A simple rosé sangria to toast summer with

It sure took its sweet time to get here, but now that summer has made its arrival official, we’re champing at the bit to bust out all the BBQ-ready recipes we’ve been silently bookmarking for months. This Garden Party Sangria from Cassie Winslow’s new collection of cocktails Floral Libations  is at the top of that list. Starting with a base of fresh fruit and chilled rosé, the mix is then sweetened with a syrup made from crushed hibiscus and lavender — can you think of anything more seasonally apt? The syrup will keep at room temperature for up to two months, so we recommend keeping a jar on hand all summer. That way you can whip up a fresh batch of this refreshing sipper any time the occasion calls.  

Garden Party Sangria

By Cassie Winslow

This is one of my favorite drinks to make when I’m having a few friends over for afternoon tea. It looks so lovely served in a vintage punch bowl next to trays of tea sandwiches, cookies, and cakes.

Ingredients

• ½ cup Garden Party Sugar (see recipe below)
• ¼ cup filtered water
• 1 bottle rosé wine, chilled
• ½ cup fresh raspberries
• ½ cup fresh strawberries, halved
• ½ cup sliced oranges
• Ice cubes
• Handful of fresh edible flowers for garnish

Garden Party Sugar:

• 1 tbsp dried hibiscus flowers
• 1 tbsp dried chamomile flowers
• 1 tbsp dried lavender
• 1 tbsp dried rose petals
• 1 tbsp dried calendula
• 1 cup cane sugar

Preparation

Garden Party Sugar:

In a food processor or spice grinder, combine the hibiscus, chamomile, lavender, rose petals, and calendula and pulse until the flowers resemble small flakes, just a second or so about 10 times. Be sure not to grind them into a powder.

In a bowl, stir together the sugar and the ground flowers. For optimal flavor, wait about 2 weeks before use. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 months. Makes approximately 1 ¼ cups.

Sangria:

In a medium saucepan, combine the Garden Party Sugar and water and cook over medium heat. Simmer until the sugar has completely dissolved and the mixture has thickened into a syrup, about 5 minutes. Voilà! Garden Party Syrup! Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

In a large punch bowl, combine the wine, raspberries, strawberries, and oranges. Add the Garden Party Syrup and mix until completely combined. Chill in the refrigerator for up to 5 hours before serving. When ready to serve, add ice. Sprinkle fresh edible flowers atop the sangria for garnish.

Yield: Makes 6 cocktails

Excerpted from Floral Libations: 41 Fragrant Drinks + Ingredients by Cassie Winslow. Photographs by Doan Ly. Copyright 2018. Excerpted with permission from the publisher, Chronicle Books. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.