Monday, January 26, 2009

Sangria

Throughout my restaurant career I have had the opportunity to work under some of the best chef at the hottest New York City eateries. One in particular that brings back many memories is Nobu- the trendy hard to get a table at Sushi place in Tribeca.

Well one memory that would years later come back to me was late April of 2002. A co-worker of mine hosted her brothers’ birthday party at Nobu. I remember having my head down in the reservation log when this tall sun kissed man with a hint of grey threaded through his curly dark sand hair approached me. His smile had me in a stupor-you ever get caught in a trance and hear everything go on around you but can’t quite put the words in sequence? That was me.

Anyway as the night went on I would pass by his table on purpose so he could catch a whiff of the over indulgent perfume I sprayed several times throughout the night. What was I thinking? I was trying to get him to flirt but really none of that mattered because hello earth to Iman I was very much in love and living with someone.

Fast-forward to 2005 no longer with the man I thought I would marry but out with a guy who was like my homie lover friend (you remember R. Kelly’s 1993 hit? Anyway he’s a whole other recipe maybe 5) when who should I run into; Mr. Kissed by the sun himself. He was with some fellow industry people that we all knew in common. Next thing I know my group of 2 was now a group of 10.

A fight was on that night so we retreated to one of the guys houses that lived close by in Battery Park City, followed by dancing at a trendy night club. During that time I said to myself I have to get this guys number. So on a sly we need to network convo (still with homie lover friend) I exchanged numbers with him. We would lose touch again till mid 2006, where he would visit me at another location I was opening; Sofrito. He’d come in sit at the bar order 2 glasses of sangria, watch me work the room and with a little drunken swagger walk out the door. This would happen a few times a month; the interest was there on both parts but nothing came of it.

Finally one day I invited him to my house to watch some sports eat and chill (my favorite pass time) I lured him in with the promise that I would teach him how to make the Sangria he loved so much. He showed up with all the fixings ready to learn. What was on the dinner menu is a blur because the Sangria was the headliner. I do recall however one of the most romantic evenings of my life.

The TV never went on; after eating we went up to the deck armed with sangria, a couple cigars and blankets to shield us from the slight spring breeze. Our evening which stared at 7pm would spill over till the wee hours of the morning without as much as a kiss. The clear star filled sky evoked dialogue I didn’t know was possible between two human beings. Nothing was off limits.

We still have occasional nights like that but I am puzzled by him. Though our time is great I’m left feeling like we are in eternal friend zone.



SANGRIA
One bottle dry red wine, such as Grenache, Syrah or Cabernet Sauvignon
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1 cup brandy
1/3 cup peach snaps or pomegranate snaps
1/4 cup Cointreau or Triple Sec
2 navel oranges—peeled, halved, seeded and cut into large dice
1 Granny Smith apple—halved, cored and cut into large dice
1 Bartlett pear—halved, cored and cut into large dice
5 Strawberries with cut steam
Ice Cubes

Pour the red wine into a 3-quart pitcher. Stir in the orange juice, snaps, brandy, Cointreau. Add the diced oranges, apple pear and strawberries; refrigerate. Serve the sangria in tall glasses over ice. Garnish with a tablespoon of the diced fruit.

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