The Four Best Drinks on the Grill
In my house, as you can imagine, the barbecue cooking has a certain importance. I have an endless amount of memories associated with it: from that new year eve spent smoking a blunder of pounds of Pulled Pork to that Christmas when everything, from appetizer to dessert was made on the grid. But the most vivid memories are those of summer cook outs with friends, done in the evening, with burning torches and my drinks. Yes, because the drink was one of the most popular parts. At public events I enjoyed pull off stylish smoked cocktails but in the relaxed atmosphere of my house I preferred always propose long drinks. Every time I pulled out a new one, and proved the perfect accompaniment: alcoholic just enough to prepare well the evening but never so much to ruin it, fruity like a cocktail but sober like a wine, elegant but irreverent at the same time. One thing they had in common was the fact that for doing I used fruit grilled as first thing, maybe when I turned on the first embers in the afternoon and then soak it in wine left in the fridge until evening. Finished dinner then, was a must to stop and chat by eating the fruit advanced in carafes.
To make it I was using always the same rub: moscovado sugar closed in a jar for at least a week with a vanilla bean, a cinnamon stick broken, some cloves and nutmeg. I cut the fruit into slices, rubed gently both sides, let work for a few minutes so that the juices were dissolve the sugar and then on the grid at a moderate or medium-high temperatures. Sugars, the moscovado and the fruit one caramelized, giving to drink my true ideal combination of sweetness and aroma.
So I wanted to share with you the four recipes which to some extent has turned to be unforgettable for me.
Grilled Sangria
We could not start with something different form the classic of classics between the grill drink: the legendary Sangria, probably the most famous and the one from which I started the tradition. There are many different versions, to which I have given my contribution, adding a dash of Grand Marnier and as mentioned, grilled fruit, namely apples, oranges and lemons. I have not invented the Grilled Sangria but I must say that I’ve been a good promoter and to some extent perhaps even a good innovator.
750 ml. of Red Wine, full body
1 glass of Grand Marnier
1 spoon of sugar
2 apples
2 oranges
2 lemons
Clericot
The Clericot was the second step. I tasted it for the first time with my wife in an Argentinian restaurant in Milan and I was struck immediately planning to replicate it at home at the first opportunity instead of the usual Sangria. Needless to say, it proved a resounding success, and even today is perhaps my favorite of the four. At the time I did not know but I found out later to be a very popular drink and spread a little ‘all over South America. It starts from a base of fruity white wine, to which add soda, Apricot Brandy and grilled peaches.
750 ml. of white wine, fruity
1 glass of Apricot Brandy
1 glass of soda
1 spoon of sugar
3 peaches
Wine and Percocche
In truth this is not about a particular fantasy action: the combination between wine and peaches percocche in southern Italy, particularly in Naples, is a reference. If I really want to be honest, this is not even a drink that I particularly used for evenings with friends, but rather in dinners with my wife, often fish based. But I find that this version of the drink with grilled percocche is really a bomb, and that would work very well also on a more busy barbecue. Anyway try it, it deserves.
750 ml. of white wine, fruity
3 peaches percocche
Green Velvet
It ‘a drink adapted from a cocktail that I happened to taste and among which ingredients there was green apple shot. So I thought to convert it to the long drink version splitting to vodka and green Granny Smith apples, which of course I proceeded to grill. The other ingredients are the classic white wine, this time in my opinion better use Prosecco, and cedrata. The set is nothing short of explosive.
750 ml. of Prosecco
1 e 1/2 glass of Cedrata
1/2 glass of Vodka
3 Granny Smith apples
Summer is approaching and with it barbecues evening with friends are getting back. I can not imagine what could be the next drink I’m going to grill. And you, have one?
