Cocktails of the Month - Year Two (January: Champagne Cocktail)

As we close out our year of Classic Cocktails, as with the close of any year, we have taken some time to look back and to look forward. We have enjoyed learning about (and sampling) some fantastic classic gems- discovering some forgotten treats and learning to make some favorites that were previously intimidating (we’re looking at you, mint julep and eggnog). We had such a ball, that we are going to challenge ourselves with round 2 - can we find another 12 months of fun, classic drinks to share with you? Stay tuned to see what long lost treasures we unearth....

We are kicking off the year with an early pre-January post, perfect for a last minute addition to your Christmas menu or to add some flair to your New Year’s toast. The Champagne Cocktail has been making a resurgence over the last several years, with the addition of various flavored liquors, but it is just as good in its simplest form.

While the recipe was first published in a bar tenders guide in 1862, there were prior references in journals and diaries that indicate this cocktail was in general use a good bit earlier. Although French purists turned their noses up at the idea of adulterating fine champagne, most people enjoyed both the flavor and added bit of fun that came with this drink. Here are a few helpful tips if you want to give it a try...


1. Use a real sugar cube - not loose sugar or a crushed cube. Primarily you are not looking to sweeten the drink, but to create an even more bubbly experience. This best happens as the sugar cube slowly dissolves.

2. Place a few splashes of bitters on a small plate, and dip each side of  the sugar cube into it. We tried several methods and found that this was the best way to get the cube “soaked” with the least amount of waste and mess.

3. Use a sec or doux champagne for the most authentic result. Brut (dry) champagne was not available in the mid 1800’s, and the original recipes were designed with a sweeter champagne in mind. Perhaps this explains our modern tendency to add sweet flavored liquors.

RECIPE 

Champagne (sec or doux)

Sugar Cubes 

Bitters

Soak sugar cubes in bitters

Place one cube in each glass (flute or coupe), chilled glasses work best

Pour Champagne

Serve as is or garnish with a citrus twist 

In the words of Humphrey Bogart, who was drinking a Champage Cocktail as he said it... 

Here’s lookin’ at you kid! 

Merry Christmas and Best Wishes for 2018
Cheers!

Christine and Stacy 

DIY Vintage-Glam Cocktail Swizzle Sticks!!

With all the vintage cocktails we've been researching lately (see our vintage cocktail of the month), I've also run across a lot of vintage bar-ware pieces - So Fun!  One evening, ordering vintage glass swizzle sticks for my husband and myself, the idea to dress them up with sparkly, vintage, glass beads popped into my head.  Sparkles, Vintage, and Cocktails - Yes Please!...I decided to give it a try!  Here's what I did:


Materials:

Vintage Swizzle Sticks: I ordered simple, glass, vintage cocktail stirrers or swizzle sticks (different sellers label them differently) on ebay.  You can also keep watch and sometimes pick them up at thrift and antique shops.  Some of the swizzle sticks have rounded ball ends, some have little flat tops.  The flat tops are often designed to be used in drinks as muddlers, however, since I was looking to decorate mine, those flat tops provided a lovely bead platform.  Vintage swizzle sticks also come in a variety of lengths.  As my husband and I tend toward drinks served in Double Old Fashioned glasses, martini glasses, coup glasses, etc., I personally preferred the short 4"-5" sticks when I could find them.  If you tend towards drinks typically served in Highballs or taller glasses, look for the longer glass swizzle sticks.  It's also not a bad idea to make a variety of lengths, just in case!

Vintage Beads: Again, these can be found in a variety of places, online, thrift shops, etc.  Oftentimes buying one necklace and cutting it apart, can yield 10-20 beads depending on how many you are using and what size they are.  My recommendation is to use glass/crystal beads over plastic or wood as they are easier to clean, however, any would work.  The beads I used ranged from 1" (abstract large beads) and 3/4" (amber disks), to 3/8" (small gray beads topping larger gray beads).

Glue: I used E-6000

 The process is simply to glue the pieces together.  The most difficult aspect I encountered was where to place them to let them dry and set in an upright position.  I had this spikey "grass" drying rack I had gotten for bottle components when my children were little, which proved the perfect place to stick them upright, (a bucket of sand might work too?)!  Initially I did not scuff or "rough-up" the glass pieces prior to gluing.  Some of them held together well, some did not.  Those that did not hold, I filed with a small metal file and tried again.  So far, they seem to be holding.  I have used some in drinks, (stay tuned to our future cocktails of the month blogs-you'll spot some of these lovelies), and washed them successfully.  I would caution that they are delicate, and to handle them with care.

They are also, super sparkly, and loads of FUN!  I kept finding beads that would be "perfect" for a swizzle stick and ended up making quite a few...so now that everyone knows what they're getting for Christmas....   lolol

Enjoy, have fun, and Cheers!
If you make some, tag us on instagram - we'd love to see how they turned out!!
-Christine