Thanks for including the specific amount of champagne in your ingredient list. A lot of recipes just say "top with champagne" and I'm not sure exactly how much to use.
The “top with Champagne” instruction has always annoyed me as well!
This is something I want to try to do with all my recipes — whenever possible be explicit about every detail that makes a difference to the end drink.
In some cases, those details will come a little later (I haven’t said much yet about garnishes, for example). But eventually I hope every step will be as transparent and clear as possible.
Big fan of the French 75 and look forward to trying the adjusted recipe. However, on mixing technique I find it works better to add the champagne to the shaker (after shaking) for a quick stir with the ice/cocktail and then carefully straining it all into the glass. You lose a bit of fizz but flavours are more pronounced and consistent plus the drink is better chilled.
This is great, thank you! I have the same conundrum with Champagne. I have had a bottle sitting in my fridge for a while now that I didn't want to open because most of it would go to waste.
Looking forward to trying the French 75 tonight! Any other rum suggestions other than Plantation? Pennsylvania doesn’t make it easy for us to get some of these liquors.
I find sugar cubes a bit, umm, unsatisfying in cocktail prep. Though, I will admit that my gateway old fashioned called for one. Is it just to understand what a champagne cocktail tastes like? Would I not get the same effect with a teaspoon of 1:1 Demerara syrup?
Demerara syrup will give you a similar flavor, but it will integrate immediately and make the drink heavier/more viscous in the process. If you want to focus on maintaining flavor consistency throughout the life of the drink, syrup would be the way to go. But part of the enjoyment of the Champagne Cocktail is letting the sugar cube dissolve over the time it takes you to drink it.
Here is a (large) twist on the French 75 that I expropriated from The Local Edition in San Francisco. It is called the French Mistake . . . It is a favorite with our dinner party crowd.
1 Grapefruit Shrub
0.5 Cognac
0.5 Sweet Vermouth
egg white
Champagne to top
Add all except Champagne to a shaker with ice and mix. After reading the flip posting, maybe do the 'dry' shake followed by the ice . . .
Pour into a Nick and Nora and top with the Champagne.
The original calls for topping with minced lime leaves (but how has that?). I either dust with some mint or just let the froth be the topping.
Apologies for a slow response on this — for some reason comment notifications seem to be coming in on a delay. I am trying to figure out what the issue is.
Orgeat could work well as a split with the champagne syrup — say 1/2 oz champ syrup and 1/4 oz orgeat.
Planning to do more with orgeat once we get to tiki drinks later in the year. What recipe did you use for making your own?
I actually used it in the French 75, and while good, the orgeat didn't really come through. I think the champagne overwhelms the nuttiness that I usually expect. All to say, in a pinch orgeat can work as a substitute for simple syrup, but doesn't contribute anything special.
I did make a standard champagne daiquiri yesterday per your recipe and it was great!
Thanks for including the specific amount of champagne in your ingredient list. A lot of recipes just say "top with champagne" and I'm not sure exactly how much to use.
The “top with Champagne” instruction has always annoyed me as well!
This is something I want to try to do with all my recipes — whenever possible be explicit about every detail that makes a difference to the end drink.
In some cases, those details will come a little later (I haven’t said much yet about garnishes, for example). But eventually I hope every step will be as transparent and clear as possible.
Big fan of the French 75 and look forward to trying the adjusted recipe. However, on mixing technique I find it works better to add the champagne to the shaker (after shaking) for a quick stir with the ice/cocktail and then carefully straining it all into the glass. You lose a bit of fizz but flavours are more pronounced and consistent plus the drink is better chilled.
That is an interesting idea for integration/flavor expansion - I will have to try it.
This is great, thank you! I have the same conundrum with Champagne. I have had a bottle sitting in my fridge for a while now that I didn't want to open because most of it would go to waste.
Cheers!
Looking forward to trying the French 75 tonight! Any other rum suggestions other than Plantation? Pennsylvania doesn’t make it easy for us to get some of these liquors.
Sorry about being slow to respond here — having some issues with Substack comment notifications.
For daiquiri rums, you could also use Cana Brava, Cruzan Aged Light, Flor de Cana 4 year extra dry, or, in a pinch, Bacardi superior.
There are definite taste differences, but if you use fresh lime juice and get the proportions right it’s hard to go wrong with rum/lime/sugar.
I find sugar cubes a bit, umm, unsatisfying in cocktail prep. Though, I will admit that my gateway old fashioned called for one. Is it just to understand what a champagne cocktail tastes like? Would I not get the same effect with a teaspoon of 1:1 Demerara syrup?
Demerara syrup will give you a similar flavor, but it will integrate immediately and make the drink heavier/more viscous in the process. If you want to focus on maintaining flavor consistency throughout the life of the drink, syrup would be the way to go. But part of the enjoyment of the Champagne Cocktail is letting the sugar cube dissolve over the time it takes you to drink it.
I was wondering if it was proper to wait until sugar cube fully dissolved or not before taking the first sip. I didn’t have the patience!
Here is a (large) twist on the French 75 that I expropriated from The Local Edition in San Francisco. It is called the French Mistake . . . It is a favorite with our dinner party crowd.
1 Grapefruit Shrub
0.5 Cognac
0.5 Sweet Vermouth
egg white
Champagne to top
Add all except Champagne to a shaker with ice and mix. After reading the flip posting, maybe do the 'dry' shake followed by the ice . . .
Pour into a Nick and Nora and top with the Champagne.
The original calls for topping with minced lime leaves (but how has that?). I either dust with some mint or just let the froth be the topping.
Hope you enjoy and love this substack!
Oooooh thank you! This sounds fun.
Another great champagne cocktail is The Old Cuban created by Audrey Saunders.
Thoughts on subbing in orgeat instead of syrup for a twist? I'm trying to figure out ways to use up the orgeat I made before it goes bad :-)
I'll probably just go ahead and do it and report back in the name of science
Apologies for a slow response on this — for some reason comment notifications seem to be coming in on a delay. I am trying to figure out what the issue is.
Orgeat could work well as a split with the champagne syrup — say 1/2 oz champ syrup and 1/4 oz orgeat.
Planning to do more with orgeat once we get to tiki drinks later in the year. What recipe did you use for making your own?
I made an avocado pit orgeat from this recipe https://punchdrink.com/recipes/avocado-pit-orgeat/
I actually used it in the French 75, and while good, the orgeat didn't really come through. I think the champagne overwhelms the nuttiness that I usually expect. All to say, in a pinch orgeat can work as a substitute for simple syrup, but doesn't contribute anything special.
I did make a standard champagne daiquiri yesterday per your recipe and it was great!