Champagne on New Year's Eve is as mandatory as heels, sparkly clothes, and big hair. Just kidding. All that effort is fun until you get to the party and you're like, um, why the hell did I trap myself in this ridiculous, over-sexified getup for the next five hours? I am such an idiot! And you start to wish you had followed your instincts and rocked your favorite sweats with bare feet, a wet pony tail, and a remote that three-ways between the boring ball dropping, fixer-upper reality TV, and HBO. But then of course that's when you start to say to yourself, I never do anything fun on New Year's Eve except sit around when all my friends are out in fun shoes with sparkly clothes and fancy hair. We've got the solution. Something to subside that tug-o-war going on inside your head as you debate what to do on the 31st. These three drinks, whether consumed on your couch in front of the TV or on a yacht that's circling Manhattan, will taste fantastically amazing. Regardless of where you end up, you'll be happy.
A Kir Royale is my (Jordan's) go-to champagne drink when I'm out. I love it because it's not too sweet but it's more interesting than a plain ol' glass of bubbly. Here's how you make a Kir Royale...
Kir Royale ¾ ounce creme de cassis (a blackcurrant liqueur) 4-5 ounces of bubbly Twist of lemon* *I usually like a few drops of lemon juice too but this time rimmed the glass with lemon juice, then dipped it into sugar for a more festive presentation.
This next drink is call the Up At Dawn because this is what the sky looks like as sunrise is approaching. Your hair may no longer be big and your shoes will probably be in your hands but I'll bet your dress will still be just as sparkly as this cocktail.
Up At Dawn ¾ ounce blue curaçao ½ ounce elderflower liqueur 4-5 ounces bubbly Sprinkles for garnish
I recently received a jar of the most delightful "bonbons au champagne." They're little candies made by Fiona's Sweetshoppe that fizz in your mouth when you chew them. We were inspired by the taste enough to incorporate them into a drink and named it after Miss Fiona.
Fiona's Fizz ¾ ounce creme de noyaux (almond flavored liqueur) 1 ounce white grapefruit juice 4-5 ounces bubbly
Happy New Year!!!