Calling all Martha wannabees–or, wait…I need a more cocktail-focused hostess example…talk amongst yourselves. In the meantime, and without further adieu, here is the first round of fancy shmancy cocktail recipes for your mixing and drinking pleasure. Make sure to leave some of your fancy favorites in the comments! If they don’t have a fancy name then just make one up.
And remember, don’t ever leave your beer lovers out! Stock up on both domestic and imports. It’s always nice to have a fully stocked bar also to give your guests lots of options. But, how many of us really have a fully stocked bar? Not counting that bottle of vodka under your bed, that is. You can always tell your guests that they’re going to drink what you’re serving and they’re going to like it. No? Yeah, I guess that’s not the classiest way…if you’re on a budget, a cheapskate, or just have mooches for friends, then just hide the rest of the booze.
Frew, okay! Here they are! Don’t forget to leave any other recipes you may have in the comments!
Kir Royal
4 tablespoons Chambord
1 bottle Champagne, chilled
Approx. 1/4 cup fresh raspberries
Place 4 Champagne flutes in the freezer for 15 minutes. Remove flutes, and then add in 1 tablespoon of the Chambord to each flute and a few raspberries. Fill each flute to the top with Champagne and serve.
Bellini
Chilled champagne
Peach nectar
Fresh peach for garnish
Chill champagne flutes in the freezer for approx. 15 minutes. Remove and fill 1/3 of the way with peach nectar. Fill remainder of flute with chilled champagne. Voila! Garnish with a fresh peach slice if you really want to fancy it up.
Mimosa
Chilled champagne
Fresh orange juice
Strawberry or other fruit for garnish
Who doesn’t like mimosas? And if they don’t, they shouldn’t be at your party. Chill champagne flutes. Fill 1/3 of the chilled flute with chilled champagne, and then fill the rest of the glass with champagne. Garnish and serve.
French 75
2 oz. gin
1 oz. simple syrup (or 2 tsp. fine sugar)
1 oz. lemon juice
Chilled champagne, preferably something dry
Combine ingredients in a strainer filled with ice. Shake it like a Polaroid picture, then pour into chilled highball glass and serve. It’s French so it’s fancy.
Grown-Up Pink Lemonade
2 cans frozen pink lemonade concentrate
1 bottle champagne
Sliced strawberries
Sliced peaches
Sliced raspberries
Even though it’s not summertime, your guests will still appreciate this fun punch. Just make sure the kiddies don’t get any. But then again, if that’s an issue then why on earth did you invite kids to your party?
In a big punch bowl, combine both cans of frozen pink lemonade concentrate and champagne. Stir thoroughly to combine and dissolve the concentrate. Add sliced berries and peaches to the punch bowl and ladle into punch glasses.
Fancy Apple Fizz
2 oz. green apple vodka
½ oz. lemon juice
4oz. champagne
¼ oz. simple syrup
Maraschino cherries
A friend donated this recipe, but wasn’t sure of the name. She had it in a fancy restaurant in Aspen though, hence the Fancy title. Feel free to rename something more creative and fancy as you see fit. Combine all ingredients except the cherries in a strainer with ice. Shake that sucker like crazy and then pour into chilled martini glasses or champagne flutes. Throw a couple of cherries up in there and say a fancy toast.
Strawberries and Champagne
1/2 cup fresh strawberries
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp sugar
champagne or sparkling wine
First class, baby. Wash and hull the strawberries—that means take a paring knife and scoop out the center. Combine the strawberries, except one, in a blender. Add vanilla, lemon juice, and sugar, and puree in the blender. Pour it into a champagne flute halfway. Top with champagne, and stir gently. Don’t stir it too much, though. Garnish with a hulled strawberry.
