Keep The 2020 Party Going with Champagne Toast Alternatives

Happy 2020!! Hard to believe we have entered a new decade. It’s January 6th and for most people, the new year, post-holiday slump has gone into full effect. I personally love to keep the party going and to create opportunities for continued celebration for friends and family.

While champagne can be enjoyed year round, I especially love it during the wintry months but it’s so much fun to put a twist on the expected bubbly libations. Today, I’m sharing a few of my favorite champagne toast alternatives for you to sip on to help bring back party mode. Bonus: I even have an option for anyone who’s dabbling in Sober January!

Simple: The classic French 75 – This four-ingredient go-to is as easy to make as it is delicious. This cocktail can also be batched for even easier service.

FRENCH 75

Ingredients:

·      2 oz. champagne (Le Grand Courtage is lovely) or sparkling white wine

·      ½ oz. Lemon juice

·      1 oz. Gin (Damrak is a nice citrus-forward gin)

·      2 dashes simple syrup

Preparation instructions:

1.     In cocktail shaker, combine gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup

2.     Add ice and shake vigorously

3.     Strain into chilled Champagne flute and top with sparkling wine

4.     To create garnish, curl orange or lemon peel around your finger to create the twist. Garnish drink with twist and serve immediately.

Moderate: The “Hot Shot” – Perfect for intimate get-together, this drink, which is wildly popular in Sweden, calls for one part Galliano L’Autentico and one part hot coffee or espresso topped with heavy cream served in a shot glass. The vanilla notes in the Galliano work beautifully with either drip coffee or espresso and the cream adds a nice body. Also, if you’re hosting, you might want a toast to end the night that goes down a little quicker than a glass of Champagne, lest your guests linger.

THE HOT SHOT

Ingredients:

·       ½ oz. Galliano L’Autentico

·       ½ oz. espresso

·       ½ oz. heavy cream 

Preparation instructions:

1.     Carefully layer the ingredients in a shot glass in the order shown (Galliano on the bottom, cream on the top).

The non-alcoholic: The holidays can mean A LOT of drinking. Sometimes guests and hosts alike want to back off the throttle a little but don’t want to feel left out.

Photo Credit: Jessie Smyth of Genever

PEEL ME A GRAPE

by Jessie Smyth, Genever, Los Angeles, CA

Ingredients:

·       4 muddled grapes

·       1 oz. Giffard bitter syrup (acts like a non-alcoholic Campari)

·       ½ oz. Calamansi juice

·       ½ oz. grapefruit juice

Preparation Instructions:

1.     Shake all ingredients together then strain into a wine glass filled with ice

2.     Top with Q Grapefruit and a sprig of rosemary

A few words on the drink: “This drink combines classic components of an Americano, minus the booze! Giffard Bitter syrup mixes with fresh grapes and aromatic rosemary with citrus from grapefruit, calamansi and grapefruit mixer for a refreshing autumnal spritz.”

The Pomp 75 | Pomp & Whimsy

I loooove a beautiful cocktail. What's even better is when the beauty of a cocktail exudes its appearance, and goes beyond to the very beginning of how it's made...

Pomp & Whimsy takes classic gin making to the next level by infusing classically distilled gin with a natural, delightfully flavorful botanical liqueur! 

It's made from scratch from a select blend of 16 natural and whole ingredients, including juniper, coriander, angelica, grapefruit, bitter orange, cucumber, lychee, raspberry, lavender and jasmine pearls.

I mean... let me just count the ways!!! Major heart eyes.

Here's the recipe for my new favorite drink - Pomp & Whimsy with champagne - the new, improved, more delicious and most certainly more fabulous take on the traditional French 75!

POMP 75

Ingredients:

2 oz Pomp & Whimsy
2 oz Brut Champagne, chilled

Directions:

Pour P&W over ice in a cocktail shaker and swirl until well chilled. 

Strain into a coupe and top with champagne. 

Garnish with a fanciful twist of citrus.

Get Into The Holiday Spirit with My Favorite Festive Cocktail Recipes

If it's one thing about the holiday season, it's that I look forward to all the fun festive cocktails that come out of Winter Wonderland that have been in hiding all year long!!! Is there nothing better that spiked egg nog or that hint of peppermint in your cocktail? Like many other people, the holidays often seem to lose their sparkle as the years go on. I hate for that to happen, so if Christmas cocktails are one of the few things to keep the magic of the season alive every year, I am ALL for it!!! Here are a few of my favorites that I know I'll be sipping on in the next few weeks despite the weather being 80 degrees here in LA every day. That 50 degree night chill totally justifies getting cozy and cuddling up with one of these! I think I have become a little TOO adjusted to this west coast weather! ;) Cheers! 

