If the economy didn't suck, I'd be a better hostess...

Well, maybe I'd be a better hostess. 


I love to entertain. I think it runs in my blood. 


My grandparents, Frank and Ang, ran a Czech restaurant in the Chicago suburbs for a number of years, but shut the doors in the early nineties. While I remember obscure decorative items in the building- such as a swordfish nailed to the wall-  most memories are limited. I was too young to people watch and, armed with the vernacular of any respectable five-year-old, had an arsenal of confined conversation topics. 


Still, when I look back at photos of my grandparents at the restaurant they look to be in their element. They seemed very comfortable and extremely skilled at making people feel at home in their restaurant. This is how I feel when I am entertaining or cooking for people.  As silly as this may sound, I get great satisfaction from making people feel at home in my home. In fact, I often get annoyed with guests who nervously congregate near the kitchen rather than sitting down and relaxing in the common area. That drives me nuts! 


Anyway... I invited the girls over for an apéritif on my roof top Friday evening to escape the unbearable Chicago Summer heat. Sangria is one of my all time favorite Summer drinks, and I thought it would be the perfect beverage to cool off my friends. I had a few bottles of white wine left over from earlier in the week, so I decided to take a stab at making some White Sangria. 


I figured I had most, if not all, of the ingredients needed to create the concoction. I'd made Red Sangria the previous weekend and had some left over orange juice, pineapple juice and brandy. While googling the recipe, I found myself fantasizing about wearing an apron and floating around the rooftop serving an abundance of flowing white sangria to my guests, who of course, were asking for a second and third glass. 


My dream was quickly deflated when I came across a recipe by Ms. Rachael Ray. According to said formula,  one needed apple liquor, soda water and a white Spanish wine. I found myself at a disadvantage... could I substitute White Franzia for the white Spanish wine!?


If the economy didn't suck, I probably would have marched my way to the liquor store a block away and picked up the necessary ingredients. But since it does- and I work in PR- I made a conscious decision to "wing it." 


The end product did not resemble your typical Cafe Iberico White Sangria, or anything close to the foodporn found on Rachael Ray's website. My version was opaque and clouded by the addition of the orange and pineapple juices. 


The fact that my friend, Christy, brought a bottle of pre-made, translucent white sangria as a hostess present probably should have left me with a tinge of embarrassment... but I don't embarrass easily. I thanked her for her thoughtful gift and quickly hid the bottle in the fridge before any of my other guests would notice. 


Regardless, everyone seemed to enjoy the unique white sangria I served, and I learned the following lessons from the experience:


1. There are a few instances in cooking where I would actually discourage following the recipe... sometimes, if you're lucky, the end result will work?!?


2. If a guest should bring a dish or beverage that looks more attractive than the one you've prepared, thank him or her and quickly hide the evidence before your other friends have a chance to comment


3. Don't let Rachael Ray's recipes intimidate you... ever.


Happy hosting