Champagne Cocktails

We’ve talked about the importance of celebrations. One of my favorite ways to celebrate is with champagne cocktails.

Cocktails made with champagne are my favorite way to start an evening of dining with friends. I love to sip one of these lovelies before dinner. A glass of champagne is also nice after dinner.

Here are three of my favorite recipes which all use a bit of the bubbly.

Champagne Cocktail

For a classic champagne cocktail, place a sugar cube in the bottom of a champagne flute. Pour in a few drops of Angostura bitters. Fill the glass with champagne. Top with a twist of lemon. If you are hosting a cocktail party, try decorating the rim of the glass with colored sugar.

Kir Royale

This beautiful rose-colored cocktail is a favorite pre-dinner drink among Parisiennes. Pour a half ounce of crème de cassis (black currant liqueur) or framboise (raspberry liqueur) into a champagne flute and fill the rest of the glass with champagne. Adjust liqueur to taste.

St. Honoré 75

This cocktail calls for St. Germain liqueur, an elderflower-flavored liqueur that comes in the most beautiful bottle. Pour 1 ounce of St. Germain and 1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice into a cocktail shaker with lots of ice. Shake until very cold. Pour into a martini glass, top with champagne and a twist of lemon.

For an inexpensive substitute, try using Prosecco in place of champagne. It’s a sparkling wine from Italy. The fermentation process is different and it is a little fruitier than champagne, but it makes a worthy substitute. Spanish Cava is also an option.

Go find something to celebrate! Cheers.