The New Year is right around the corner and you know what that means…bring on the bubbly! Celebrating New Year’s Eve is the perfect excuse to stock up on premier champagne to welcome 2012 in style, but let’s face it, serving flutes of sparkling wine is as predictable as a crowd of tourists in Times Square. Whether you’re hosting a fiesta or attending one at an exclusive nightclub, don’t be afraid to shake things up with friends. On the biggest night of the year, prepare lavish champagne concoctions that you’ll never forget. Our top three picks for the best sparkling cocktails are so delicious, you may even forget about watching the ball drop. Let’s say adios to 2011 with vodka, absinthe, and yes, plenty of champagne to last all year.
New Year’s Eve
What will Hollywood’s elite like Ivana Trump and Russell Simmons be sipping on when the ball drops? Chances are that these stars will welcome 2012 with the perfectly named New Year’s Eve, a champagne cocktail by celebrity caterer Andrea Correale of Elegant Affairs Caterers. Her New Year’s Eve drink features zesty lemon juice, which accentuates the bubbles found in a premier bottle of champagne (or Italian processo if you’re partying on a tight budget). Best of all, you can show off your mixing skills with little effort.
Ingredients
1 cup Sugar
3 cups Water
1 ½ cups Lemon juice
1 bottle Champagne
Lemon slices
Preparation
Put the sugar and 1 cup of water into a pot and bring to a boil. Cook for 1 minute until the sugar dissolves. Turn off heat and allow mixture to cool. Combine simple syrup with lemon juice and remaining 2 cups of water. Mix well. Fill a champagne glass half with lemonade and half with champagne. Garnish each glass with a lemon slice.
Cherry Pop
You’ve cut down on the Halloween candy, pumpkin pie, and creamy Coquitos. Now that New Year’s Eve is here, give yourself a reason to indulge guilt-free by celebrating with a Cherry Pop, created by mixologist Jonathan Pogash. Unlike bland flutes of bubbly, the Cherry Pop highlights the holiday‘s It-drink, along with luscious almond syrup, cherries, and even a touch of absinthe to stir up some scandalous behavior. Life’s too short to not give in to temptation!
Ingredients
4 pitted Cherries (We used sour cherries)
.5 oz. Lime juice
.75 oz. Almond syrup (We used Monin Almond Syrup)
1. 5 Absinthe (We used Lucid Absinthe)
Champagne
Grated nutmeg
Preparation
In the bottom of a mixing glass, muddle cherries in the lime juice and almond syrup. Add absinthe, fill with ice, and shake very well. Strain into a chilled flute. Top with sparkling wine. Garnish with a few swipes of freshly grated nutmeg.
Sweet Bubbly
Speaking of luxurious delights, nothing sounds as wonderful quite like a host or hostess at a bash announcing that Sweet Bubbly will be served. This vodka-meets-champagne elixir is inviting and tantalizing, all thanks to a yummy spoonful of warm honey added into the mix. Ginger brings out all the explosive, yet breathtaking flavors of a Sweet Bubbly, much like the fireworks you’ll be creating during your New Year’s kiss!
Ingredients
1.7 oz. Vodka (We used Russian Standard Vodka)
1 tsp. Honey
Ginger
Splash of Champagne
Preparation
Shake vodka and honey gently over ice. Serve on the rocks. Top with champagne. Garnish with a piece of ginger.
