The clinking of crystal flutes toasting the holidays. The sound of Champagne corks popping and the thought of elegant extravagance. What could be more festive to commence the long holiday season of celebrating with family and friends! Effervescent Champagne is sipped at life’s most memorable moments and the beginning of every new year. Whether you enjoy your bubbles sweet or dry, raise your spirits and a glass to honor this élite beverage. It takes one sip to feel frivolous and joyful.
The magic of Champagne begins long before the first sip. As Champagne has launched grand ocean liners for centuries, it begins with the first sight of the cork and bottle. It’s been glamorized by movie stars. It is the sparkling wine that international royalty has chosen to recognize the rich and famous. From the vintner to your table, it’s a long, intricate process of Champagne-making, which is why it’s so cherished. As a gift, luxury labels receive oohs upon acceptance — and when enjoyed in proper measures, it helps your heart to fly.
Why do we feel a sense of delight when we enter a party greeted by a gracefully decorated tray with frosted Champagne glasses? We recognize from the beginning that our host has gone the extra mile to guarantee that we are going to enjoy a cheery time.
Holiday spirit begins with an elegant Champagne and Rose Cocktail, an attractive drink that blends the joie de vivre of Champagne with a quiet floral essence of rose water. It’s easy to create a toast that’s purely unforgettable!
One of the famous exclamations of Champagne folklore is said to have been spoken by the blind Dom Perignon, when he opened his first successful bottle: “Brothers, come quickly, I am drinking stars!”
Champagne & Rose Cocktail
4 oz. Champagne
½ oz. rose water
½ oz. simple syrup
Fresh rose petals — food grade for garnish
1. Chill a Champagne flute in the refrigerator for a few minutes before assembling the cocktail. In the glass, add rose water and simple syrup.
2. Gently pour the Champagne into the glass, letting the ingredients mix naturally.
3. Gently float two food-grade rose petals on top.
4. Serve immediately and celebrate!
Le Fromager Canape
For an upcoming holiday party, along with your many choices of Champagne cocktails, Kir Royale (with crème de cassis) or a Bellini (ripe peach), serve Le Fromager. It’s picture-perfect bread (baked by Le Pain de Paul’s Chef Paulo Sebess in Nocatee). Warm it gently and dress it with thinly sliced prosciutto and fig preserves. The aged cheddar, salty prosciutto and sweetness of the fig work beautifully together, especially with chilled Brut Champagne. For a brunch celebration without meat, sweet butter and homemade apple butter is luscious, too. Simply, it’s a festive pull-apart bread with a center hole, made with three-year-aged English cheddar that melts into the dough. The soft creamy texture and rich savory flavor make any holiday party merry!
Smoked Salmon & Belgian Endive
A flavorful, graceful hors d’oeuvres that’s so easy to enjoy — keeping holiday indulging oh, so light!
4 oz. sliced smoked salmon, cut into tiny strips
¼ C. peeled, seeded minced cucumber
2 t. fresh lemon juice
2 T. EVO olive oil
1 small scallion (the white and green stem) minced
Salt and fresh ground pepper
2 Belgian endive (separate the leaves for filling with the salmon)
Chopped chives for garnish
Whisk lemon juice and oil in medium bowl. Add slivers of salmon, cucumber and scallion, mixing gently. Season lightly with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Spoon a small amount of salmon mixture into the wide end of each endive leaf; garnish with chives.
Arrange artfully on a beautiful serving dish and serve chilled!
Cocktail Hour Cheese Cookies
Did you know that the better the Champagne the smaller the bubbles, having a longer life than larger ones? Bake these rich little cheesy bites that pair flawlessly with your fine Champagne at any time during the holiday season.
1 ½ C. Asiago cheese, grated finely
2 C. flour
½ pound sweet butter
2 t. milk
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Cream Asiago and butter, beating well. Sift flour, beating half of the flour into butter and Asiago. Add milk and mix well. Add second half of flour into mixture, mixing well. Gently roll dough into small round balls, placing on cookie sheet. Use parchment paper on cookie sheet (optional). Bake 25 minutes until golden brown. Makes 40-45 cookies. Cool and serve. Don’t refrigerate.
Champagne Revelry
Brittany Cooney, co-owner with Chef Mike Cooney of Ember + Iron restaurant, believes that Champagne revelry could happen long before the holiday season descends.
“Every day is a celebration of something joyful to our guests. Happy wishes don’t quite happen until the Champagne bottle appears. It’s like a celebration cake that yearns for the candles to make it real. Champagne corks popping represent that official ‘moment!’”
1.5 oz. Applejack Brandy
1 oz. Spiced cranberry syrup
0.5 oz. Lemon juice
Top with Champagne
Shake first 3 ingredients then gently top with a splash of Champagne. Garnish with a favorite holiday fruit.
As each holiday merriment begins to wind down, there is something outstanding about serving a velvety-smooth luxurious delight — a chocolate bonbon that might remind you of a French patisserie that crafted the first truffles, once reserved for the elite and served at lavish banquets.
Dana Stallings, owner of Kilwins St. Johns Beachwalk, knows how raspberry truffles create memories, especially when handmade chocolates are the gift that everyone enjoys receiving for a perfect celebration! Today’s artisan chocolatiers are captivating our imagination with flavors, focusing on the craftsmanship of small-batch production that boldly heralds a fond farewell at any party!
