Happy Wednesday!

How is your week going?

Mine is going well so far! It’s the midst of finals season at grad school, and I hate feeling like they are hanging over my head. You know? Luckily, they are spaced out a bit so I can work on one and then the other.

But you know what the best study reward is?

Sangria!

Sangria is one of my favorite springtime and summer drinks because it’s so light and refreshing.

It’s also more versatile than most people realize, so I am excited to bring you some of my favorite twists on the classic favorite.

One of my favorite happy hour spots, La Tasca, makes a great blackberry mango sangria and I was determined to recreate it at home. Although this recipe doesn’t promise the ambiance of an al fresco Spanish tapas bar, it comes pretty damn close if I do say so myself.

INGREDIENTS // for a pitcher

• 1 1/2 bottles of white wine
• 1 airplane bottle of chambord or other blackberry liqueur
• 2 ounces mango rum
• 1/2 cup orange juice (optional)
• club soda (optional)
• fresh blackberries
• fresh strawberries
• fresh or frozen mango cubes

DIRECTIONS // 

1. Combine wine, chambord, mango rum, and orange juice. I typically use some sort of orange flavoring in my sangria, but since this one is more alcoholic than others, I opted for juice in lieu of a liqueur. The juice will make this sangria more sweet, so if you prefer less sweet drinks, feel free to leave that ingredient out and instead splash a bit of club soda in each glass just prior to serving.
2. Add in sliced strawberries, cubed mangos, and raspberries. Chill at least four hours before serving.
3. Enjoy!