Orange Coriander Sangria

This is a sure-fire crowd pleaser adapted from "Spice: Flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean"
by Ana Sortun; Chef/owner of Oleana Restaurant in Cambridge via The Recipe Files. This is seriously addictive and a tad bit stronger than your average sangria.

• 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
• 1 cup fresh squeezed orange jucie (use the best oranges you can find)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 cups dry, floral white wine like a Verdejo or a  Chenin Blanc from the Loire (should be a fairly decent wine but doesn't have to be pricey)
• 1 cup cognac or extremely good brandy
• 1 cup sparkling water
• A splash or two of Cointreau (optional)
• 1/8 teaspoon orange blossom water (optional)
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar or turbinado sugar, for rimming the glass
• 1 or 2 oranges for slicing

Toast the coriander seeds over medium-high heat in a saute pan until fragrant. Remove one teaspoon of the seeds and set aside.

Add the orange juice and sugar to the remaining seeds and bring to a boil. Turn off heat and throw mixture in a blender pitcher and cover. Infuse the syrup for fifteen minutes to a half hour.
Buzz the syrup in the blender and strain into a pitcher. Add the rest of the ingredients, orange slices and ice. Add more orange juice and/ or sugar to taste if it's too strong.

For rimming the glasses: Finely grind reserved seeds in a spice grinder and mix them with the two tablespoons of  brown or turbinado sugar or a combination of the two sugars together.

servings: 8