This refreshing prosecco sangría recipe is full of floral flavors from white nectarines, fresh ginger, wildflower honey, St. Germain elderflower liqueur, and dry prosecco. Substitute white or yellow peaches or nectarines to your heart's content.
My Cookbook Journey
I've had this secret eating away at me for months and I'm so excited to finally get to share it here. I'm writing and photographing a cookbook. My first one. Hopefully it won't be the last. It's all about baking with alternative grains and flours, with every recipe hinging on a seasonal fruit or vegetable. It's tentatively titled Alternative Baker: Reinventing Dessert with Gluten-Free Grains and Flours. Each of the 100+ recipes, 95% of which are brand-new, gets its own full-color image, shot by yours truly. The manuscript is due this October and the photos a month later. The release date is tentatively set for April 2016.
From Book Deal to Bupkes (And Back Again)
Many of you will remember that I was offered a book deal a little over a year ago that turned out to be a no-go, and I wanted to talk a bit about what happened in the interim and how this one came to fruition.
Last spring, I wrote this post. I got a ton of amazing feedback. Most of it supported my decision, but a few comments were from people who worked in publishing saying, "Uh, that was actually a pretty good offer, yo." That was hard to hear, but I still felt at peace with my decision to continue exploring my options. I worked on finishing my proposal and reached out to a few different agents, most of whom couldn't take me on.
Finding a Literary Agent
I had read an interview on Dianne Jacob's site with literary agent Danielle Svetcov and was planning to reach out to her, when a friend of a friend offered to introduce us. It turns out Danielle is, like, THE cookbook agent in the Bay Area, but luckily I didn't know that at the time when we spoke a year ago. All I knew was that she had authored her own humorous cookbook and that I liked her immediately.
"I needed to get out of the office so I'm going to walk in the woods while we talk, is that ok?" she said when I picked up the phone. We talked for the better part of an hour, which was amazing as other agents were available for nothing more than a brief email. She told me about another client of hers whose book she felt had sold too early in the game, before the author had a big enough following to let them command more control over the book's aesthetics. "If we try to sell your book now, we're going to get a lot of rejections and it won't be fun." She essentially told me to keep working on my blog and call her in a year for a state-of-career call. She was encouraging, but it's hard to hear "not yet."
Saved by Sandwiches
Devastation mixed with relief as I hung up. I cried. I went back to working full-time on my blog. I made these sandwiches, landed in the ER, and my traffic doubled. I still don't get it.
I don't know if it was the sandwiches, but late that fall, a publisher reached out asking me to author a book with them. Danielle said to loop her in if any publishers called so I did, and we had a conference call with the head publisher. Instead of telling me what book he wanted me to write, he spent half an hour gently questioning me about what I like to cook. I got the feeling that this publisher would be on my team, advocating for my success and supporting my creative vision. When we hung up, Danielle let me know that she was impressed, too.
Cookbook Deal: The Nitty Gritty
The publisher asked me to submit a synopsis about the book concept we'd discussed, then a handful of recipes and sample images, and they eventually made us an offer. The numbers were roughly double what the previous offer had been; it would still be just enough to cover expenses when all was said and done, but it was better. Danielle pointed out that it can be advantageous to take a lowish advance for your first book as it's easier to "earn out" the advance through sales and begin earning royalties – all of which marks a book as successful in the eyes of most publishers. Only 3 in 10 books succeed in that sense. If your first book isn't "successful" by these standards, it can be difficult to wrangle another book deal. With a too-high advance, you can be doomed to fail right out of the gate because it will be nigh impossible to earn-out.
This publisher also separated the photography fee from the book advance, which is important for two reasons.
- If the photo fees are rolled into the advance, the book has to earn out that sum as well.
- The separate photo deal made me feel like a professional photographer; it was a sign of respect. I could write AND I could shoot, and the publisher had acknowledged that. The other publisher that had made me an offer had rolled the fees into one advance, claiming it made no difference (which wasn't true); this had given me yet another reason to mistrust the other publisher and ultimately decline the offer.
My publisher is a fairly small operation, but they are distributed by one of the "Big Five" publishers, Macmillan, meaning that the book should get the same distribution (exposure in stores) that a book from a larger publisher would. When I asked Danielle if we should wait for a bigger publisher, she explained that with a big publisher a new author like myself would simply get less one-on-one attention and have less control over the book.
