Champagne

Cranberry and Croissant Bread Pudding with Champagne Zabaglione Sauce

My grandparents are from all over; I’m a mixture of German, Scandinavian , English and Irish. So would someone please tell me why I love all things Italian? My theory is that a female in the family made a clandestine visit to Italy once, came home after a fling with a handsome Italian man and [...]

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French 75 – An Elegant Champagne Cocktail for New Years Eve

I wanted something a bit unique for New Years; something more than ‘just’ a glass of Champagne but not what has become my standard of adding Champagne to a liqueur either. I’ve done that a lot over this holiday season with the Cranberry liqueur I made. I love it but it was time for something [...]

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Crab and Mushroom Cheesecakes With Spanish Cava

This is a crazy time of year for everyone and I’m no exception. No matter how well I plan, it always seems to come down to the last moment and a million things to get done. Work to finish, dishes to prepare for the holiday, gifts for friends and family, shipping things out of state [...]

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The Strawberry Muddle

Strawberry Muddle - sweetened sparkling wine with strawberries and lemon

This drink was featured in the July ’09 issue of Bon Appetit magazine. I had just received the magazine and was having friends over for a cocktail and luckily had the fruit on hand and some of my favorite sparkling wine chilling in the fridge. One of the mainstays of my summer bar is Cristalano [...]

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French Potato Salad with Mustard and Fines Herbes and a Not So Fine Conference

Something wonderful this way comes. That just popped into my head when I sat down to write up this post…and it’s so true. Though long a fan of a potato salad I’ve made for many years with sour cream and bacon (and no pickle relish please); this one is probably my favorite for a barbecue. [...]

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Double Platinum Champagne Cocktail

Ingredients: 2 strawberries (or 1 large strawberry) 0.75 oz lemon juice 1 oz simple syrup 0.5 oz citrus vodka Champagne or Sparkling wine Half a strawberry, for garnish Preparation: In a cocktail shaker, muddle the strawberries with the simple syrup and lemon juice. Add the citrus vodka and top with ice. Shake vigorously and strain [...]

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Cranberry Champagne Cocktail

2 well-chilled 750ML bottles champagne or sparkling cider 1 cup well-chilled cranberry juice cocktail, or to taste 3 tablespoons Grand Marnier In a large pitcher, combine all ingredients; serve in champagne flutes. Makes 7 cups, serving approx 8

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Cranberry Mimosa

I love serving this variation on the standard Mimosa over the holidays. The addition of cranberry juice adds to creating a festive look and flavor and it’s perfect for brunch or with early appetizers.

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Cristalino Brut Cava

Straw color, smooth and fresh aromas; fine and fruity palate with a dry aftertaste. Clean, dry and crisp with citrus and apple flavors. “Cristalino is always a solid go-to Cava. This brut is round, slightly yeasty and shows citrus aromas that veer toward lemon-lime. The palate is healthy and clean, with a narrow set of [...]

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