Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Jamgría!




Could there be anything cooler than Food in Jars' Drink Week 2012? I think not! Here's an easy breezy drink that uses up some of that jam you have packed in the fridge! I can't wait to hear what other great drinks are lined up for the what may be my favorite week of summer.

Last week my sister and her family were in town from Florida, and they rented a house in the cute little town of Phoenicia. We went for a night, and I brought a full meal. The day before I smoked a pork shoulder using this rub with harissa which I've been loving, made some Carolina barbeque sauce for it (from Charcuterie by Ruhlman and Polcyn). We had pulled pork sandwiches, with fresh corn and a simple creamy coleslaw. It sounds so simple, right? It was so SO good: smoky meat and piquant sauce, fresh corny goodness and celery seed-y slaw. But also, maybe it was this pitcher of Jamgria we started with? (Well, the kids didn't have the Jamgria, and they still loved dinner.) For dessert I made a lemon creme pie with blueberries with a pretzel crust (using this lemon creme I stashed in the freezer!) FYI: pretzel crust was delicious, but mine turned out very crumbly.

Since that fun visit, I've been perfecting this drink. Or maybe perfecting drinking it. Most any combination of wine, jam and fruit will work if you use your common sense, and most especially if you use St. Germain. I've heard it called the duct tape of the cocktail world. It can fix anything!


16 ounces of white wine, I used a sweeter riesling
1 ounce St. Germain
A tablespoon of jam*
1 peach, sliced
Seltzer

In a pitcher, combine the fruit, wine, St. Germain and jam. Let sit in the fridge for about an hour. Serve in tall glasses, topped with seltzer. I like a ration of 1:1 because these are so easy to drink on a hot day. But that's up to you!

*A note on jam: I used an apricot-sour cherry jam. Using a jam that has pectin in it is far from ideal. You want a soft, fruit-and-sugar-only jam. If you do use a firmer jam you'll have to muddle it a bit to incorporate into the drink.

Drinking garden-side.

18 comments:

  1. Love St Germain! I have a huge bottle in my pantry--I paired it with fresh pears for a fabulous jam. I love the idea of making Sangria with it. I am going to bookmark this! thanks so much for posting.

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    1. Wendy, I think you could give me river water with St. Germain in it, and I'd be happy! Pears with it sound delightful. Thanks for coming by!

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  2. Fantastic! I do this with my soft-set raspberry jam and it's just divine with gin, mint and a little seltzer or ginger ale. Your family dinner sounds like the essence of summer!

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    1. Laura, I'll bet it is! A little bit of jam often finds its way into my cocktails...

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  3. I've never thought about using jam in cocktails, but that may be the perfect use for some of my super-tart Rangpur lime marmalade. How fabulous - thanks!

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    1. Hi Dawn! Your Rangpur lime marmalade is perfect for cocktails! I personally think that Rangpurs are made for gin.

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  4. I read somewhere that Irish Housewives used to get together to sample each others jam, with a shot of gin! It's as tasty as it sounds and rounds out a nice afternoon jam making session. I'm excited to try this recipe as well. It sounds like the perfect hot weather drink!

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    1. Oh, that would be my kind of hang out, Mandy! Thanks for sharing that story!

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  5. Oh, how lovely! I'm going to have to try this at our next get together.

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    1. Thanks, Katie! I can't imagine that it will go wrong!

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  6. This is so cool! I would never even think of adding jam to a drink. Wonder if you can use canned fruit or jam in non-alcoholic drinks like smoothies?

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  7. Rhiana, please start experimenting with jam! I always put a little spoonful in a smoothie if it needs a little sweetening. I use jam in pretty much everything, scary to say!

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  8. This is a grand idea, and I just happen to have all these things sitting around. I can't wait till tonight to try it. Thanks. Ken

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  9. Jamgria? Julia, that is so bad-ass!
    And your pulled pork meal sounded delish. Very hungry now:)
    xxoo
    E

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    1. Thanks, as always, Erin! So simple and so satisfying. That's how I roll.

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