Champagne has become synonymous with holiday celebrations, particularly during New Year’s Eve and Christmas. We gather around, holding our breath until the cork pops, then race to pour it into special glasses before it overflows. Champagne elevates an occasion like no other drink. (Except Aquavit, but that’s another story for another time.)
So how do you elevate an elevator? Turn it into a cocktail.
Not just any cocktail. The Champagne Cocktail.
The Champagne Cocktail is the first known use of Champagne as a cocktail ingredient. Its origins date back to the mid-1800s—the “Iron Age” of American mixology– making it one of the oldest known cocktails, 50 or 60 years before the popular French 75 was created.
The first recorded recipe for a Champagne cocktail goes back to “The Bar-Tenders Guide” written by Jerry Thomas in 1862. The classic recipe was rather loosey-goosey: sugar, bitters, lemon peel, and champagne, poured over ice, then shaken. A recipe for an explosion, surely. (The Champagne-shaking error was corrected a few years later.)
It’s a classic
The Champagne Cocktail is considered a classic due to its simplicity, elegance, and historical significance, much like a Chanel suit. It combines the effervescence of Champagne with the depth of bitters and the sweetness of a sugar cube, creating a balanced and sophisticated drink.
Use Champagne if you can, but if not…
You can make a Champagne Cocktail using a French crémant, prosecco or cava as substitutes for Champagne, although strictly speaking it won’t be a “Champagne Cocktail.” They’re sparkling wines that offer similar effervescence, but will give a slightly different, but delectable, flavor profile. (Read more about sparkling wines here.)
If you’re looking for a way to add some sparkle to the holidays, try serving the classic Champagne Cocktail instead of a glass of “red or white.” There’s nothing like a bit of bubbly to turn a pleasant gathering of friends into a festive celebration.
The Champagne Cocktail
- Place sugar cube in bottom of chilled Champagne flute.
- Dash some bitters on top of sugar cube.
- Drop an ice cube into your glass like bartenders of yesteryear would do.
- Pour a little Champagne into the flute and let settle to prevent it foaming over before filling with more bubbly.
- Garnish with a twist of lemon peel.
Kick it up a notch. Add no more than ½ ounce (15 ml) chilled Cognac before adding the Champagne.
* * *
Explore more on the Blue Hare Home Page