Sangria of Thanksgiving Awesome for Writers Who Need Some Magic, Damn It
Be warned, my weirdness is on full display here
First off a quick note that there will only be two posts this week (I think). This one and a post of paid subscribers-only on writing things this Saturday. That’s because I’m not one of those automated bloggers who gets all their stuff done at the beginning of the month or week. It’s all spur-of-the-moment authentic here.
That means I may have another post in there somewhere, too. I’m just trying not to pressure myself too much this week, which has a holiday in it in the U.S.
In the summer months, the Portuguese part of my family really loved their sangrias, which they usually made from Tempranillo from Rioja, but if things were desperate, they would use Bartles and James.
One of my aunties would shove all sorts of sliced fruit in there, something orange (sometimes booze, sometimes an orange, sometimes both) and put a ton of ice and some sort of soda water. I always thought it was magic. Sometimes I'd get to suck on some of the fruit, which was probably illegal now that I think of it.
This is a more Thanksgiving take on that same thing.
I am not really drinking any more, which is probably horrifying all my dead aunties, so I’ve also included a version without booze. I put that option/variation in bold.
Stuff That Goes In It
1 cup apple cider (not the hard kind)
1 750-ml bottle dry white wine or white grape juice
¼ cup orange juice (about one navel orange)
¼ cup brandy, if you are fancy — Calvados (do not use this, use either more apple cider/apple juice/white grape juice or my personal fave—peach juice)
Sparkling water or club soda to put on top
One apple, cut into ½-inch cubes
¼ cup pomegranate seeds or another apple or pear or cute little cut up strawberries or raspberries.
How to Make It
Look, you’re a writer, you deal in magic. You create worlds and story and happiness. Take a deep breath. It’s your time to have some magic.
Find a pitcher that can contain six quarts of fluid. Look up what a quart is. You’re a writer, you’re used to researching things like “how to kill a demonic pixie;” this should be easy.
Put fruit in that pitcher. Look at that. Fruit is sort of magical isn’t it, like a narrative arc that makes sense? Gorgeous.
Put wine in there because it’s the most important magical ingredient. Think about writing a book with alchemy. Tell yourself you are practicing it right now.
Put in the apple cider, juice, and brandy (or the alternatives listed in bold above). Wonder if any of your characters drink apple cider. Decide not to worry about it. THIS IS ABOUT YOU AND YOUR NEEDS, WRITER! Not those demanding characters.
Put it in the fridge to make it cold. Wait impatiently.
Stir it. Top it off with that sparkling water. Drink it and let your mind take you to magical places that do not include dialogue punctuation, character motivation, or plot.
There you go!
I hope you get to make it (either version) and that you have the best of weeks!
Carrie