Add some SPARKLE to your holidays with the French 75

Hello there and I hope everyone has enjoyed their typical Thanksgiving gorge and crazy black Friday shopping madness-EEK! Speaking of the hectic, crazy stress this season can bring on, it is also a great time for family and friends to get together and share their stories - even if you have already heard them for the past 30 years, they are still fun to hear. Why not enjoy these times with everyone with fantastic drinks?!

This year, champagne cocktails seem to be very popular. Champagne or sparkling wines, such as prosecco and blanc de blanc, lend a light and refreshing spin on drinks that would otherwise be heavier or flat. The holidays need some sparkle, right?!

A great champagne cocktail is a very classic cocktail - The French 75.

CAUTION: HISTORY LESSON...This cocktail was developed from an earlier recipe from 1915 in Paris-WWI era. Around the 1920s is when it really became what we know it as today. Although the name may sound elegant, it isn't necessarily so. The cocktail gets its name from how it initially tasted to the earlier cocktail connoisseurs- "like getting shelled from a French 75mm [firearm]!"

This drink is awesome for many reasons, but there are two I wanted to touch on:

1 - This drink is versatile and can be enjoyed any time of year.

2 - It is simple to make! It is basically a Tom Collins (sub out club soda with champagne or sparkling white wine).

So let's get down to it! You will need:

Tools

Shaker/Strainer

Garnishes

Lemon twist (I like the long twist liket he photo above)

Luxardo brandied cherries (if you got 'em)

Liquor/Mixers

1/2 oz Fresh lemon juice

1/2 oz Simple syrup