TRULY EGG NOG

Created by Natasha David, Nitecap

Ingredients: 

1 oz. Spiced Rum
1 oz. Vanilla Almond Milk
1 tsp. Stevia Powder
1 Egg White
4 oz. Truly Spiked & Sparkling Colima Lime
Grated Nutmeg

Directions:
Combine spiced rum, vanilla almond milk, stevia powder and egg white in a cocktail shake. Begin by shaking without ice to incorporate all ingredients. Next, add ice to the cocktail shaker and continue to shake. Strain the liquid into a  Collins glass without ice and top with Truly Spiked & Sparkling Colima Lime. Garnish with grated nutmeg.

WINTER ROSE

Created by: Nick Mautone

Ingredients:

2 oz Haikara Yuzu or Haikara Momo
½ oz rum
1 oz Lime Juice
Dash of Simple Syrup
Dash of Rose Water
Dash of Lavender Bitters
Ginger Ale for topping

Cranberries or orange peel (for garnish)

Directions:
Add all ingredients, except ginger ale, to a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake vigorously until the outside of the shaker is frosted and beaded with sweat.
Strain into rocks glass. Top with Ginger Ale and garnish.

BACARDi GINGER SNAP

Ingredients:

1 part BACARDÍ Superior or BACARDÍ Gold Rum

2 parts Ginger Ale

1 lime wedge

Method:

 Fill a tall highball glass with ice. Pour BACARDI Superior or Gold into glass. Add ginger ale, and gently stir before serving. Garnish with a lime wedge (optional: dash of bitters).  

WINTER WHITE 75

Ingredients:

1.5 oz. NOLET’S Silver Gin

.5 oz. Lemon Juice

.5 oz. Simple Sugar

1 oz. White Cranberry Juice

Champagne to top

Garnish: Rosemary and Cranberry sprig dusted with powdered sugar

Directions:

Fill shaker with NOLET’S, lemon juice, simple syrup, white cranberry juice and 1 cup of ice

Shake hard to chill and combine ingredients

Fine strain into coupe or flute

Top with champagne

Garnish with rosemary cranberry sprig

CANDY CANE KORBEL

Created by Jeremy Oertel

Ingredients:

1 oz. White Crème de Cacao

4 oz. Korbel California Brut

White Chocolate, melted

Peppermint Candy Cane, crushed

TOPSY TURVY

Ingredients:

2 oz Carpano Antica

1 oz Lock Stock & Barrel Rye

1 tsp. Borghetti Coffee Liqueur

1 dash Mole Bitters (preferably Bittermens)

Directions:

Stir, Strain

Glass: Nick & Nora

Garnish: Orange Twist

BAHAMA BREEZE COQUITO

Ingredients:

4 oz. Castillo Silver Rum

6 oz. evaporated milk

6.5 oz. coconut milk

5 oz. sweetened condensed milk

1 oz. Coco Lopez, Cream of Coconut

1/8 tsp. cinnamon, ground

1 cup of ice

Directions:

Combine the rum, cream of coconut, evaporated milk, coconut milk and condensed milk in a cocktail shaker full of ice. Shake and strain into four chilled martini glasses, and garnish with cinnamon.

Recipe serves four.

Kick off Memorial Day Weekend with a Sorbet & Prosecco Cocktail

What better way to kick off the summer than with the ultimate combination: sorbet and prosecco? Sure, we've all had a prosecco and popsicle cocktail, but that is soooo two years ago. Shaking things up with sorbet is giving me all the summer feels! It's the perfect way to combine a little bit of bubbly, some sweetness, and summertime cool all in one! 

A prosecco and sorbet cocktail is super easy to make (great for fun outdoor parties!) thanks to elit Vodka. I don't know about you, but I'm picturing Memorial Day Weekend lounging by the pool with a Sgroppino in hand!

Sgroppino

Ingredients:

1 ½ parts elit Vodka

1 scoop of Lemon Sorbet or another different flavor

3 parts Prosecco

Directions:

Method: Blend all ingredients in a blender with a bit of crushed ice. Pour into a coupette and garnish with fresh lemon zest.

