Your New Favorite Summer Drink
Zurracapote, a cousin to Sangría, is sweet-spiced with cinnamon and peach
People, I hope everyone is having a great week so far. Is anyone feeling thirsty? I am…but I’m always thirsty! Today I want to share with you a recipe for Zurracapote, which could be considered a cousin to sangría, but lighter and normally lower in alcohol. It also contains red wine and fruit, just like sangría, but instead of adding a spirit like brandy, you will add Moscatel wine. Moscatel is Spain’s version of Muscat or Moscato, a light and aromatic wine that you can enjoy on its own with dessert or mixed in a punch, like….Zurracapote! If you can’t easily find Moscatel, you can order it online, or substitute another sweet wine like a late-harvest Tokaj from Hungary, or a late-harvest wine from California or Virginia (Linden Vineyards usually has a nice one!).
Zurracapote comes from Calahorra, a small town in La Rioja, Spain that borders Navarra, in the north of the country. The story goes that it was first made for a recipe competition at a local social club, the Peña Philips. Peña Philips is one of a few clubs in Calahorra that throw big parties during the town’s holidays and patron saint festivities, when there are also bull runs. During these parties, members of each club dress in their own club colors and come together to drink and sing—sounds fun, right? (Can you think of any small towns in the US that have social clubs like this? ? I’d love to visit!)
The original Peña Philips was formed in 1954 with twelve members, and today, there are more than a thousand members and a brick and a physical club location in Calahorra’s Market Square.
The key to Zurracapote is a little time and patience…you will need to macerate the peach and lemon in the wine mixture for three days, which will break down the natural sugars in the fruit, soften them, and release their flavors—which will infuse the drink, so when you strain it, you will still taste the fruit.
Make this by the porrón or by the pitcher for parties, or just make it to keep in your fridge and enjoy a refreshing glass on a hot day!
Zurracapote
Recipe by the Peña Phillips in Calahorra
Serves 4 to 6