From Champagne Cocktails by A.J. Rathbun (Harvard Common, Sept.)
I originally created this both for a holiday cocktail class at Seattle’s Dish It Up, a kitchen products store, wine shop, and classroom rolled up deliciously into one space (check out www.dish-it-up.com for more), and for an article in Traditional Home magazine about the class. Needless to say, it’s a seasonal favorite (if the name didn’t give it away, the coloring would), and it works wonderfully if you want to take your holiday happening a step above the ordinary.
Serves 2
Ice cubes
3 ounces gin
1 1/2 ounces grenadine (see A Note)
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 ounce maraschino liqueur
Chilled brut Champagne or sparkling wine
2 lemon slices for garnish (optional)
1. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway full with ice cubes. Add the gin, grenadine, lemon juice, and maraschino liqueur. Shake jollily.
2. Strain the mixture into two flute glasses. Top each with chilled Champagne. Garnish each with a lemon slice if you’re wearing a holiday hat (or at least want your drink to have a headpiece). Serve immediately.
Note: If you’re buying grenadine (and, like most of us, haven’t yet taken to making your own), I suggest Stirrings brand. It’s not as sickly sweet as what’s normally found on store shelves and has much better flavor.
