Upon their return, the two embarked, along with crewmate Michael Collins and their wives, on a “world tour” that had them bouncing from Buenos Aires to Bangkok to Buckingham Palace. But, nonetheless, these are delicious cocktails that shouldn't be forgotten.Īnd if you're open to using other sparkling wines, as well, try out the Bellini or Aperol Spritz or the famous Barracuda cocktail.On July 20, 1969, the world watched as Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin took their first steps on the moon. The Russian Spring Punch, for instance, is a different story. Naturally, there are also more complex Champagne cocktails. All of them are classy, elegant, and refined drinks even though they're so easy to make. Or the Kir Royale and the classic French 75. Think of the Mimosa, one of the most famous brunch cocktails. But honestly, they're too good not to be ordered and served in bars and restaurants as well. For a long time, they were almost forgotten and only served on special occasions. And it seems that those drinks are ready for a comeback in the imminent future. This drink is only one of many cocktails made with Champagne. Ready to be served at your next New Year's eve event. Pour over the Cognac and fill up the glass with bubbly Champagne.įinally, an elegant garnish of lemon peel will make the drink perfect. Then drop the soaked sugar cube into a chilled (!) Champagne flute. The first step is to coat your sugar cube with Angostura bitters. Unlike many other cocktails that need to be shaken or stirred, you can simply assemble the Champagne cocktail in a Champagne flute. The ice is gone completely, and, to enhance the depth of flavors in the cocktail, a splash of Cognac entered the mix. Over time he further improved the recipe by reducing the amount of ice and replacing the tumbler with a goblet glass. That looks pretty much like the directions Jerry Thomas listed in his first book. 'A bottle of prime sparkling 'Mum' was brought, a refreshing plateful of crystal ice, fresh from Rockland by the last steamer, and rather a medicinal looking bottle, upon which was written in direct, brief terms 'Bitters'.' Robert Tomes, Panama in 1855 Robert Tomes mentioned the drink seven years before in his book 'Panama in 1855'. Along with the name of the cocktail, he also described how it should be served. Which is, in turn, as far from today's version as possible, I would say.Īnd then, apparently, it wasn't Thomas who came up with the idea. Interestingly the drink was served on crushed ice and in a tumbler back then. But that's not the case for the Champagne cocktail: In his first recipe, Thomas just asked for Champagne, sugar, cocktail bitters, and lemon zest - all still readily available today. However, some of them outdated due to the unavailability of certain ingredients. A bible for every (home) bartender that includes an endless list of classic cocktail recipes. Like so many other classic cocktails, the recipe for the Champagne cocktail first got mentioned in Jerry Thomas's book The Bartender's Guide.

All the ingredients are there to complement and enhance the experience of drinking the finest Champagne.Īnd due to the simplicity end elegance of the drink, it's a perfect drink to enjoy on New Year's eve or other festive events.

In the Champagne cocktail, however, it is the other way around. The interesting bit here is that in most cases, Champagne helps to lift a drink by creating additional layers of flavor and adding some sparkling to a flat cocktail. Combined with fruity, sweet, and sometimes fresh flavors, it can lift your cocktails and confer class. But at the same time, Champagne works amazingly well in a variety of drinks. A luxurious sip that doesn't need any other ingredients to shine. Champagne is an exquisite and costly ingredient.