Ms. S&C,
After two weeks of drinking champagne over the holidays I need something new for the Golden Globes on Sunday night. I’m not having a party, so I truly don’t need an entire punch (although, it would be a challenge I’d have to accept). Any suggestions for a fancy pants drink while watching the Globes?
Many thanks,
Looking for a little fancy
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Dear Looking for a little fancy,
I may have a cocktail for you. While your bar might not be stocked with this spirit (mine isn’t, yet), St. Germain is definitely au courante. A product of France, this tres stylish liqueur is made from handpicked elderflower blossoms. I recently tasted it at EatBar, a place that serves of-the-moment cocktails with fine ingredients. EatBar’s Alchemist Cocktail (I know the name makes it sound like a science experiment rather than a lavish cocktail) contained St. Germain, Sazerac rye and lemon, shaken thoroughly, strained into a martini glass and garnished with minced lavender. It was aromatic and divine. And, while I know you said you wanted a break from champagne, the signature St. Germain Cocktail contains champagne (or dry white wine, Prosecco or Cava) mixed and club soda. Maybe you could think of it as a really fancy pants spritzer?
My second choice would be the Ritz Cocktail. Aptly named for this occasion and another-fancy-pants-drink-because-its-French. I really love it.
Hope this gives you some inspiration — let me know what you decide!
Happy watching (and drinking),
Ms. S&C
P.S. Which Best Actress Nominee do you think will wear the best knock-out shoes? Anne Hathaway, Angelina, Meryl Streep, Kristin Scott Thomas, or Kate Winslet? My money is on Kate. After the show, we’ll have to dish about our fashion faves. And more fun, the fashion faux pas.
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St. Germain Cocktail
Ingredients:
- 2 parts Champagne (or dry white wine, Prosecco or Cava)
- 1 ½ parts St. Germain
- 2 parts sparkling water or club soda
- Lemon (for garnish)
Directions:
Stir ingredients in a tall ice-filled glass, mixing thoroughly. Garnish with a lemon twist.
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Ritz Cocktail
This recipe is a variation from many I’ve seen, but I think it is much better (no need for orange juice). Recipe by Dale DeGroff; presented by Phil Greene at the MOTAC Holiday Cocktails Seminar.
Ingredients:
- 1 oz. Martell’s Medallion VSOP Cognac
- ½ oz. Cointreau
- ¼ oz. Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
- ¼ oz. fresh lemon juice
- Champagne
- Flamed orange peel for garnish
Directions:
To make one, shake cognac, Cointreau, lemon juice and maraschino liqueur with ice, strain into a chilled cocktail glass, then top with chilled champagne. To make a batch, multiply first four ingredients by the number of drinks you’d like to make, stir well in a pitcher, then strain into chilled cocktail glasses, about one-third full each. Top each with chilled champagne.
For the garnish:
The aroma and flavor in citrus fruits is concentrated in the oil cells of its peel. By extracting the oil, you can add the essence of the fruit to drinks. Large, thick-skinned navel oranges are recommended for flaming. Slice a piece of the peel about the size of two quarters, light a lighter (no butane) over the drink, and squeeze the peel over the flame. The oils will catch fire as they fall on the surface of the drink.
posted by Ms. S&C
Chili Granita is definitely a contender for the S&C test kitchen. You can change the flavor depending on the chili pepper and spirit used. For example–for a smokier flavor, use chipotle peppers and single malt scotch; for something sweeter, use bourbon. The Whisky Chili Granita is described as something that could “wake up” guests after a long dinner. Cheers to that.
Shoes & Cocktails 