ginger cocktail for new years
i can always be persuaded to have a glass of champagne. it just makes me feel all grown up, the same way, as a kid, i would drink ginger ale from my mom’s fancy flutes and pretend i was part of a social elite. ah, to be young!
this yummy cocktail from epicurious combines the best of both my worlds–ginger in champagne!!! oh starry night!
2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon chinese five-spice powder
3 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger
8 whole star anise
1 bottle (750 ml) champagne or sparkling wine
bring ginger, 2/3 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan.
reduce to a simmer; cook until liquid thickens to maple syrup consistency, about 15 minutes. remove from heat; let cool.
strain syrup; discard ginger.
combine chinese five-spice powder and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar on a shallow plate. moisten the rim of Champagne flutes with water and dip in sugar.
drop 1 teaspoon crystallized ginger and 1 star anise into each glass.
add 1 tablespoon syrup and about 3 ounces of the bubbly stuff.
if this seems just too much work, look around for stone’s ginger wine–i brought some back from jamaica. a little dab will do ya, top off with more spakley & toss in a slice of candied ginger–voila!
if you are gonna power up with the good stuff though, you probably don’t want to bastardize a fancy pants champagne by watering it down in a cocktail. get the ginger flavor with veuve clicquot champagne vintage (gold label) this champagne delivers on every taste level–as it should for $144 a pop–with intensely concentrated fruit & ginger overtones. you can feel good savoring every sip, as house clicquot meets ISO standards with it’s integrated environmental management system (IEMS).
if veuve is a little too much in the $$$ department, check out this grist list of eco (as in ecological & economical) bubblies.
you know… for the ginger kids!
What a yummy recipe!! Thanks for sharing! I love all the plays on the typical champagne drink– this seems like a very yummy variation!