blackberry sangria: the kickoff to blackberry week!

i've mentioned before that i come from a long line of berriers. so it's no surprise that last weekend, jason, my parents, and i spent an hour picking loads and loads of blackberries growing like crazy behind my mother's uncle's house.

in that one hour, we picked a good 7 quarts of berries. yea, a lot. so this week is all things blackberry!



there's cake and ice cream and jam. i'm kicking off my week with my mom's blackberry sangria and stay tuned every day this week for a new recipe featuring blackberries!



i first had this sangria last august at my bridal shower. and mom and i made it again this year just because we can.

but watch out. one minute you're sitting in a chair, surrounded by the important women in your life, opening gifts while others oooh and aaah and bring you sangria refills. an hour later when you finally get up, you'll be a little weak in the knees. and it will take you a second to realize you drank three glasses of this stuff in the last hour!

that's how good it is.



blackberry sangria
adapted from better homes and gardens
30 minutes, makes ~13 cups

4 cups blackberries
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups water
2 750ml bottles of rose wine
1 cup orange liqueur (Grand Marnier)
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 peaches, thinly sliced
handful or two of ice

1. combine 2 cups of the berries, sugar, water, and a dash of salt in a medium saucepan. bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. remove from heat and cool slightly. crush the berries and strain through a colander. discard the smushed berries and let the syrup cool.
2. in your sangria pitcher, combine the cool syrup, wine, liqueur, lemon juice, peach and remaining 2 cups of berries.
3. when you're ready to serve, fill the pitcher (or glasses) with ice and add sangria. mom likes hers with a splash of carbonated water for fizz.