You can never go wrong ordering a champagne cocktail. It’s elegant, light, not to mention delicious. It’s also a wise choice when entertaining, particularly for brunches or aperitifs. You don’t have to have the skills of a bar tender but mastering at least one cocktail will ensure you’re always at the ready to mix up an impressive drink. Here are 7 of my favorites.
1. Classic Champagne Cocktail
Ingredients:
- 1 sugar cube
- 1 dash bitters (Angostura or Peychaud’s)
- Chilled champagne
- 1 lemon twist
Instructions:
- Place a sugar cube in a chilled champagne flute, lash it with 2 or 3 dashes of bitters
- Fill the glass with brut champagne and squeeze a lemon twist on top.
2. Kir Royale
Ingredients:
- Creme de Cassis
- Chilled champagne or sparkling wine
Instructions:
- Pour 1/2 Oz of Creme de cassis in the glass
- Tilt the glass and fill it with your champagne or sparkling wine
- Give it a stir with you bar spoon or any long thin object
- Garnish with cherry.
3. Champagne and Chambord (same as Kir Royale, just replacing creme de cassis with chambered)
Ingredients:
- 1/2 oz (14 g) Chambord liqueur
- Chilled champagne
Intructions:
- Pour the Chambord into a champagne flute.
- Fill with chilled champagne.
- Garnish with raspberry.
4. Bellini
Ingredients:
- Peach puree or juice
- Chilled champagne or sparkling wine
Instructions:
- Muddle a whole peach (or just pour peach juice into 1/3 of the the glass)
- Tilt the glass and fill 2/3 with your champagne or sparkling wine.
- Give it a stir with you bar spoon or any long thin object.
5. Mimosa
Ingredients:
- Fresh-squeezed orange juice
- Brut champagne
Instructions:
- Fill champagne flute 1/3 full (or 2/3) with orange juice
- Top up with chilled champagne.
6. Aristocratic Sparkling Punch
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 bottle burgundy — red burgundy
- 4 ounces brandy — brandy
- 2 bottles Brut champagne
- 1 quart sparkling water
- strawberries
- 2 orange(s)
- punch cup
Instructions:
- In a punch bowl, dissolve 1/2 cup sugar (or less to taste) in the red burgundy.
- Add the brandy, stir, and pour in the brut champagne or reasonable equivalent and the sparkling water.
- Place a block of ice in the bowl, decorating the top if you wish with strawberries, raspberries, or other fruit in season. Cut the oranges into thin wheels and float them in the punch.
7. French 75
Ingredients:
- Ice cubes2 oz (57 g)
- Gin2 tbsp (30 mL)
- Lemon juice1 tbsp (15 mL)
- Simple syrup4 oz (113 g)
- Chilled champagne
Instructions:
- Fill cocktail shaker with ice.
- Add gin, lemon juice and syrup; shake to blend and chill.
- Strain into champagne glass; top with Champagne.
*Simple Syrup is used in cocktails because it mixes better than sugar.
To make: In measuring cup, whisk together 1/2 cup (125 mL) each granulated sugar and boiling water until clear and sugar is dissolved. Makes 3/4 cup (175 mL).
HOMEWORK: Which is your favorite champagne cocktail? Practice making it at home. Mine in the classic champagne cocktail but with pink champagne for a chic twist!
