pink Pear Sangria
Serves 2-4 (depending on anticipated drunkenness)

What it's Made of:

• 2 cups fresh or frozen raspberries (reserve a few for garnish)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• A handful or so of basil, divided in two 
• 4 ripe pears, chopped in 1" cubes and divided (I used bartlett--use whatever you have. Apples would work too though they would totally ruin the alliteration of the title)
• ~4 cups of white zinfandel (or a whole bottle of whatever you have if not working off the box)

How it's Made:

• Combine raspberries, half the basil, half the chopped pear, sugar and about a 1/2 cup of water in a saucepan and bring to a boil
• Reduce to a simmer and cook for about ten minutes, stirring often and squishing the fruit with the back of the spoon 
• When fruit liquid has reduced by about half and is looking syrupy, remove from heat and strain through a fine mesh sieve. Discard the "pulp," if you will, and put aside the syrup to cool. Should make about a cup.
• Combine wine, chopped pears, raspberriers and syrup in a large carafe and chill for as long as you can stand it. An hour or so should do it.
• Enjoy!

Try this out, and maybe double up the raspberry syrup-- it's perfect in iced tea or with fizzy water (someone buy me a Soda Stream already!!)

Cheers!