All in all, this seemed like a decent first book experience. I accepted!
Why I Really Said Yes to a Book Deal
Over the past year, I've learned that the manner in which I'm treated in a working relationship is equally (if not more) important than cold hard numbers. During my interactions with the first publisher who made me an offer over a year ago, I was a bundle of nerves. I couldn't put my finger on what bothered me; I felt anxious before every interaction, confused and insecure afterward. Something about his manner just rubbed me the wrong way; we just didn't click. His nasty side came out when my consultant and I began questioning his contract, and his words turned contemptuous. Writing a book was hard enough, I didn't want to fight against the very person who should be cheering me on the most! How would I have the energy to do the actual work? I was relieved when the low royalty rate gave me a tangible reason to decline; I just didn't want to work with this person.
In contrast, this team treated me with kindness and respect. I feel comfortable asking questions and giving feedback on design details. My agent Danielle is a wealth of knowledge who I'm very grateful to have guiding me through this experience. In all, this team makes me feel valued, and that enables me to do my best work.
A Bookload of Work
I've been working on this book since January and let me tell you, it's a lot! It's like having 2 full-time jobs (I think – I've never even had 1 real full-time job...). Each week I develop, shoot and write 3-4 recipes. Since most recipes take 3 or 4 tries to get right (8 is my record so far for some finicky though insanely tasty cookies), each week is a blur of shopping, baking, shooting, washing dishes (or more frequently, begging Jay to), photo editing, writing, sending recipes out for testing, and lots of exercise to counteract the effects of all the butter. We are drowning in desserts; definitely a first world problem, but still. I actually had a dream the other night that I was trying to do a cleanse but every restaurant I went to tried to make me eat butter.
But deep down, past the busyness and schedules and spreadsheets and too much sugar and SO MANY DISHES, I'm all tingly with anticipation. Come next April, I'll be holding a copy of my very own book filled up with 100+ gems of recipes, each well-tested and flanked by a pretty picture (and hopefully you will too!). I promise to keep you posted through the rest of the process and share as much as I can. Thank you for following along on this journey!
Sparkling Prosecco Sangría
To celebrate all this hullabaloo, I got some flowers and made us some sparkling prosecco sangría full of all my favorite things and inspired by this gorgeous recipe from Feasting at Home. There's fresh ginger for a bit of zip, St. Germain elderflower liqueur for a punch of flavor, white nectarines whose red skins give the drink a rosy hue, lemon juice and honey for balance, and prosecco, sparkling water, and ice to refresh. This thirst-quenching libation boasts a full-bodied floral taste that is downright intoxicating. Serve it over lots of ice, and be sure to nom those slices of booze-soaked nectarines; they're the best part.
More Sangría recipes:
More St. Germain Cocktails & Recipes:
- one for the money cocktail {cocchi americano, st. germain, prosecco, lemon, and cardamom-saffron tincture}
- sparkling grapefruit, elderflower & rosé vodka cocktail
- gluten free cheesecake with elderflower peaches
- grapefruit elderflower custard pie
*Bojon appétit! For more Bojon Gourmet in your life, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest, purchase my gluten-free cookbook Alternative Baker, or subscribe to receive new posts via email. And if you make this prosecco sangria recipe, I’d love to know. Leave a comment and rating below, and tag your Instagram snaps @The_Bojon_Gourmet and #bojongourmet.*
White Nectarine Prosecco Sangría with Ginger + Elderflower
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 2 tablespoons mild honey
- 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh ginger (35g)
- 2 medium-sized white nectarines or peaches, chopped
- 2 medium-sized white nectarines or peaches, sliced
- 1/4 cup strained lemon juice
- 1 bottle prosecco or other dry white sparkling wine such as cava, chilled (750 ml)
- 1 cup St. Germain Elderflower liqueur, chilled
- ice
- 1-2 cups sparkling water, chilled
Instructions
- In a large measuring pitcher, muddle together the honey and chopped ginger until the juices run out of the ginger, 1 minute. Muddle in the chopped nectarines and lemon juice until well crushed. (Alternatively, pulse the mixture in a food processor or with an immersion blender to speed up this process.) Stir in half of the prosecco. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve and into a large punch bowl or pitcher, pressing on the fruit pulp to extract all the good stuff. Discard the pulp.Add the rest of the prosecco, the St. Germain and the sliced nectarines to the sangría. Taste, adding more lemon juice if you feel the drink it needs it. Add ice and sparkling water to the pitcher, and serve within the hour while the drink is bubbly, ladling it into cups with bits of the fruit.
