i haven't decided yet on just what kind of champagne cocktail to toast with at the wedding...champagne punch, champagne with a frozen raseberry or this lovely recipe:
These rose-colored cocktails are beautiful, delicious, and you don't need to shell out a fortune for a great champagne. In fact, if you have a delicious champagne or sparkling wine, enjoy it as is. For cocktails, I prefer an inexpensive domestic or Spanish sparkler, brut or extra dry.
Sugar cubes - 1 per cocktail
Angostura bitters
Sparkling wine, ice cold
1 lemon twist per cocktail
1) Drop a sugar cube in each glass, then shake two or three dashes of bitters over the sugar cube. You want the cube to soak it up.
2) Gently pour the sparkling wine in the glass. Because of the bitters the wine will foam much more than usual. Just go slow.
3) Twist the lemon peel, rub it around the rim of the glass, then drop it into the champagne.
4) When it's time to make the next cocktail, it's not necessary to use new sugar cubes. Simply fill each glass with champagne and shake a dash or two of bitters into it.
some versions suggest you add a dash of cognac to the bitters....
the champagne punch recipe i'm considering is one a friend made for our seattle wedding shower and fell in love with: from the january 2008 issue of gourmet magazine.
Eye-opening notes of lemon, lime, and grapefruit keep this festive punch from heading into ultra-sweet territory—and fresh mint seconds the motion. "Once the Champagne has been added," says Scott Peacock, "serve the drinks as soon as possible to experience the maximum tickle of bubbles."
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup white grape juice
1 1/2 cups fresh grapefruit juice (preferably pink or ruby red)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup Cognac or other brandy
1/2 cup packed mint leaves
1 navel orange, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 lime, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 lemon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 (750-ml) bottle Champagne or other sparkling white wine, chilled
Bring sugar and water to a boil in a small saucepan, stirring until sugar has dissolved, then transfer to a bowl and cool syrup completely (or quick chill by setting bowl in an ice bath and stirring occasionally until cool).
Stir together juices, wine, Cognac, mint, fruit, and cooled syrup in a large pitcher. Chill, covered, until cold, about 1 hour. Stir in Champagne.
Cooks' notes: Syrup can be chilled up to 1 week.
Punch, without Champagne, can be made 3 hours ahead and chilled, covered. Add Champagne just before serving.2/27/2008 11:38:00 AMi'm pretty much in favor of double-uses of just about anything!2/26/2008 02:31:00 PMpro-women things to check out:
women in the city guerella art by leading female artists
california quake - women's full contact football
la derby dolls
women in theatre
city of los angeles commission on the status of women2/12/2008 09:57:00 AMlast week the boy took me to a tofu house in san gabriel for a fun experiment in korean hot tofu pot. dinner was served with a smattering of kim chi options...and a potato pancake thingy. the best bit? sweet seaweed and cucumber! we ordered spicy pork and kim chi beef tofu...just typing this now is making my mouth water!
i'm on flickr!
the lovely trip over MLK Jr. weekend to seattle was delightful...several travel objectives were met:
fantastic coffee with latte art every morning? check!
wedding shower thrown by dear friends? check!
cupcake exploration? check! we hit cupcake royal, hello cupcake, & trophy cupcakes
visiting with good friends? check!
i flew home charged with the bittersweet realization that i know some really cool people and even though its been a few years...i've still got some great friends in washington!2/08/2008 10:42:00 AM