Tis the Season for Boozy Holiday Cocktails

It's the most wonderful time of the year in the cocktail world. Why? Because all cocktails get a little frostier, a little more festive, and a whole lot boozier. It's the holidays, and as we get older a lot of times the magic of the season seems to disappear. With holiday cocktails, that magical feeling is reignited within us. The flavors of the season may be a little more naughty than usual, but the tippling spirits will make you feel soHo-Ho-Ho nice.

Here are my favorite recipes to get you into the Christmas spirit. 

Candy Cane Cava-Tail

Fill 1/3 of a flute with White Crème de Cocoa and the rest with chilled Sweet Cuvée Cava. Garnish with a whole candy cane.

Salt & Char Yule Nog

Created by Emily McKenna of Salt & Char in Saratoga Springs, NY

Salt & Char Yule Nog
Yields 12 glasses

Ingredients:

6 eggs, separated 

1 cup milk 

1 cup cream 

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons white sugar 

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

Pinch cinnamon 

Pinch kosher salt

6 oz cognac 

1 oz jagertee

Orange and nutmeg to garnish 

Directions:

Mix egg yolks and brown sugar. Slowly add in milk and cream. Add vanilla, salt, white sugar, cinnamon, cognac and jagertee. Whip egg whites then fold into liquid mixture. Serve in chilled glass. Top with orange zest and nutmeg.

Fireside Delight

Created by Enzo Cangemi

Ingredients:

1 oz Campari

1 oz Frangelico

1 oz Espolon Tequila Reposado

2 dashes Chocolate Bitters

Directions: 

Stir all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a lemon twist.

Belvedere Toddy

Ingredients:

1 oz. Belvedere Vodka

1.5 oz. Hot Water

1 oz. Lillet Blanc

.5 oz Lemon

.5 oz Honey Stick

1 Cinnamon Stick

Fresh Grated Nutmeg

Orange Wedge

Cloves

Directions:

Add hot water to heat glass mug, then honey to melt. Add remaining liquid to ingredients. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and orange wedge and top with freshly grated nutmeg. Option to pierce orange wedges with 3 cloves.

Cava Wonderland

Prepare rims by combining 1/4 c coconut flakes, 2 tbsp granulated sugar, and one scraped vanilla bean. Coat the rim of a glass with lemon juice to make the sugar mixture stick. Pour 2 oz coconut juice blend or coconut puréed nectar into bottom of glass. Fill with Extra Dry Cava and stir to mix.

La Navidad

Created by Karl Bernholtz, Bluebird (NYC)

Ingredients:

1.5 oz. Santera Reposado

0.25 oz. Dark Rum

1/3 oz. Walnut Liqueur

1 oz. Blood Orange/Star Anise/Vanilla Cordial

0.5 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice

1 barspoon Allspice

Directions:

Combine ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake until cold. Strain into a coupe and garnish with grated nutmeg

(Optional) Garnish with fresh stick of pine or blood orange wheel

Cordial Recipe:

16 oz. White Sugar

2 oz. Brown Sugar

16 oz. Orange Juice

1 Blood Orange, peeled and diced

1 Lemon, peeled and chopped

0.5 or 0.75 oz. Star Anise, toasted

Half cap of Vanilla Extract

Tommy Bahama Eggnog Coconut Martini

Ingredients:

1 part Jim Beam®

1 part Cruzan® Coconut Rum

2 ½ parts coconut eggnog (recipe below)

Shake all ingredients well with ice, strain into a martini glass and sprinkle with nutmeg.

Ingredients:

Coconut eggnog:

5 egg yolks

¾ cup sugar

1 cup heavy cream

2 cups coconut milk

Pinch of salt

1 tsp vanilla

½  tsp nutmeg

Directions:

Whisk egg yolks with sugar until creamy and the sugar begins to dissolve.  Add cream and coconut milk. Stir in vanilla, salt and nutmeg. Chill well.

A Rosso December

Created by Fabio Raffaello

Ingredients:

 2 oz Campari

  1/2 oz Mezcal

1/2 oz Fresh Lemon Juice

  1/4 oz Simple Syrup

 4 oz San Pellegrino Aranciata Amara

Float of Cynar

Directions:

Shake all the ingredients except the San Pellegrino, and strain over fresh ice into a collins glass. Add the San Pellegrino and a float of Cynar. Garnish with a sprig of mint and an orange slice.