Tiny Bubbles

Kate Simon has plenty of ideas on using Champagne and other sparkling wines to create gorgeous cocktails in her Tiny Bubbles. Timeless drinks are tweaked to feature natural fruit juices, fresh herbs, and other liquors. Classics like Kir Royale (one of my faves) are turned into new bubbly blends.

Popular sparklers like Italy's Prosecco, Spain's Cava, Japan's sparkling sake, and Australia's sparkling reds are also utilized in the book. I really applaud the fact that Simon included mocktail recipes for those who don't want the buzz (Hello, Fauxllini!). There's also recipes for nibbling with the drinks, such as Easy Champagne Chocolate Truffles or the Fizzy Melon Soup. Who knew Champagne can be so fun?

Check out this cocktail recipe below. It looks so pretty...

Stratosphere

The sweet Muscat and acidic berry notes of Italy's Moscato d'Asti are lovely with the delicate, floral violet liqueur in this adaptation of a recipe from Lucius Beebe’s 1946 classic, The Stork Club Bar Book. It was served at the Stork Club in New York. The original recipe called for Champagne.

2 whole cloves
3/4 ounce creme de violette
5 ounces Moscato d'Asti, chilled (alternatives: Asti, Prosecco extra dry, Champagne extra dry)
Lemon twist for garnish

Place cloves in a chilled 6-ounce sparkling-wine glass. Add creme de violette. Top slowly with chilled bubbly. Stir gently. Garnish with short strip of lemon peel, first twisting it over the glass to release the flavorful oils into the drink.

Serves 1

Recipe used with permission by Tiny Bubbles: Fizzy Cocktails for Every Occasion, Using Champagne, Prosecco, and Other Sparkling Wines (Chronicle Books, 2008).

www.chroniclebooks.com