“Too much of anything is bad, but too much Champagne is just right.” Mark Twain
As this year quickly draws to a close, and we begin the lead up to the holiday season I thought I would share some delicious cocktails with you. To kick things off I wanted to start with a cocktail that contains the drink we all think of when it comes to celebrations – Champagne.
Champagne immediately comes to mind when you think of a celebration but have you ever wondered why? Champagne first came to international attention in the 1700s where Champagne was served during the coronation of French kings. As the French were always associated with luxury, power and class, Champagne quickly became associated with these things. Through some very clever marketing, the early Champagne houses quickly caught on and spent considerable time and money marketing their product this way. That initial, and ongoing marketing by today’s Champagne houses, have brought us to today where it’s become so synonymous that as soon as we think of celebration we immediately think of Champagne. After all, what would a wedding toast be without a glass of Champagne?
So, todays cocktail, and my current favourite cocktail, is a Kir Royale. Making it couldn’t be simpler as it’s a simple combination of Champagne (or Sparkling wine) and Creme de Cassis. Creme de Cassis is a blackcurrant liqueur, which gives this cocktail a delicious berry taste. Kir Royale’s are traditionally served as an apéritif before a meal, making it the perfect drink to kick off a dinner party.
Speaking of celebrations, congratulations to the winner of the Brisbane Good Food Show tickets – Jenny Wright. Thank you to all who entered!
Tell me, what is your favourite celebratory drink?
Kir Royale
Ingredients
- 15 mls Creme de Cassis
- Champagne or Sparkling wine
- raspberries optional
Instructions
Place the Creme de Cassis in the bottom of a Champagne flute. You can also add a few raspberries too.
Top with Champagne or Sparkling wine.
Serve immediately.
Champagne is definitely my favourite celebratory drink. If the occasion is special enough (wedding, anniversary milestone, birthday milestone, etc.), I typically drag out a bottle of Perrier-Jouët. That’s my favourite Champagne. Only for special occasions though – couldn’t afford it more frequently! 🙂
Champagne is my favourite too, and Perrier-Jouët is lovely, but as you say it’s really a special occasion champagne 😀
I love champagne cocktails, although recently have acquired more of a taste for the lighter bubbles of prosecco. It’s hard to beat a kir royale though – I wonder if it would be easy to make your own creme de cassis? Great post, and looking forward to reading the rest of your cocktail recipes!
This is my favorite drink! I always order one when we go out to a nice dinner.
For me any celebration that can include drinks .. i will call for some red wine. Don’t ask me why .. i just love it. Or may be some gorgeous color cocktail with vodka 🙂
I enjoy red wine too, but for some reason I always am drawn to Champagne 😀
Nothing says “Celebration” more than a glass of Champagne!
I agree Melanie 😀
thank you so much Jennifer!
very much looking forward to going to the Show next weekend!
Ooh how lovely! Gotta love some bubbles 🙂
My favourite celebratory drink is a peach bellini, with fresh peach puree!
Mmmm peach bellini’s are great too. You’ve reminded me I haven’t had one in a long time! 😀
Snap! Looks like we both like a good glass of bubbly! Though I had mine this morning already. :-)I’ve heard that popping a raspberry macaron into a champagne glass is divine too!
I will have to try the raspberry macaron tip! Sounds delicious! Thanks Martyna 😀
Just in time for Melbourne Cup 🙂 Looove champers. I never use to like it but its def my drink of choice these days
It’s funny, I never used to like Champagne either. I’m so glad that changed though 😀
I have fantastic memories of Kir Royale. On my first ever (and so far, only) trip to Paris I rented an apartment with my daughter where we were joined by a good friend of mine who had been living in Poland and whom I hadn’t seen for a few years. On the day we arrived my daughter was having a teenaged snit over something so Bernadette and I took ourselves off to the corner bar where we sat knocking back Kir Royales until we got hungry enough to go looking for food. What a perfect way to 1. introduce ourselves to Paris and 2. avoid teen melodramas!
How wonderful to drink Kir Royale in Paris!!! I dream of going there one day. Hopefully soon!