The holiday season is here. Well, at least according to retailers. Although Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Christmas, Bodhi Day, St. Lucia Day or the Feast of the Nativity won't happen for a while, there's still a celebratory mood in the air. Celebrate with class with variations of the classic mimosa.
1. Champagne 101
No need to get fancy here if you don't have a lot to spend. The point here is not to seek out the right vintage and the right winery — a bottle of André, Cook's or Korbel will suit you fine. Prices of these bubblies run from about $5-$20.
Champagne should be served chilled, so be sure to refrigerate it for a few hours. Don't put it in the freezer — it's not liquor.
The bubbly, whether mixed with something or not, should be served in a fluted glass. A wine glass will do as well, but for measuring purposes avoid plastic cups or tumblers.
To avoid sending your friend to Lansing's Sparrow Hospital with a cork in the eye, learn how to properly open a bottle of champagne. Remove the foil and wire, wrap a towel around the cork and neck of the bottle, point the bottle away from everyone (that's the key), slowly untwist the cork with the towel, listen for a "pop" and slip it out of the neck. Have a glass nearby to catch any foam.
Unlike soda, you can't re-cap champagne and expect it to last. Most times, champagne loses its flavor after one day, so try to drink up if you're not in danger of becoming too intoxicated.
2. Stir it up
Now that you've had your crash course, it's time to get mixing. Because champagne is made from fruit, it's best to mix it with other fruit drinks. It doesn't matter whether the drinks are from concentrate or not.
FYI: The following drinks contain alcohol, so you must be 21 or older to purchase or consume one of the ingredients.
Traditional mimosa
Fill a glass with your champagne of choice about three-quarters high and add two ounces of pulp-free orange juice. Stir and enjoy.
Cranberry mimosa
Fill a glass with champagne about three-quarters high and add two ounces of cranberry juice. Stir and enjoy.
Peach mimosa
Fill a glass with champagne about three-quarters high and add two ounces of peach nectar. Stir and enjoy.
Pineapple mimosa
Fill a glass with champagne about three-quarters high and add two ounces of pineapple juice. Stir and enjoy.
3. Raise your glasses
One bottle of the bubbly serves about three to four people. So get together with your friends and toast:
• The break-up of Nick and Jessica
• The end of the semester
• The plans for the new med school (for all the doctors in the house)
• No more Mooch coaching the Detroit Lions
• Having an XBox 360 with no glitches
