Feliz Cinco de Mayo

Nothing says Cinco de Mayo like colorful tablescapes, fruity libations, and mexican glass (which I happen to love for outdoors).  

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Mexican Fruit Sangria (recipe courtesy of Yvetted Marquez Muy Bueno Cookbook )YIELD: 15 Servings

INGREDIENTS:

2 bottles of red wine (recommended: Rioja)

2 cups brandy

1 cup fresh orange juice

1 orange, sliced

1 lemon, sliced

1 lime, sliced

1 apple, cored, and cut into thin wedges

1 pear, cored, and cut into thin wedges

1 (750-ml) bottle club soda, chilled

Brown sugar or granulated sugar (for glass rims)

Ice

DIRECTIONS:

Combine the wine, brandy, juice, and fruit in a large container or glass pitcher. Cover and chill completely, 1 to 2 hours or overnight.

Add soda to mixture when ready to serve. Using a little lime juice wet the rim of the glass and then coat it with brown or granulated sugar.

I prefer not to rim my glass with sugar but that’s just a personal preference. A great idea might be to have plates next to your punch bowl or pitcher with a variety of sugars so that guests can experiment.

Serve with ice.