Reid & Robie

Every sip of sangria is a taste of summer, no matter the season.

– Anonymous

Some of the best food finds are discovered in the least likely places.

When traveling Robie and I eat mostly local fare. But sometimes trying food we know and love halfway around the globe gives new life to the original. Over the years we’ve eaten French cuisine in Shanghai, Aussie tucker in Hong Kong, Greek saganaki in Puerto Vallarta, Italian pasta in Johannesburg, American hamburgers in London, Moroccan tagines in Paris, Spanish paella in Venezuela, Austrian schnitzel in Krakow and Spanish tapas in Zurich. But the one cuisine that’s the hardest to find is our beloved Mexican food.

On our first trip to Europe, Robie and I expected to miss what had become a weekly dose of queso and jalapeño poppers. But when the taxi taking us to the National Archeological Museum in Athens stopped at a red light in front of a Mexican place, I stared out the window at the colorful piñatas and wide-brimmed sombreros adorning the restaurant. Half a day later and famished, we left the immense museum and set out for a late lunch.

As the only customers at El Gusto Mexican Restaurant, Robie and I took a sidewalk table despite the traffic. And when we told our waiter we were from Texas, he promised to bring out his two most popular dishes, a plate of nachos and a pitcher of sangria.

Now, nachos may have originated in Piedras Negras, Mexico when Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya topped corn tortillas with melted cheese and jalapeños for a group of American military wives, but the dish originally dubbed “Nacho’s special” has changed with the times and now comes with tofu, ahi tuna or buffalo chicken. And while sangria’s been around since Roman times, the modern version of brandy-spike wine topped with spices and fruit originated in southern Spain – not Mexico.

Since neither of our waiter’s choices were purely Mexican, Robie and I weren’t sure what to expect. But we devoured the Greek twist of corn chips sprinkled with tomatoes, onions, bell peppers and whole kalamata olives. And while there was nothing Mexican about the sangria made with Greek wine and brandy, the concoction was so tasty we asked our server for the recipe.

The unexpected find of El Gusto Mexican Restaurant in Athens was the beginning of our tradition to seek out Mexican food while we travel. But outside North America, the cuisine is oddly rare, surprisingly expensive and exceedingly bland. Since leaving the States on our roving retirement, Robie and I have found few opportunities to indulge in our favorite food. In Liverpool the sign for tacos near our apartment hung above a permanently closed restaurant and the nachos at the local pub were nothing but mounded chips topped with a cheese dip, sour cream and Pace Picante Sauce.

When Robie and I returned to Athens in the fall, there was no sign of the El Gusto from 29 years ago and when we checked out a place called Dos Gardenias near our hotel touting itself as Mexican, the Cuban cuisine and Afro-Caribbean music had none of the flavors or rhythms of Mexico. By the time we arrived in Ikaria, I doubted any Mexican had ever set foot on the remote Greek island.

Rarer than Mexican restaurants are the ingredients used in the cuisine. Refried beans and tomatillos are unknown, cilantro and ancho chiles unheard of and corn tortillas nonexistent. But when we found a bottle of Tabasco in Albania, Robie was so happy to see hot sauce he paid $6.71 for a 60-milliliter bottle or about ten cents a splash.

When a friend in Sarandё mentioned a Mexican/Asian grocery store in town we again dreamt of earthy enchiladas and mouth-puckering, colon-cleansing pickled jalapeños. But after inspecting both aisles in the tiny store, we bought only two items, rice wine vinegar and kimchi ramen.

While Mexican food may be off the menu for the foreseeable future, sangria is not. After three decades and more than fifty countries together, Robie and I still haven’t found anything to rival El Gusto’s sangria. And since they’re no longer around to make it, we’re sharing their recipe because this flavorful beverage is like summer in a glass – perfect for your next block party or backyard barbecue.

El Gusto Restaurant’s Sangria Mexicana

Ingredients

1 bottle medium-bodied red wine such as Cotes du Rhone, Malbec, Merlot or Pinot Noir

2/3 cup fresh orange juice

1 shot Jack Daniels

1 shot Southern Comfort

1 shot Jim Beam

1 shot Greek Metaxa (or other brandy)

½ each, cored and diced red and green apples for garnish

Ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Pour all liquids into a large pitcher. Stir well and refrigerate for an hour.
2. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon, garnish with apple slices.
3. Share and enjoy!