Read a Book, Sip a Cocktail No. 10

Photo from Goodreads.com

So far I've been taking a lot of classic drinks and re-working them, or introducing new cocktails with ingredients based on the books that they are being paired with.  With this installment of the read-a-book, sip-a-cocktail series I'm taking one of my tried and true drinks and applying it to this month's book selection, which is the first in the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris, Dead Until Dark.  The series is also the basis for the HBO show True Blood (of which I am a fan of from the very beginning, even before I read this book), so you could say this is my version of a Tru Blood drink as well.  I'm simply calling it a Bloody Sangria.  Inevitably after I make a batch of this sangria I always get asked for the recipe, and I'm including the original one here, but believe me, you could vary the ingredients any way you like to suit your taste or your pantry. This would also be a great drink to serve at an upcoming Halloween soirée. 

Bloody Sangria

1 bottle of Spiced rum (any brand)

1 cup of Simple syrup

3 cups of Orange juice

3 cups of Lemon lime soda (or a clear, fruit flavored soda)

1 1 1/2 liter bottle of Blackberry merlot (like Arbor Mist)

1 1/2 cups of fresh fruit (like grapes, sliced peaches, sliced apples, cherries, etc...)

1 Orange and one lemon, thinly sliced

How to:  In a large pitcher, or better yet a 1 1/2 gallon beverage dispenser, pour rum, simple syrup and fruit and let it sit for at least 3 hours.  Right before serving the sangria, add ice, orange juice, soda, merlot and the sliced orange and lemon.  Stir well and dispense (and I always add some of the fruit to each person's drink, since the whole point of letting it sit with the rum is for it to absorb some of the rum's flavor). 

   

Tips on how to throw a True Blood theme party