Eat In. The perfect sangria [Thirsty Thursdays!].

It's almost March and all the foodophile's know, it's almost cherimoya season. Cherimoya, also known as the custard apple, is native to the inter-andean valleys but has made its way to Mexico and California and despite it's ugly appearance, this is one tasty fruit. It has a very subtle flavor, so for something like sangria, I would use it by itself.

Using one fruit in sangria can really bring out the flavor of the fruit, and I've come to prefer using one type of fruit rather than several. It also means you have to buy less at the store.

I've had strawberry sangria (best with a merlot), which is excellent.

What you do, is dice the fruit into small cubes/pieces and sprinkle with sugar. Let the fruit sit in a dish for about an hour (this is no short process). The fruit will create a syrup in the bowl while it's resting. In the meantime sprinkle some sugar in the bottom of a pitcher and add hot water half way up the pitcher to dissolve the sugar. Wait until that cools, before adding the wine or fruit. Do not add fruit or wine while the water/sugar mixture is hot.

For a cherimoya sangria, use a sauvignon blanc. Let it cool in the fridge before enjoying. Be careful, though. Because of the amount of sugar in this concoction it makes for a nasty hangover.

-- Lauren Williams