Notes
Nutrition
White Nectarine Prosecco Sangría with Ginger + Elderflower
Inspired by Feasting at Home's Peach and Elderflower Sangría
Feel free to use white or yellow peaches or nectarines here. Since fruit and wines vary in sweetness, add more lemon or honey to your taste. Do add the prosecco and sparkling water shortly before serving to retain the bubbles.
Makes 6-8 servings
2 tablespoons mild honey
1/3 cup (35 g) finely chopped fresh ginger
2 medium-sized white nectarines or peaches, chopped
2 medium-sized white nectarines or peaches, sliced
1/4 cup strained lemon juice
1 (750 ml) bottle prosecco or other dry white sparkling wine such as cava, chilled
1 cup St. Germain Elderflower liqueur, chilled
ice
1-2 cups sparkling water, chilled
In a large measuring pitcher, muddle together the honey and chopped ginger until the juices run out of the ginger, 1 minute. Muddle in the chopped nectarines and lemon juice until well crushed. (Alternatively, pulse the mixture in a food processor or with an immersion blender to speed up this process.) Stir in half of the prosecco. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve and into a large punch bowl or pitcher, pressing on the fruit pulp to extract all the good stuff. Discard the pulp.Add the rest of the prosecco, the St. Germain and the sliced nectarines to the sangría. Taste, adding more lemon juice if you feel the drink it needs it. Add ice and sparkling water to the pitcher, and serve within the hour while the drink is bubbly, ladling it into cups with bits of the fruit.
Dolphia Nandi-Arnstein says
How come I missed this! CONGRATS Alanna for your cookbook! I will look forward to it :)
And the photographs in this post are mesmerizing!
Denise | TLT says
First of all: congrats!!!!!!! Alanna: you deserve this so, so much! I'm very proud of you and very excited too! Your pictures truly stand out each and every time. And the subject of your book? YES! Big time! I'm so gonna buy one of the first books immediately!
Also: you can't imagine how much I recognize in this post. It's almost scary. I had the exact same situation with a publisher (two, in fact) a year before and it was so terrible at that time. Afterwards, I'm kind of thankful for the experience, but it was hard back then. And look at me now: I just finished all the texts, recipes and pictures for my cookbook and have a wonderful book team and publisher now. I work closely together with the graphic designer and it's such a joy. It's a bit scary, incredibly tough and intense and so amazing at the same time.
I love that you're in the same boat and with you all the best of luck. Can't wait to see the end result!!! xoxo
Lauren Gaskill | Making Life Sweet says
Congratulations Alanna! This is such wonderful news. This recipe is a perfect way to toast in celebration. Cheers to you!!
Amber Andel says
I'm assuming you add in the St. Germain with the rest of the prosecco?
Alanna says
Yes, exactly, thank's for catching that. Updated!
Linda | A La Place Clichy says
AHHHHHHH I am soo excited for your cookbook! I will seriously pre-order it within seconds once you tell me where. I can't wait!!!
Eileen says
Congratulations! This does sound like a much better situation on all fronts. Super excited to check out the finished product in months to come! And definitely have a couple glasses of this beautiful sangria -- it sounds like the perfect way to celebrate.
Izzy says
I'm so happy for you!!! Congratulations!! I knew that when you turned the last one down it would only be a matter of time before the right deal came along for you! You are so talented and I cannot wait to see your finished cookbook!! I will most definitely be getting one! These beautiful drinks look like the perfect way to celebrate :)
Alana | Fix Feast Flair says
HUGE CONGRATS!!!! And thank you for this wonderful and candid post. I cannot wait till you've turned in your final edits and we're reading the woohoo, it's almost over but until then, enjoy this process. You're kicking butt over there right now. :D :D
Nuriya la Tanita says
Mazal tov, felicidades, congratulations!!!! This is such magnificent news! You have truly earned this! I am sure this will be the first of many beautiful published works you will put forward. I can't wait for it to come out! Hopefully in time for Thanksgiving baking ;)
Sondi says
Congratulations!! It sounds like you have the perfect fit with your publisher and it was meant to happen this way. You have the best photos in the blogosphere and I can't wait for the amazingness to come in your book. Any chance your cookbook will also include some dairy-free and egg-free options?
