Kir Royale, this page
Kir Royale, this page
chapter 12
BUBBLY COCKTAILS
Drinking the Stars
You did it—a full year of mixing up cocktails with your friends and drinking outside your comfort zone! By now, you’ve gotten familiar with the main spirit categories, cozied up to your cocktail shaker, and you’re all set to navigate any cocktail menu that comes your way. So this month, we’re breaking out the bubbly to mix up a few more drinks to toast your cocktail club success. Pop those corks and prepare to be drenched in all things bubbly.
Get to Know Your Bubbles
Really, how much do you need to know to enjoy Champagne? Not a lot, that’s for sure—you’ve probably already raised a glass or two in your life, and had a fine old time with it. But if you’re ready to delve a little deeper and mix up these bubbles in cocktails, then here’s a crash course.
Any wine that sparkles can be called sparkling wine, but not all wine that sparkles can be called Champagne. Technically, the name Champagne is only given to sparkling wine hailing from the Champagne region in the northeast of France. Bubbly from anywhere else on the globe is sparkling wine and certain regions use different monikers, including:
• France: Vin mousseux, Cremant d’ Alsace, or Cremant d’ Bourgogne
• Spain: Cava
• Italy: Prosecco, Spumante, and Frizzante
• Germany: Sekt
You Can Judge a Bottle by Its Label
When it comes to sparkling wine, there is usually a lot on the label that will help you decipher what’s inside. Here are a few terms to keep an eye out for:
Blanc de Blanc: This term literally means “white from white,” and refers to white Champagne made from Chardonnay, a white grape.
Blanc de Noir: This term literally means “white from black,” and refers to white Champagne made from Pinot Noir, a red grape. Though made solely from red grapes, this bubbly can range in color from slightly pink to clear.
Rosé: If you see “Rosé” on a bubbly’s label, what’s inside will range from salmon-colored to pink and sparkling. The pink hue of Rosé Champagne and sparkling Rosé is the result of grape skins coming into contact with the juice during fermentation. This can also be achieved by the actual addition of Rosé wine at the end of the winemaking process.
Doux or Dolce: This means “sweet” in French and Italian, respectively.
Demi-Sec: This literally means “half dry,” which is still pretty sweet.
Extra-Dry or Extra-Sec: Though not as dry as brut, this sparkling wine is very dry, meaning it is not as sweet.
Brut: This is really dry, and typically what we want when mixing cocktails. Ultra Brut, Extra Brut, or Natural are other variations of dry bubbly.
PARTY FAVOR
Champagne can only be made with these three grapes: Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier. Outside of Champagne, all grapes are fair game when making bubbly wine.
No Number Games
There is a lot of talk about a wine’s vintage—the year when its grapes are harvested—because the weather in a particular growing season can have an effect on the wine in the bottle. However, most sparkling wines are nonvintage, or “NV.” This means they’re made of grapes harvested from a combination of years. The only time you’d see a vintage on a bottle of bubbly is if the producers felt they had a particularly exceptional year, and decided to bottle only grapes from that harvest. If that’s the case, it is usually reflected in a hefty price tag.
SPEAKEASY
The small strings of tiny bubbles you see streaming through your wine are called perlage. I like to remember this term by thinking of tiny pearl necklaces floating from the bottom to the top of your flute.
How to Give a Great Toast
With the holidays upon us, parties and celebrations start to polka dot the calendar. Whether you’re the host or just an enthusiastic guest looking to raise a glass, ’tis the season for toasting. To keep your cocktail club toasts from turning the night sour, here are a few quick tips to making sure your toast is memorable, and more importantly, brief.
• It’s not about you! Try to avoid giving a long-winded introduction of yourself.
• Be specific to the event or the person you are actually toasting. Using personal anecdotes will make the people you’re toasting feel special.
• Make eye contact. In some cultures, avoiding eye contact is considered bad luck!
• Try not to memorize your toast, so your words sound genuine and not rehearsed. It’s OK to use notes to help you along, but a sweet and imperfect story and a smile will mean more than an awkwardly rehearsed speech.
• Know your audience. Nothing kills momentum faster than making your audience uncomfortable.
• Keep it positive! Your toast is always best kept on a high note.
• Keep it brief. Aim for about a minute in length, then raise your glass to signal the end of the toast.
SPEAKEASY
Petillance is a French word used to describe that little buzz in the mouth that may not be completely bubbly or fizzy. Sometimes it can be detected in still wines too.
Get Your Drink On! 
