Happy Birthday to us and Sangria

It’s birthday time!

Andy and I are birthday celebrators. None of this, “I’m getting old and I want to ignore my birthday so please don’t make a big deal of it” business. We say: Bring on the big deal! That means whole birthday weeks and lots and lots of celebrating.

With our birthdays only two days apart, there is a fair amount of hoopla. Since my birthday is on Cinco de Mayo (making Andy’s on Tres de Mayo, which doesn’t exactly have the same ring to it), I believe that sangria is a proper way to celebrate. (Never mind the fact that I think any occasion at any time of the year is better off with sangria. This time it actually makes sense.) Last year, I shared my favorite sangria recipe of all time and I wanted to keep the yearly tradition going. Also, testing sangria recipes does not hurt my feelings.

For this year’s extravaganza, we will be heading off for a birthday road trip, although Andy doesn’t want me to say that because of the would-be burglars. So, burglars be warned, I’ve set up booby traps all over the house for you. It will be like Home Alone all over again and we know how that ended for Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern, so don’t even think about it. (Although that means I’m Macaulay Culkin, which is unfortunate for me.) But seriously, we do have a house sitter and a rabid dog. Okay, maybe we don’t have the rabid dog…or do we?

No, I haven’t been sipping the sangria yet…why do you ask?

White Wine-Berry Sangria

1 bottle dry white wine (I used Sauvignon Blanc)

1 cup lemon-lime soda

1/2 cup raspberry vodka

1/4 cup brandy

chopped strawberries

raspberries

blueberries

In a pitcher, combine wine, soda, vodka and brandy.

Put a few raspberries and a small handful of chopped strawberries into the bottom of each glass and muddle. Fill glass with ice, then top with sangria and a few blueberries. Stir.

This is a party in a glass and since it’s my birthday, I can say silly things like that. Just drink a couple of these and it won’t sound so silly anymore. It’s tart and sweet and goes down easy. Perfect for any celebration, especially a Cinco de Mayo birthday…

Since you can never have too many sangria recipes, I made three more! Check out these other fruity cocktail concoctions I made with options for classic red wine with citrus, white wine with pear, and rosé with limoncello sangrias. Click here for my recipes, pictured above.