Alanna says
Hi Sondi! Thanks for the sweet note. I do have a few vegan recipes in the book, though they are the minority. xo
Sneh | Cook Republic says
So so exciting Alanna! Congratulations. Looking forward to it :-)
Cindy says
Alannaaaaa!!!!!!!! Congrats! I am really excited about the book (a photo for every recipe is the best!) but, mostly, I'm excited for you. This sounds like an amazing experience and I am so glad that things came to fruition for you in a bigger and better way. I truly cannot wait to hold a copy of your (sure to be) gorgeous book in my hands. CHEERS!!
Alanna says
Aw! Thank you Cindy - that means so much coming from you. <3
Valerie Gamine says
Yippie!!! Congrats (again ;)) Alanna! Well deserved. Kudos for holding out for something wonderful that felt right. Always listen to that voice inside your head, no matter how maddening. :D Now, may I please fly over for a celebratory sangria, or four!!
Alanna says
Haha! Thank you SO much Valerie! And yes, absolutely, your sangria(s) await! <3
Sophie says
Wow, fantastic news and well deserved - congratulations! Thank you for the honest insight into the process. I actually started following your blog with those sandwiches... I think your link was posted on another website which I followed, and loved the story, your writing style and (of course) the recipes.... good luck, and stay sane with all the sugar x
Alanna says
Haha, thanks so much for reading and for the kind note, Sophie! I'm trying to slip in savory twists when I can. ;)
Tina @ Just Putzing Around the Kitchen says
Congrats on the book deal, Alanna!!!! So happy and excited for you, and can't wait to see it (will DEFINITELY be adding it to my cookbook collection). Also, this sangria looks amazing - duh :D
Alanna says
Aw, thank you so much Tina! I hope we get to celebrate over sangria IRL soon. <3 <3 <3
Alicia says
Congrats, your book will be amazing! Your recipes are gorgeous and inspiring. I've only made a few but your chocolate coconut pots de creme were the most delicious things I've ever eaten. Easy-yet-astounding recipes like that are my favorite kind!
Alanna says
Aw, thank you Alicia! That recipe is one of my faves too - thanks for giving it a go. :)
Lucy Eats says
Congratulations on the book deal! Thank you for the insight into the process and it's great to hear that, in hindsight, you got the better deal!
Alanna says
Thank you Lucy! Yes, I'm certainly glad I waited - whew!
Katie says
Congratulations, I'm so excited for you! It must be very validating to know that waiting was the right choice. Thank you for being so open about your decision - I can't wait to see the book!
Katie
Alanna says
Oh thank you so much Katie!
Christine says
SO EXCITED for this book, Alanna! Congrats!
Alanna says
Aw! Thank you so much Christine! That means a lot coming from you, connoisseur of delectable things.
Sully says
It's been a long time since I've commented, but I think I de-lurked the first time when you were weighing your earlier book deal. I'm very excited for you. I read your blog each Saturday with my coffee before heading out to the local farmer's market. I can't wait to slide your name into place on my shelves, or to pull it out and take it to the kitchen. So glad you hung in there and I wish you very good luck with the work of the book!
Alanna says
Hi Sully! Thank you so much for re-de-lurking. I'm all choked up. :)
Elizabeth - SugarHero.com says
Congratulations! I've loved your blog for years and cannot wait to see the magic of your cookbook.
Alanna says
Aw! Thank you so much Elizabeth - right back atcha on all counts. :)
Michelle says
Bravo! And I've never seen a prettier sangria.
Alanna says
Aw! Thank you Michelle! I <3 your blog.
Kelly says
Oh my gosh, this is such amazing news! Mucho congrats lady! Also, I'm sending you an email to cash in that raincheck! Or perhaps I can just come over and watch you in action/eat desserts? :)
Alanna says
Aw, thank you so much Kelly! Looking forward to our date. :)
Salvation Sisters says
Congratulations! We sisters are indeed very happy for you. Cheers to you.
