Once a roadie, always a roadie!
While my first official role in fresh produce was to sign on with the AndNowUKnow and Snack team right after graduating from college, my industry experience actually began to take root as a server at Texas Roadhouse while I worked toward my degree. It was a great chapter in my life with more than a few lessons I still carry with me today, not the least of which was how to combine a Sangria and Margarita—Sangriarita, for those of us punching in orders at the time.
It’s a treat I’ll still indulge in with friends from the crew when we gather, or just when I’m asked to bring something to parties. Needless to say, I’ve grown since I was first introduced to the blended beverage, and so has my willingness to add a few twists and turns to a recipe. In this case, swapping out juices and syrups for the real deal where possible with a splash of curious additions, or even going alcohol-free for certain occasions.
So, with football underway, basketball just around the corner, and holiday gatherings aplenty to come, please enjoy my fresh-powered twist on the Sangriarita of my youth at any gatherings you might host or attend
12 oz margarita mix
3–5 oz sangria
2 oz fresh-squeezed lime juice
8 oz tequila (optional)
3 oz Cointreau or triple sec (optional, to taste)
1 cup brandy and Spanish red wine to taste (if going the quick-prep route)
Prep Time: 25 mins
Servings: 4
1. For sangria, add ½ a medium apple (cored, skin on, chopped into small pieces), ½ a medium orange (rind on, sliced into small pieces, large seeds removed), and 3–4 tbsp brown sugar to a large pitcher of ¾ cup orange juice and ⅓ cup of brandy. Add favorite red wine (preferably Spanish) and stir.
2. Pour the tequila, margarita mix, lime juice, and triple sec into an average sized blender filled with crushed ice, and blend well. Dip the rim of a 16 oz margarita glass (preferably a schooner!) in the blender to wet, and apply salt or sugar rim, if desired.
3. Pour the blender mixture into the glass until ⅔ full, add the sangria, serve, and enjoy!
Tip: Go strawberry or mango margarita to complement the sangria to promote more fruit! 
