Champagne Cocktails

Champagne

Champagne is the name given to the bubbly white wine from the Champagne region of France. Moet & Chandon, Dom Perignon and Bollinger are famous brands that are known the world over. Champagne first found favor with the French Royal family which is where it became associated with being an upper class drink.

During the 1920s the Champagne Cocktail was found to be extremely popular amongst the 'Flapper set' which added to the allure of bubbles. In more recent times it was a popular drink for Patsy and Eddie on Absolutely Fabulous!

When it comes to Champagne cocktails I substitute any nice tasting sparkling white wine. The rule of thumb for me is if I would drink it on it's own then I'll use it in a cocktail, if I wouldn't drink the champagne then it will not be going into a cocktail!

The Classic Champagne Cocktails

The original Champagne Cocktail is a true cocktail classic, it was originally served in champagne cups something which is rarely seen now. Serving a Champagne Cocktail in a champagne flute is a much better experience as the shape of the flute captures the bubbles perfectly.

Another classic Champagne cocktail is the Mimosa or Bucks Fizz depending on where you live in the world. I usually serve Bucks Fizz in a pitcher as its great for a girls day out or a brunch where you don't want to be always mixing new drinks

Champagne Cocktail

1 sugar cube
angostura bitters
chilled champagne
lemon twist

Place the sugar cube in the bottom of a champagne flute and put a few dashes of angostura bitters onto it. Next fill with champagne, stir and garnish with the lemon twist.

Bucks Fizz

3 parts Champagne
2 parts Orange Juice

Place 2 cups of Orange Juice in a pitcher and top up with 3 cups of Champagne, a quick stir and then pour into Champagne flutes to serve.

Romantic Champagne Cocktails

If you're feeling romantic and want to impress someone special on one of your first dates, their birthday or even Valentines Day then try a Cupid's Bow, Flirtini or an Axis Kiss.

Cupid's Bow

5 oz Champagne
½ oz cherry liqueur

Pour the cherry liqueur into a Champagne flute and fill with chilled Champagne.

Flirtini

1 shot vodka
¾ shot triple sec
2 shots pineapple juice
champagne

Put the vodka, triple sec and pineapple juice into a shaker with ice and shake well. Strain into a cocktail glass and top up with champagne.

Axis Kiss

1 dash amaretto
1 dash creme de cassis
Champagne

Pour both the amaretto and crème de cassis into a Champagne flute and then top up with chilled Champagne.

Even More Champagne Cocktails

For more delightful Champagne cocktails you simply must try the Sparkling Cosmo, a cosmopolitan with bubbles! The Pink Slipper and Champagne Cooler are other delightful Champagne cocktails to try.

Sparkling Cosmo

1 ½ shots citron vodka
½ shot triple sec
1 shot cranberry juice
I dash fresh lime juice
Champagne

Place the vodka, triple sec and juices into a shaker with ice and shake well. Strain into a champagne flute and top up with chilled champagne.

Pink Slipper

1 part cointreau
1 part bacardi
3 parts champagne
4 strawberries

Blend together the cointreau, bacardi, strawberries, pour into a Champagne flute and top with Champagne while giving it a gentle stir.

Champagne Cooler

3 parts brandy
2 parts triple sec
Champagne
fresh mint

For this cocktail you simple put the brandy and triple sec in a red wine glass top up with Champagne and stir. Garnish it with a sprig of fresh mint to serve.

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Royal Wedding Cocktails

With the Royal Wedding between William and Kate taking place today it seems only appropriate to have a selection of Royal Wedding Cocktails.

Now of course any wedding should include champers so and Champagne Cocktails would be fantastic to kick off the Royal Wedding especially the following one which contains William in the ingredients........okay it's not Prince William, but the pear liqueur - Poire William.

Royal Silver

1/2 shot Poire William

1/2 shot Cointreau

1 1/2 shots pink grapefruit juice

Champagne

This cocktail is served not in a Champagne flute as you'd imagine, but in a wine goblet, a jewel encrusted goblet would definitely add to the occasion, but Kate and William may prefer a touch of fun with these wine glasses -

Now to how to mix this right royal cocktail.

Add the Poire William, Cointreau and grapefruit juice into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake well.

Pour into the wine goblet and top up with Champagne - delicious!

I always think of strawberries as being a romantic fruit so it seems appropriate to also offer a strawberry mocktail for guests who can't or don't want to drink, after all the Queen will be there so we don't want too many drunken antics do we?

Strawberry Kiss

12 strawberries
1 1/2 shots lemon juice
1/2 shots double cream
1/2 tsp caster sugar

Pop all of the ingredients, along with a handful of ice, into a blender and blend well.   Serve in a wine goblet with a strawberry garnish - this looks and tastes so good you won't even miss the alcohol.

Will Kate wear white?   If she does then a White Lady seems appropriate.   It's a gin cocktail and gin always seems like a very British drink doesn't it?

White Lady

1 shot gin
1 shot cointreau
1 shot lemon juice

Shake all of the ingredients together with ice and strain into a cocktail glass to serve.   Some people will say you should add egg white, but the original recipe didn't call for it and the Palace really doesn't want to wake up the next day with Salmonella Poisoning hits Wedding Guests plastered all over the world's press does it?

So there we go some delicious cocktails for the Royal Wedding..........even if you're only watching on television!

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