Keeping it Simple

Kay:

Hey y’all!! Lynda and I have been having so much fun writing this blog that we are getting carried away.  Since August 1st thru 7th is “Simplify Your Life Week” we decided to give you simple and favorite cocktails.

With cocktails keeping it simple can mean the basics and the best. My simple go to cocktail is a Champagne Cocktail. Believe me there is never a wrong time to drink champagne.

For wine to be called “champagne” it must be produced in Champagne (the northeastern region of France). While true Champagne is wonderful, for an affordable wine produced using the same method (“méthode Champenoise“), look for Prosecco, Cava and sparkling wine. There are so many good ones it is hard to choose. They all have bubbles (according to scientist Bill Lembeck 49 million per bottle) and you get that great “pop” of the cork, one of my favorite sounds.

A Champagne Cocktail only has three ingredients, does not have to be shaken or stirred and is ready to drink in minutes. Just be sure your champagne or sparkling wine is well chilled. I also chill my champagne flute. The colder the better.

To quote Madame Bollinger, one of the grandes dames of champagne:

“I drink champagne when I’m happy and when I’m sad. Sometimes I drink it when I’m alone. When I have company, I consider it obligatory. I trifle with it if I’m not hungry and drink it when I am. Otherwise I never touch it – unless I’m thirsty”

I will always have champagne in my house, you never know when someone might stop by or when you need to feel special all by yourself. To step it up, but still keep it simple try a Champagne Cocktail .

CHAMPAGNE COCKTAIL

Choose a champagne or sparkling wine you can comfortably afford.* There are many out there for every budget.

Chill the bottle well, over night in the fridge is best.

5 to 6 ounces of champagne

Angostura bitters

Sugar cubes

Garnish: 1 spiral lemon twist

Glass: Champagne Flute or coupe (chilled in the freezer)

Pour champagne into chilled flute, then add 1 sugar cube soaked in Angostura bitters. Garnish with spiral lemon twist.

A list of affordable champagnes and sparkling wines:

• Veuve Clicquot
• Piper – Heidsieck Brust
• Chandon – Brut
• Cava – Segura Viudas Brut  ( this Spanish wine maker produces a lot of cavas and they are all affordable and tasty)
• Prosecco – Ca’sisa Treviso Extra Dry
• Prosecco – Zonin Prosecco Doc

Lynda:

Kay is right. Sometimes simple is simply the best! When I lived in the Pacific Northwest, a Dark and Stormy was a favorite drink—maybe that was because of the often gloomy skies. Just because a drink is simple, doesn’t mean you can’t use top-notch ingredients. For this Dark and Stormy, I used a rum a sailing friend introduced me to, Pampero Aniversario. 

Pampero Aniversario i is a special rum created by the Pampero Rum Family of Venezuela in 1963 to celebrate the 25th year of Pampero Rum. Aged in oak barrels and packaged in its own leather pouch, this a fine rum for sipping straight as well mixing.

Dark and Stormy

2 oz. dark rum

Ginger Beer

Lime

In a tall collins glass (or a highball glass, if you prefer) pour the rum, add ice, squeeze a lime wedge and fill with ginger beer, stir. If you want to impress your friends with an authentic dark and stormy look, you can float the dark rum on top of the ginger beer and let everyone stir their own.

Just as I was making the Dark and Stormy we had a big south Texas thunderstorm rumble through. My husband suggested we try this drink and it was a nice and simple cocktail.

Damn the Weather*

1/12 oz. gin

1 tbs. sweet vermouth

1 tbs. Cointreau

1 oz. orange juice

Pour ingredients into a cocktail shaker, fill with ice and shake. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with an orange twist.

*This recipe is from one of my go-to cocktail books, Bartender’s Guide ** by John K. Waters.

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