Dec. 24, 2008 - Issue #688: Les Tabernacles!
I Hardly Know ‘Er
Ring it in with bubbly
The holiday season is an interesting time of year. It’s both climax and denouement, a final celebration and appreciation for the year we just passed, but a farewell to it as well. We have a real need to mark the time, to acknowledge our place in it as it sweeps us along into another year. Yes, we all know that January 1, 2009 will be materially the same as December 31, 2008, but in our minds we have control, we can sweep last year out and replace it with something shiny and clean. To replace the old, though, first you have to wipe it out. Hence, the headache on New Year’s Day.I can’t help you with the headache, but I do have a suggestion for your New Year’s drink. We all know that bubbles are standard, and part of the ritual is splashing out on champagne. This year, I’d like to suggest you try something different: instead of spending money on the most expensive bottles, spend time and mark the occasion with a bit of effort by making elegant, simple cocktails with your bubbly.
One great thing about sparkling cocktails is that you don’t need to buy champagne. Sparkling wines that aren’t champagne are often perfect cocktail mixers. Try cava, which is made in Spain with the same process as champagne. You can also give an American brand a shot—recent blind trials had two out of three people preferring Domaine Ste Michelle from Washington to Dom Perignon. Italian prosecco is another option. The only thing to keep in mind for cocktail-making is that you’re often adding sweetness in the form of liqueurs, so find something dry (look for “Brut” on the label). A dry, simple, sparkling wine will take to cocktail flavours more eagerly than most of us will New Year’s resolutions.
Dress your drink up in sweet, fruity, purples and pinks by making kir royale or kir imperial with cassis or raspberry liqueurs. If fruity isn’t your thing, make your drink bittersweet and hearken back to another classic with a nod to the “champagne cocktail,” which has an Agnostura bitters-soaked sugar cube elegantly sparkling at the bottom of a fluted glass. If spendy is what you’re after, try mixing one part cognac to eight parts bubbly (this writer is not spendy, so I can’t personally guarantee the cognac cocktail).
Whether you’re spending time or money, marking the occasion is important. This year, begin with bubbles and look forward by looking back with some classic cocktails. If you use champagne alternatives, you can sip sparkles all night instead of limiting yourself to just one glass. V
Kir Royale/Kir Imperial
This drink is “royale” with Creme de Cassis, and “imperial” with raspberry liqueur. Both are good, but cassis is the classic and is also easier to come by at the liquor store.
Pour fruit liqueur into the bottom of a champagne flute and top with sparkling wine.
Bittersweet
The sugar cube at the bottom dissolves quickly thanks to the bubbles in the wine, and the flavour of sweetened Agnostura bitters gets distributed throughout the drink.
Place sugar cube at the bottom of a champagne flute, then fill the flute with wine. Allow to rest slightly before serving, to ensure that flavours will be distributed.
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