A pretty Champagne cocktail to ring in the New Year? I’m a big fan of this one, which I think I invented but, like so many recipes, it probably already existed. Let me know if you know it by another name. I call it the Ruby Yacht. It is elegant, it shimmers in a flute, and it is way too easy to drink. If it becomes your house cocktail, well, you’re welcome.
Serve it with something rich and dreamy, like the wrinkly Langres from France. An aromatic cow’s milk cheese, Langres is one of the few made in the Champagne region. Tradition calls for pouring a splash of bubbly into the concave top, but I’d rather keep the wine in my glass. Like a lot of washed-rind cheeses, Langres smells bolder than it tastes.
Photo: igourmet
I’m not sure why Langres isn’t better known or more widely available. I found it recently at Oxbow Cheese in Napa. You can also purchase it online from igourmet.com. When it’s in good condition—a little squishy and starting to droop a bit—I like it better than Epoisses. It’s creamy under the rind, firmer at the core, with notes of garlic, mushrooms, compost and decaying apples. Gotta love that!
Ruby Yacht
From Eating Local by Janet Fletcher (Andrews McMeel).
½ ounce (1 tablespoon) fresh pomegranate juice (method below)
½ ounce (1 tablespoon) simple syrup (recipe below)
4 ounces (1/2 cup) dry sparkling wine, well chilled
1 orange twist
Chill a Champagne flute by filling it with ice cubes and water. Let stand for a minute or two, then drain well.
Put the pomegranate juice and the syrup in the flute, then top with sparkling wine. Add the orange twist and serve at once.
Makes 1 drink
Fresh pomegranate juice: Choose an unblemished pomegranate with no cracks. With the heel of your hand, roll the pomegranate around on a cutting board, pressing firmly to crush the internal cells. You will hear the crackle of popping membranes. Keep rolling and pressing until the pomegranate feels slightly flaccid, taking care not to breach the skin, or the juice—which stains fiercely—will squirt out. Hold the softened pomegranate over a bowl and, with a wooden or metal skewer, pierce it gingerly in one spot, releasing the juice into the bowl. Squeeze the pomegranate to release more juice.
Simple syrup: In a small bowl, pour 1/2 cup boiling water over 1/2 cup sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the syrup becomes clear. Chill thoroughly. Keep leftover simple syrup in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.