Category: stuff

There’s a new link up in the menus at that top of this page. Do you see it? “Adventures in Jodysitting”. If you click it, you can read about [and get a link to] my first podcast since the heady days of the Dumpcast. I’m sure one or two of you remember my video podcast from 10+ years ago that is no longer available on iTunes [insert moment of silence].  (Refer to these out-of-date gems: THE PODCAST! and DumpCast Home in Flux)

This is an audio podcast, because time and those little Entenmann’s pies have not been kind to me. Sure, I’ll consider tossing a video up from time to time, but really, it’s all about the audio.

My voice doesn’t sound as sexy as I thought it would, and I don’t even smoke unfiltered cigarettes. Is it possibly a side effect of starting each day with a healthy swig of rubbing alcohol followed by the cinnamon challenge? I’ll have to rethink my morning routine.

For anyone who has read about my drunk shopping * adventures here or on Twitter, you may be interested in Episode 8, which features me at the grocery story after 2 very healthy rum punches.

*These generally only happen after 2 margaritas and I always have a designated driver who ENCOURAGES the activity and makes sure I’m not obnoxious.  Or too obnoxious, anyway.

I was asked to bring sangria for Thanksgiving. I have never made it, and don’t drink it. So I looked up recipes and picked and chose from the various recipes.

My sister was concerned because she thought Sangria was just wine and fruit with no extra rum added. I saw no recipes like that.

This stuff is hella potent straight and if you need to function at all, either cut the hell out of it with the ginger ale (or seltzer) or maybe avoid altogether.

The wine I used was not found in the merlot section of my local wine store. It was 2 aisles over with the box wines, pre-made sangria and other Boone’s Farm-level product. The bottle I bought was $6 for a magnum, so give you an idea of what we’re dealing with. If you use a regular wine, I saw burgundy suggested.

Jody’s Sangria

1 bottle (750ml) blackberry merlot

1 cup (give or take) Licor 43*

1 cup OJ

Sliced fruit**

Sugar to taste

Ginger ale

Mix up everything but the ginger ale. Add fruit an hour or so before serving. Keep it cold, and add ginger ale to each glass as you pour – 70/30ish was about the ratio I used. (It may have been 60/40.)

*Licor 43 is sweet and has botanicals (tastes of vanilla) so I used that instead of white rum and didn’t add sugar. You can reduce the amount of 43 for a less-strong Sangria.

**I soaked 1 each sliced plum, orange, lemon, lime and jarred cherries in spiced rum overnight, but I think that wasn’t needed. I’d probably not do lemon or lime next time, and soak in regular rum. (Apples and pears apparently soak up the alcohol more than cherries and plums.)