Happy Champagne Friday! - Riddle Me This.......

HAPPY CHAMPAGNE FRIDAY!!!

Just in time for Champagne Friday, we have just received this gorgeous vintage, French oak Champagne rack. The best part about it ? It can hold up to 120 bottles !  I admit that this piece is now mainly appreciated for it's aesthetic quality, but back in the day it actually had a very important purpose.

I was lucky enough to do a "Champagne making tour" (well technically it was a Sparkling wine making tour because it was outside of Champagne France) . It was at the Moet & Chandon winery in the Yarra Valley , Victoria, Australia.  During this informative tour I learned many interesting Champagne related facts, the first one was the correct pronunciation of 'Moet' I now know that you are supposed to pronounce the 'T'. I had always assumed Moet was a French man and had been saying it with a silent T. I have since learned that he was Dutch. Anyway, another interesting thing I discovered was about a process called 'riddling'. This is where these racks come in. (apparently, they are called 'puprites') During this stage of Champagne making the bottles are placed in the rack at a 45degree angle with the cork pointed down. Every few days the bottles are given a slight shake and turn and dropped back into the rack. (I wonder if people who do this job are called riddlers?)

 This manual way of riddling sparkling wine is still used for Prestige Cuvées in Champagne, but has otherwise been largely abandoned because of the high labor costs. Mechanised riddling equipment are used instead.

So after that history lesson, I'm thirsty. Of course, I will have to make another Champagne cocktail.
This week, it's an oldie but a goodie, the Mimosa. One of the best things about this drink is that it's perfect for breakfast and will be sure to kick the day off to a great start.

(Once again, this recipe is taken from "Highballs High Heels" by Brooks, Bosker, Darmon. published by Chronicle books for Barnes & Noble) 

 Blood Orange Mimosa
Champagne Flute


2 oz  fresh blood orange juice
2 oz fresh tangerine juice
 6-8 oz well chilled Champagne


Garnish- 2 spiraling blood orange peels


1. Combine the blood orange and tangerine juice and divide the mixture between two Champagne flutes.
2. Slowly add enough of the Champagne to fill the glasses, but do not stir.
3. Drop a blood orange spiral into each drink to garnish.


Enjoy!

The Perfect Champagne Cocktail

Happy Champagne Friday! This week I thought I'd keep it simple and share with you the recipe for the perfect Champagne Cocktail. At the end of every day, I take my favorite spot on the couch and just as I settle in for a relaxing evening I am struck with an insatiable craving for Champagne. Sometimes I am lucky and have a bottle in the fridge to quench my thirst, or if I am really desperate I can convince my boyfriend to go buy a bottle....Anyway, it has occurred to me that the reason my nightly Champagne desire is that every evening I sit directly opposite this classic poster of Grace Kelly. To make matters worse, I also have one of these posters at work, so all day, every day I have this nagging desire to drink Champagne...just thinking about it makes me thirsty!!
Anyway, here are a few more classic Champagne posters along with the "Perfect Champagne Cocktail " recipe.

"The Perfect Champagne Cocktail"
taken from "Highballs High Heels - A girl's guide to the art of cocktails" by Karen Brooks, Gideon Bosker and Reed Darmon. published by  Chronicle books exclusively for Barnes & Noble

1 sugar cube
4 to 5 drops bitters
4 to 5 ounces well-chilled Champagne

Garnish
1 lemon twist

1. Drop the sugar cube into the bottom of the Champagne flute, and pour the bitters on top. Let the cube absorb the bitters until amber-coloured-about 30 seconds.

2. Muddle the cube, breaking it up into a soft, granulated mound. Slowly, add half of the Champagne, letting the bubbles rise, then subside. Add the rest of the Champagne pouring slowly until it just about reaches the top of the glass.

3. Twist the lemon peel over the top and drop it into the drink to serve.

Yum!!!