‘Tis the Season…
-Champagne Cocktail Bar-
Warm hugs and joyful gatherings. Isn’t it wonderful?
If you come to my Huckleberry Hill home you will find that on a regular basis I have a stocked non alcoholic bar with a variety of waters, ginger-beers, sparkling sodas and even sparkling non alcoholic bubbly champagne. It’s always convenient to have a help yourself section for all ages within a home.
During this time of year we are planning festive events. Often, we will have a traditional champagne bar for a holiday party. All it takes is an ice bucket to keep bottles chilled, champagne and sugar cubes. Set out crystal champagne flutes and you are ready for a crowd! Use fresh cranberries for holiday garnish. Then, your friends and family can help themselves…
-Festive Mini Cans-
Sourced in Monterey County, California, I also like to have a bucket of Sofia mini cans (actually sparkling wine). We started this tradition at my Bella Sophia’s baptism party. I ordered 120 cans of mini ‘blanc de blancs’, and they all went fast! This is from multi talented Sofia Coppola, it is an adorable and fun beverage. Perfect for a party, each mini includes a drinking straw.
-Huckleberry Hill New Year’s Champagne Punch-
For parties, I use both my mother and nonna’s punch set for an easy champagne cocktail. Enjoy ringing in ‘2023’, take time to use family recipes and passed-down items, I think it makes festivities extra special.
This recipe features Prosecco or sparkling wine (whatever you have on hand is fine). Add to a large punch bowl: One bottle of Prosecco (sparkling wine or champagne) one bottle of regular ginger ale, a 10 oz. bag of frozen berries of choice and ice. Garnish with sliced limes (for green) and fresh cranberries (for red). This super easy punch is always a crowd pleaser! I realize that “champagne purists” dislike the idea of a party punch…I love it! I think having a signature cocktail or help yourself booze punch is fun and classic.
-The Royal Roots of Champagne Punch-
Talk about classic, this is a royal holiday punch recipe from 1819 for Regent’s Punch! (So called as it was created by the Prince Regent. It’s full of extra additions, making it a very expensive party drink!) “Three bottles of champagne, a bottle of hock, a bottle of curacao, a quart of brandy, a pint of brandy, a pint of rum, two bottles of madeira, two bottles of Seltzer water, four pounds of bloom raisins, Seville oranges, lemons, white candy sugar, and instead of water, green tea. The whole to be highly iced.”
Mistress Margaret Dods 1829 recipe book has a paired down version.
“Combine brandy, rum, green tea and sugar added to the champagne.”
Here’s to many champagne toasts. Happy 2023!!!
Huckleberry Hugs, Maxine (A.K.A. “Molly”)
