This Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 7 and 8, Modesto Tapas Bar & Restaurant is hosting Los Flamencos, featuring Beth Steinbrenner and Lliam Christy. For the dinner performances at 7 and 8:30 p.m. each night, Modesto will stir up some spiced apple sangria in honor of the fall season and, of course, Spain.
Sipping sangria while watching flamenco sounds great, but if you’re like us, when it comes to drinking cocktails, Monday night sounds really far away. Thanks to the folks over at Modesto, now you can make the same sangria at home. And if your drinking leads to your own spontaneous flamenco performance? We can’t promise it will make you a better dancer, but if you drink enough, we’re fairly certain you won’t care.
Spiced Apple Cider Sangria
Courtesy of Modesto’s Jessica Mansfield Makes 7 cups
4 cups hard cider (Modesto uses Crispin.)
2 cinnamon sticks, plus more for garnish
½ tsp. orange zest
2 orange rounds, plus more for garnish
1 bottle Spanish white wine
2 cups apple cider
½ cup vodka
½ cup brandy
• Mix the hard cider, 2 cinnamon sticks, orange zest and 2 orange rounds together in a medium sauce pan.
• Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce by half.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
• Strain before using.
• Mix all of the remaining ingredients, including the reduced hard cider, in a large pitcher and garnish with orange wheels and cinnamon sticks. To serve, pour over ice.
This article appears in October 2013.