Alanna says
Aw, thank you, sisters!! <3
Karen @ The Food Charlatan says
I'm so happy for you Alanna! Publishers should be falling all over themselves to get to you; I'm glad you've found people you like :)
Alanna says
D'aw! Thanks lady. :)
Ileana says
Wow congrats! So happy for you!! Sounds like it was worth the wait to find the right team to work with you. Thanks for this informative post and the previous one about your book offers - so interesting and helpful to hear more about the process!
Alanna says
Thanks for the kind words and for reading, friend! <3
Anonymous says
I never comment on blogs but I made this sangria tonight and it was amazing! I pureed everything in the food processor so it was a fine pulp and it was a huge hit. Couple questions...do you have a winter version of this and I assume for larger portions just double or triple? Thanks for the great recipe!
Alanna says
Aw, well thank you so much for the note - it made my day! :) I'm glad to know that pureeing the sangria worked! Did you strain it afterward?
I don't have a winter version, but I'll make note of the request and work on one! Maybe with pears and pomegranate? Or some fun citrus like grapefruit! Thanks for the great idea!
Erika says
Omg Alanna a-way-belated CONGRATULATIONS to you!!!! I'm so happy you decided to take the deal--all the reasons you laid out for taking it make so much sense, but really, I think that gut intuition is the most important. You are SO wise for holding out for the right team to make your book happen and I am so excited to see the beautiful thing when it comes out!!! I will be the first (okay, after your family) to tell EVERYONE I know about it so you can smash your earn out ;) ;) Also, I may be back for a week in mid-August so if you still need help eating your way out of a mound of butter, you know who to call ;)
Alanna says
Erika! Thank you so much for the sweet note! I definitely want to feed you butter when you're back in town, so let's def make that happen. :) :) (Sorry about the previous comment - was using Jay's computer and didn't realize I was leaving a comment as him!)
S says
I am so happy for you - my apologies that it took me this long to come to your post and congratulate you. I can't wait to read your book. And this sangria - I don't care if it is Fall already, I shall make it xx
Zan says
You are amazing. I just found you as I searched for a sauce for some crab cakes ha! Just love your story, your journey and someone living from their truth and heart. How inspiring! What a perfect find on this fine Saturday in Vancouver, BC.
Ash @ The Delightful Home says
This is such a beautiful recipe! It looks like the perfect transitional (into spring) recipe!
Lauren Grant | Zestful Kitchen says
I know I'm late to the party here to finally be reading this blog post, especially since I have your book :)
I've been following along with your photography and recipes but have just recently found myself looking through your archive and reading your posts. Wow, what a refreshing, down-to-earth experience your site and work is. Thank you for so wonderfully sharing this story and so many others. I truly love stopping by your site and am always inspired by you!
Alanna says
Hi Lauren! Aw, thank you for the incredibly kind words - that means a lot to me! Now I'm ravenous after looking at your gorgeous blog. <3 <3 <3
Jill Roberts @ WellnessGeeky says
Definitely your white nectarine prosecco sangria ginger elderflower is awesomeness! This is a great recipe Alanna, as you know I made it a short while ago and it was lovely, in fact have made it again since. Thanks for sharing!
Alanna says
Aw, I'm so glad you're liking the recipe! It's a fave around here too. :)
Julia Stearns @ Healthirony says
Absolutely love your creative idea with white nectarine prosecco sangria ginger & elderflower! Can I post it on my blog? Thanks for sharing!
Alanna says
Aw thank you! You're welcome to post a photo with the link back to my site for the recipe! :)
MelisendePF says
I made this as a pre-dinner drink for our Canadian Thanksgiving today because I'm always the designated cocktail maker. This was hands down everyone's favorite cocktail in years. I had very ripe, sweet nectarines which I think is needed. It won't stay bubbly for too long, so by the time the last guests arrived the bubbles were gone but it didn't matter. The taste of the drink is fabulous. I used SANTA MARGHERITA - VALDOBBIADENE Prosecco which has a 1 sweetness rating.
Alanna says
Well that sounds completely delicious - I would have liked to be a guest at that meal! I'm so glad you enjoyed this cocktail, it has a special place in my heart for sure.