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[1] Peach sangria popcorn will likely be a new treat for your family and friends. The recipe is below (recipe and photo © Popcorn Board).
[2] While the popcorn recipe doesn’t call for peaches (just peach jam), we had a supply of dried peaches and added them to the mix. They made a peachy-licious difference (photo © Bella Viva).
[3] We served the rest of the peach preserves with fresh goat cheese (photo © Bonne Maman).
[4] You can make peach sangria year-round with frozen peaches, but there’s nothing better than fresh summer peaches (photo © Sparkling Ice). Make it a mocktail sangria with flavored sparkling water. Sparkling Ice, for example, has Peach Lemonade and Peach Nectarine (photo © Sparkling Ice).
[5] If you don’t have a glass pitcher, consider getting one so everyone can enjoy the “still life” inside (photo © Elegant Affairs Caterers).
[6] Make sure the peaches are ripe. They’ll be slightly soft to the touch with a bit of give when gently squeezed, and will have a sweet, fruity aroma (photo © Good Eggs).
[7] We have a bottle of wonderful artisan peach liqueur from Thatcher’s Organics. You can also use it in orange juice, lemonade, spritzes and cocktails. If you’re a liqueur fan, see the whole line (photo © Thatcher’s Organics).
[8] Add these skewers to the snack menu. Here’s the recipe. You can substitute feta for the mozzarella, and add a slice of prosciutto and/or a grape tomato if you like (photo © Dorothy Lane Market).
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Summer gives us wonderful stone fruits, but summer flies by. The off-season imports from the Southern Hemisphere can’t compare to local fruits from our farmers market.
Here’s a tasty and fun entertaining idea: peach sangria with peach sangria popcorn.
For more of a snack, we served them with our favorite crackers, fresh goat cheese (photo #9), peach preserves, and kabobs of watermelon and mozzarella (substitute feta).
For these additional snacks, see photos #8 and #9.
> The history of peaches.
> The history of sangria.
> The history of popcorn.
> The year’s peach holidays are below.
RECIPE #1: PEACH SANGRIA POPCORN
While this recipe from The Popcorn Board did not include dried peaches, we had a bag of delicious Bella Viva diced peaches on hand. We added them instead of the dried cranberries and raisins, but you can certainly add them in addition to those fruits..
Ingredients
8 cups popped popcorn
1/4 cup chopped dried apricots
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup peach jam
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 cup chopped freeze-dried strawberries (we substituted the dried peaches in photo #2)
Preparation
1. LINE a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Spray a large bowl with nonstick cooking spray.
2. TRANSFER the popcorn to the prepared bowl. Toss in the dried peaches, dried apricots, cranberries, and raisins.
3. MELT the butter in medium heavy-bottomed saucepan set over medium heat. Add the wine, jam, sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes or until the sugar mixture is golden brown and has reached the hard-ball stage.
(To test, add a few drops of sugar syrup to a glass of ice-cold water; if the sugar syrup solidifies, the mixture is ready.)
4. STIR in the lemon zest. Working quickly and carefully, pour the caramel over the popcorn, stirring to evenly coat.
5. ARRANGE the popcorn mixture on the baking sheet, spreading into an even layer. Sprinkle with freeze-dried strawberries. Let set until firm and cooled completely.
RECIPE #2: PEACH SANGRIA WITH SCHNAPPS
Ingredients For 6-8 Servings
2 large fresh yellow peaches (about 1 pound), sliced
Other fruits of choice, e.g. orange slices, strawberries
3/4 cup peach liqueur or peach schnapps (the difference—photo #7)
1 bottle white wine*
1 liter club soda, flavored club soda or ginger ale, chilled (substitute Prosecco)
Preparation
1. PLACE the peaches and other fruit in a pitcher, and add liqueur and wine. Stir and chill. When ready to serve…
2. POUR the sangria into glasses; make sure each glass has a nice amount of fruit. Top off with the carbonated beverage; stir gently as desired.
RECIPE #2: PEACH SANGRIA WITH PEACH VODKA
If you don’t have peach vodka and don’t want to buy it, use regular vodka. If you like, you can infuse it with fresh peaches, 4-6 days in advance (see photo #10). You can also use gin or tequila.
Prep time is 10 minutes, chilling time is 2+ hours. Adapted from All Recipes.
Ingredients
1 (750 ml) bottle dry white wine*
3/4 cup peach flavored vodka (photo #10)
6 tablespoons frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1/4 cup table sugar
1 pound white peaches, pitted and sliced
3/4 cup seedless red grapes, halved
3/4 cup seedless green grapes, halved
Ice cubes
Optional: Prosecco or sparkling water
Preparation
1. COMBINE the first four ingredients in a large pitcher. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add the fruit.
2. REFRIGERATE at least 2 hours or overnight, to allow the flavors to blend.
3. SERVE chilled over ice, and use a slotted spoon to include peaches and grapes with each serving. For some optional sparkle, add a splash of Prosecco or sparkling water before serving.
SANGRIA TIPS
You are the master of your sangria.
If you want more pronounced flavor, add more of that ingredient.
If you want a less sweet drink, use unsweetened plain or flavored club soda.
Use Prosecco for the wine. Prosecco, an Italian sparkling wine, is known for its peach flavors. You can substitute it for the still wine*; or for the sparkling water/club soda, for a stronger drink.
Adjust the sweetness. If you add an ingredient with sugar, adjust the other sugar items so it won’t be too sweet. You can always add more sweetness, but you can’t take it away (without doubling the proportions, that is).
[9] A log of goat cheese with artisan crackers and melon and mozzarella kabobs can round out the snacks (photo © Zingerman’s Creamery).
[10] Tito’s infuses their vodka with fresh peaches. Here’s how to do it (photo © Tito’s Vodka).
THE YEAR’S 8 PEACH HOLIDAYS
January 13: National Peach Melba Day
April 13: National Peach Cobbler Day
June 21: National Peaches ’n’ Cream Day
July: National Peach Month
July 17: National Peach Ice Cream Day
August 22nd: National Eat A Peach Day
August 24: National Peach Pie Day
August 27: National Peach Day
Plus
December 20th: National Sangria Day
Plus
The Year’s 12 Popcorn Holidays
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