I’m so excited to launch a new series today: Portrait of a Cocktail! My friend Eva of Eva B. Paper Goods has signed on to be our in-house lush, meaning she’ll be providing the history of a cocktail and a delicious and intoxicating recipe.
Tis the season for champagne! You can dress champagne up lots of ways, like with sugar cubes and flavored bitters or a dash of your favorite liqueur. But a French 75 is the way to really get the festivities started!
Did you know that the French 75 cocktail is named after a gun? No joke! The French 75 was the most popular field gun used in World War I. The cocktail got it’s name in 1915 at the swanky New York Bar in Paris because it gave the drinker such a kick — just like a French 75. Trust me though, and don’t be scared: You don’t taste the kick. The play of sweetness from the champagne and simple syrup completely balance out the gin, and the lemon juice just adds one more layer of flavor to enjoy.
To make this cocktail fit for the holidays I’ve added a pop of color and flavor with a few pomegranate seeds. If you’re a huge fan of pomegranate you could even add a little less champagne and a splash of Pom juice.
Holiday-Inspired French 75 Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients
- .5 ounce lemon juice fresh
- .5 ounce simple syrup
- 1 ounce gin
- 3 ounces champagne
- pomegranate seeds
- lemon twist
Instructions
- Pour into flute, and top with champagne.
- Using a potato peeler, peel off a long strip lemon. Be sure to do this over the cocktail so that the oils from the peel go into the drink. Next tightly coil the peel (still over the cocktail) to make a twist. Rest the twist on the rim of the flute and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
If you’re having friends over, make a larger batch of the lemon juice, simple syrup and gin in a separate container. Then when someone needs a cocktail, just add enough of the mixture to the shaker with ice, and go from there.
Cheers!
— Eva
PS – To make simple syrup, bring 1 cup of water to a boil then add 1 cup of sugar. Immediately remove from heat and stir. Wait for mixture to cool. I suggest making a big batch and storing in the refrigerator for future cocktails. Also, some prefer cognac instead of gin for this drink. I personally would go with the gin. I think the herbaceous flavors of gin pair better with lemon and champagne.
