New Year’s Eve Drinking

Fireworks

I’m willing to bet that almost all of you are doing something festive for New Year’s Eve, even if that means staying warm and dry at home watching the ball drop.  No matter your plans I’d be willing to place a second bet that they’d be made better with some tasty cocktail accompaniment.  For me, plans include a small party at my house, some tasty food, good friends and, of course, solid cocktails.  Here’s what’s on my menu:

French 75 – Appropriately named after a French WWI cannon, this drink has some solid punch and a great flavor.

Kir Royale – Gorgeous color and mild flavors make this one a definite.  You can sub out the creme de cassis for any liqueur you like to change up the flavor profile.

Violet Fizz – From The Bubbly Bar, this drink combines elements of the Kir Royale and the French 75 resulting in a nice floral flavor combined with crisp citrus.

Bellini – I’ll have the stuff on hand for my “cheater” Bellini.  They’re tasty and not overly potent.

Mimosa – Same thought as above, mellow and approachable.  I’ll be tweaking this one with a bit of orange flower water or orange bitters this time for a bit of depth.

Champagne Cocktail – This isn’t one of my all time favorites, but it is a true classic, so it makes the list.

You can also spice up a number of standard cocktails by topping them with champagne.  Some of my favorites are the Margarita, Daiquiri and Cosmopolitan.  The bubbly gives each of them a sparkly twist that really works well with the sweet flavors.

Finally, I’ll leave you with a link to a post I did last year on researching and selecting a tasty sparkling wine for your festivities.  In addition to the recommendations I give in that post I will add Korbel Natural.  Quite tasty and at the lower end of the price range.

Enjoy your holiday, all and I’ll catch up with you in 2011!


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