Bubbly on its own can range in color from clear to straw to salmon on to pink. When you look at a glass of bubbly also pay attention to the strands of bubbles—are they big or small? Are there a lot or just a few? In general, Italian and Spanish bubblies have bigger bubbles that are less assertive, while French and Californian styles maintain strong necklaces of delicate bubbles. All bubbly wine will be light-bodied unless you are sipping a dessert variety, which will be richer in mouthfeel. Some of the aromas you’ll notice range from yeast or toast to citrus, pear, apples, and florals. Prosecco is known for peach and apricot scents while French and American pours lean towards yeasty and fruity aromas. Pink-hued bubblies, like blanc de noirs, can smell like pink fruits such as dried strawberries, ripe raspberries, and cherries.
When mixed in cocktails, the most important attribute of bubbly wine is the spritz. It can range from a slight fizz to an explosive party in your mouth. Note how the bubbles can change a finish. Not only will sparkling cocktails finish fresh and bright, they will also make your mouth water, leaving you wanting for more. While mimosas and bellinis are definitely famous bubbly cocktails, we’ll be moving into more interesting territory for this month’s tasting. Some vintage pours include the Champagne Cocktail (this page), complete with a generous hit of bitters; the gin-based French 75 (opposite); and the classic Kir Royale (this page). A new favorite of mine, the Sparkling Strawberry-Mint Smash (this page), is pretty in pink but not a super sweet sip. If you’re looking for a sweeter drink, wrap up this year of cocktail club with a farewell smooch From Russia with Love (this page).
Tips for This Month
When it comes to mixing up Champagne cocktails, typically you don’t need an expensive bottle of Dom Perignon or even a mid-range bottle of Veuve Cliquot, for that matter. The best bang for your buck is definitely Cava from Spain or a Prosecco from Italy. Most ring in under $20. To be authentic, I’d suggest you include Champagne for the Champagne Cocktail, the French 75, and the Kir Royale.
You’ll need both flutes and coupe glasses this month. The small mouth and long stem of a flute is perfect for keeping the bubbles from escaping sparkling wines and primarily bubbly-based sips, while the old-school beauty of the coupe is just darling for champagne cocktails.
How to Pop the Cork
Remember to always chill your sparkling wine, because otherwise it will explode upon opening. Keep these steps in mind when pulling the plug on a bottle of bubbly:
• Hold It! Grip the bottle with your weaker hand at the base and your stronger hand on top of the cork.
• Foil Off: Remove the foil and wire cage from around the cork carfully. Drape a clean kitchen towel or linen napkin over the exposed cork.
• Twist: Tilt the bottle away from you (and everyone else!) at a 45-degree angle. With the cloth still over the top of the bottle, grasp the cork with one hand and gently twist the bottle—not the cork—with the other. Let the pressure in the bottle gently force out the cork.
Pouring Primer
Start with a 1-ounce pour. This called “priming the glass.” Let the bubbles settle, then finish pouring until the glass is about two-thirds full. If you are making a cocktail like the Aperol Fizz or the Elderflower Spritzer, those spirits act as the primer and there is no need to pour the bubbles in two steps.
The Classics
FRENCH 75
SERVES 1
This drink was named after a piece of artillery that was used during WWI and WWII.
Ice cubes
¼ cup (60 ml) gin
1 teaspoon simple syrup (this page)
1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
Champagne, chilled
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add the gin, syrup, and lemon juice. Shake to chill them. Strain the drink into a flute and top it with Champagne. You can also serve this in a Collins glass half full of ice.
SERVES 1
1 sugar cube
4 to 6 dashes of Angostura bitters
Champagne, chilled
Lemon twist, for garnish
Drop the sugar cube into the bottom of a champagne flute. Coat the cube with the bitters and fill the glass with Champagne. Add the twist and enjoy.
KIR ROYALE
SERVES 1
At the Culinary Institute of America’s famed Escoffier restaurant, this is the traditional French aperitif of choice.
1 tablespoon crème de cassis
3 ounces (90 ml) Champagne, chilled
In a champagne flute, add the crème de cassis and top it with the Champagne.
New Twists
SPARKLING STRAWBERRY-MINT SMASH
SERVES 1
3 to 4 fresh mint leaves
2 to 3 dashes of Angostura bitters
3 ripe strawberries, 2 hulled and sliced, and 1 left whole with stem
1 ounce Cognac
Sparkling Rosé, chilled
In a tall glass, add the mint (crumbling to bruise the leaves before dropping them in the glass) and the bitters. Lightly muddle them. Add the sliced strawberries and Cognac; muddle again lightly. Top with the Rosé, pour into a coupe glass, and garnish with the remaining whole strawberry.
FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE
SERVES 1
1 tablespoon Godiva dark chocolate liqueur
1 tablespoon Chambord
Champagne, chilled
Cacao nibs, for garnish (optional)
In a champagne flute, add the Godiva and Chambord and top them with Champagne. Sprinkle on a couple of nibs if you like.
SERVES 1
The Aperol Fizz was the very first drink that started my cocktail club. We kicked off our monthly wine club with this darling orangey spritzer and from then on it was au revoir wine club and HELLO cocktail club! One sip and you’ll see why.
1 ounce Aperol
3 ounces (90 ml) Prosecco, chilled
In a champagne flute, pour in the Aperol and top it with the Prosecco.
SHAKE IT UP
For an Elderflower Spritz, replace the Aperol with ½ to 1 ounce of elderflower liqueur and top with chilled bubbly.
Eat Up!
We have a wonderful assortment of nibbles perfect for this month’s cocktail club or any holiday soiree you may be hosting. Mini crudités and an easy black truffle–infused bruschetta set the scene for a fabulous cocktail party, not to mention they are perfect paired with an Aperol Fizz (this page) or a traditional Champagne Cocktail (this page). The sweet bite of our Rosemary-Lemon Bars (opposite) is just as delicious alongside our sweeter bubbly cocktails this month.
RICOTTA, TRUFFLE OIL, & FRESH CRACKED PEPPER BRUSCHETTA
SERVES 10 TO 12
1 baguette, about 22 inches (55 cm) long, sliced on the bias
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
15 ounces (430 g) part-skim ricotta, Sorrento is preferred
Truffle oil, for drizzling
Fresh ground pepper
Sea salt
Preheat the broiler and position a rack 5 to 6 inches (12 to 15 cm) from the broiler. Place the baguette slices on a baking sheet and brush the tops with olive oil. Broil the bread until it is golden, about 2 to 3 minutes. (Times will vary as all broilers have different strengths. Keep an eye on them.)
Top each toasted baguette slice with 1 tablespoon ricotta and drizzle it with truffle oil. Grind some pepper over each one and finish with a sprinkle of sea salt. Serve immediately.
MINI CRUDITÉS WITH HOMEMADE BLUE CHEESE DRESSING
SERVES 10 TO 12
For the blue cheese dressing:
½ cup (115 g) blue cheese crumbles
¼ cup (60 ml) buttermilk
¼ cup (60 ml) sour cream
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives (optional)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
For the crudités
½ large red bell pepper, cut into 12 (3 ½- to 4-inch/9- to 10-cm) strips
½ large yellow pepper, cut into 12 (3 ½- to 4-inch/9- to 10-cm) strips
36 green beans, trimmed (about 8 ounces/225 g)
6 stalks celery, cut into 24 (3 ½- to 4-inch/9- to 10-cm) sticks
6 medium to large carrots, cut into 24 (3 ½- to 4-inch/9- to 10-cm) sticks
Make the dressing: In a bowl, whisk all the ingredients together until they are smooth and well combined.
Make the crudités: Fill 12 standard-size shot glasses (mine are 2 ounces/60 ml) with 2 teaspoons of the blue cheese dressing. Evenly divide the vegetables into each glass (3 green beans, 2 pieces each of the carrots and celery, and 1 of each type of pepper). Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Note: To substitute store-bought dressing, use 1 cup (240 ml).
ROSEMARY-LEMON BARS
SERVES 10 TO 12
For the crust:
½ cup (1 stick/115 g) unsalted butter, softened
¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
1 cup (130 g) all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
½ cup (120 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ cup (65 g) all-purpose flour
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon lemon zest
½ cup (50 g) powdered sugar for dusting
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8-by-8-inch (20-by-20-cm) baking dish with foil, letting some hang over the edge.
Make the crust: Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until creamy. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt, then slowly add them to the butter mixture while blending on low. Once they are well combined, stir in the rosemary.
Pour the crust mixture into the prepared pan and press it down to form an even layer with some coming up the sides (you can use a flat-bottomed item like a measuring cup or ramekin to try and make it as even as possible). Refrigerate it for 10 minutes.
Remove the crust from the refrigerator and bake it until it barely begins to brown and looks slightly puffy, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove it from the oven, leaving the oven on, and cool the crust on a rack while you make the filling.
Make the filling: In a medium bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, lemon juice, flour, eggs, and zest until well combined. Pour them into the cooled crust and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the bars are just barely jiggly in the center.
Allow the bars to cool in the pan for at least 1 hour before slicing. To slice, pull the bars out of the pan using the foil overhang and dust them with the powdered sugar. Cut them into 32 (½-inch/12-mm) squares and serve.
