Friday, April 1, 2011

Champagne, St. Germain, and Lychee Cocktails


Spring Forward, kick back and enjoy a nice, cold champagne cocktail...
I whipped this up for the hubby and he loved it. I'm no mixologist but once in a while I get the urge to get creative with cocktails. For me, mixing drinks is pure alchemy but sometimes I strike gold.

What you'll need:

1 can of lychee with syrup -- removed from the can and then chilled overnight.

2-3 ounces of
St. Germain Liqueur. Exhibiting fresh Honeysuckle and lychee notes, St. Germain Liqueur is a lot like the St. Germain section of Paris: dense, lovely and bright.





Chilled Champangne -- For this drink, get a Brut Champagne to offset the sweetness of the Lychee syrup. A Demi-Sec Champagne might make this drink cloyingly sweet. It doesn't have to be top shelf Champagne as long as it is "dry". You can also use a Rosé Champagne, Proseco or any Sparkling wine.

10 drops of Angostura Bitters -- Yes, it is hard to find Angostura these days and if you do find yourself a bottle, it can be expensive. Without knowing what it is used for, my husband got me a bottle while we were in the Bahamas. Now that we know what it is, this blended clove flavor enhancer exhibits that "umami" factor and has been an indispensable ingredient in many of our cocktail recipes. It's like MSG for cocktails only not as controversial.

4-5 leaves of Thai Holy Basil
-- Adding the right fresh herb to your cocktail will give it life and flavor. Think of it as Thai Mojito.

How to do it:

Muddle your Thai Holy Basil in a cocktail shaker with about an ounce of Lychee syrup. Add St. Germain, a cup of Lychee syrup and some ice cubes. Give it a good shake and then pour and strain into two chilled Champagne flutes. Drop 3 Lychees into each glass and then top with Champagne. Voila!



Sante! A la vôtre !