Gastronomically speaking, summer is synonymous with picnics, informal snacks, cold soups, salads, ice creams, sorbets, milkshakes and, of course, summer red. The surname that accompanies this drink does not give rise to confusion. We Spaniards continue to drink red wine during the summer, but in a different and refreshing way.
A drink that burst onto the gastronomic scene in our country in the 1960s and continues to top the list of our favorite summer mixes today. Something that is not surprising because a Tinto de Verano well done It is unparalleled when it comes to cooling our little bodies from the suffocating heat of summer.
What is the origin of the Tinto de Verano?
It seems that the Tinto de Verano was born in the 1920s in Vargas, a small Cordovan inn run by Antonio whose ingenuity was sharpened by the suffocating heat of the land and he began to serve his house wine mixed with siphon. The invention in question had an excellent reception, turning Venta de Vargas into the obligatory meeting place for fans of Andalusian singing and dancing, and giving Origin of Tinto de Verano.
But it wasn’t until the 1960s that the Tinto de Verano became popular and began to be consumed throughout the country with unprecedented frenzy. A benchmark of modernity, the mixture of red wine and soda becomes the perfect summer combo. Advertising contributes to this, especially the La Casera campaign and its “if there is no landlady, we’re leaving”, one of the most successful slogans in history, and to this day.
Currently, the supply of bottled and ready-to-drink Tinto de Verano is extensive, so hardly anyone prepares it and it seems that we have forgotten How to make a good Tinto de Verano at home. Something that certain generations practiced often, which is simple enough to say enough and which allows us to control the final flavor of this sublime combination.
Far from pretending to set a chair on How to make the perfect Tinto de Verano, we tell you that we like the basic mixture of red wine and soda in equal parts, a lot (but a lot) ice and a generous amount of lemon slices. The acidity of the lemon balances the sweetness of the soda and the result is wonderful.
That said, there are those who prefer to use lemon soda instead of soda. Perfect. We already know that in terms of taste there is nothing written, but we advise you to take into account that the level of acidity of the whole will be higher. Therefore, so that our stomach does not end up suffering the consequences, how about reducing the amount of lemon slices or replacing them with orange? Nothing like trying until you find the most suitable formula to our liking.
Important is the use of a decent quality red wine with a low acidity point. Wine is going to make a difference to us so, without having to throw the house out the window and uncork the best bottle of red wine from the cellar, not skimping on it is key. And the soda or lemonade? Its function is to provide bubble and freshness so it is better if we use it very cold and make sure that it has not lost its gas and, with it, its charm.
Ice, another indispensable and key element in the preparation of a good Tinto de Verano. We want the Tinto de Verano to refresh us, right? Well then, let’s be generous with the amount of ice and let’s not be afraid of being watery. The more cubes we add, the lower the temperature of the whole, the longer it will take to break down and the less watery our cocktail will be.
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With what to accompany the Tinto de Verano
The lemon is the classic fruit, whose role is to give a little “rock and roll” to the whole. But we can use other citrus fruits, nothing to add other fruits, we are not making a sangria. Lemon and orange or lemon or orange. Everything will depend on the wine used and whether we opt for soda or lemon soda. The mixture of a decent wine and soda is less acidic, so lemon is more successful than orange and vice versa. Now all that remains is to refresh the aperitif with a Homemade Tinto de Verano!
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