Image from Food Service Warehouse Blog
A Classic Winter Drink
March weather is still so variable in the mountains across the US. While the jonquils and crocuses are making their debut in the southern mountains, it could easily still snow. In the Rockies and in the West, the snow will be on the ground for quite some time still.
No drink says winter elegance quite like champagne. Maybe its the association with the holidays and New Years, or perhaps its the academy awards that seem to call for the glamor of champagne. What ever it is, I've long considered champagne a classic winter celebration drink.
OK, Seriously: A Classic Year-Round Drink
My family (and by my family I mean my in-laws, whom I adore) drink a hell of a lot of champagne cocktails in the summertime. We drink them on walks down their tree canopied, country, dirt road. We drink them when we soak in the pond on a hot summers day. And we drink them when we gather around the bonfire on cool summer evenings. OK, so there you go, you can serve this drink any time of year, it's THAT classic.
An Inexpensive Option
The great think about serving Champagne cocktails is it won't break the bank. The added ingredients allow you to serve humble champagne. We use Cristalino Extra Dry because it's super tasty, and a bit sweeter than other Cristalinos. And it's only 7 buck as bottle! The flip side of this is don't pollute Veuve Clicquot with sugar and other crap. If you're going to spend $50 – $100 bucks or more a bottle for champagne, just serve it as is, preferably chilled.
The Recipe:
- Put a sugar cube at the bottom of a champagne flute
- Cover with 6 or 7 shakes of bitters and let it soak into the sugar cube.
- Pour Champagne over sugar cube
- Garnish with a twist of lemon (optional)
Links
- Tips for Making Your Own Cocktails
- Making Cocktails for a Large Crowd This article is especially good for the DIY bride who plans to buy and prep her own cocktails. I personally recommend you hire some one to serve on your wedding day, but you can do a lot yourself in advance.
- Fancy-smanchy Champagne Cocktails from She Knows
- Classic Champagne Cocktails from The Food Network
- Fun Reception Cocktails from Real Weddings
- Creative Wedding Cocktail Hours from My $10,000 Wedding