Curiocity: Mike's Mix — Holiday Champagne Cocktail
Every Friday, Mike Augustyniak will be picking up a new cocktail recipe from a local mixologist. Throughout December, he's getting his inspirations from The Strip Club near downtown St. Paul. This week's selection should have you putting the bubbly on ice post haste.
Ingredients
4 oz. Cava Brut
½ tsp Simple Syrup (1:1)
¼ tsp Easy & Oskey Holiday Spice Bitters*
1 scoop Sweet Science Cranberry Grapefruit Sorbet
Garnish: Easy & Oskey Holiday Spice Bitters
*Easy & Oskey Holiday Spice Bitters
Using Easy & Oskey "Make Your Own Bitters" Naked Kit, add:
½ cup Dried Cranberries, chopped
1 tsp Dried, Rosemary, crushed
¼ tsp Mace or Nutmeg
½ tsp Allspice, crushed
½ cinnamon stick
Directions
In a coupe or champagne flute, add the simple syrup and holiday spice bitters. Then top with the champagne and the scoop of sorbet. Garnish with more of the Easy & Oskey Holiday Spice Bitters.
Taste Test
This recipe builds on the classic champagne cocktail, using simple syrup in place of a sugar cube, and sorbet in place of a cherry or a twist to add a fruity, festive taste. Meteorologist Lauren Casey lent her tastebuds to test-drive this version… and declared it delicious! I was concerned that the drink would be too sweet or a weird consistency with the addition of melted sorbet, but the sorbet held together nicely over the hour that we were shooting our stories, and the drink stayed well-balanced. Lauren commented that it didn't taste boozy to her at all. You can make this drink non-alcoholic by substituting sparkling apple juice or cider for the champagne, and leaving out the bitters.
Speaking of the bitters ... if you want to serve this cocktail for New Year's Eve, using the holiday spice bitters, you'll want to get started now. The bitters take 2 weeks to make from scratch.
About The Strip Club
The Strip Club is located east of downtown St. Paul. "A restaurant and bar from the creators of the Town Talk Diner. We are a casual fine dining restaurant that caters to the hungry," their website promises.
To find more recipes from Mike's Mix, click here.
