Cheers!

At the strike of midnight on New Year’s Eve, when 2011 becomes the past and 2012 lies before us, with only possibilities, I will be toasting, with my other work cohorts, with sparkling grape juice.  Sparkling grape juice out of plastic cups or maybe my coffee cup (if it is clean).  Oh so fashionable.  Oh so chic.  Oh so sexy.

What are your plans?

A perfect New Year’s celebration in my mind would be dinner and then dancing.  Dressed to the nines.  Gowns and tuxedos.  Heels and cuff links.  And real dancing.  Dancing, like how our grandparents used to dance.  To be twirled around the dance floor and then when the song is through, head back to the round table with black and white linen napkins and champagne flutes and other beautifully dressed people.  To sip my cocktail and to laugh with my friends.  And wait.  And wait for the countdown to midnight.  10, 9, 8, 7, ….

Wait to be kissed at midnight.  Wait to shout “Happy New Year” as the clock strikes midnight.  And then begin to dance again and continue to sip champagne and continue to have a grand time.  Ringing in the New Year with love and laughter.

Does this happen?  For normal non-celebrity people?  I hope it does.  You know the final scene of ‘When Harry Met Sally’?  That is what I am talking about.  A huge ballroom, tons of lovely people, and dancing…..Oh and champagne.  Lots of champagne.

If you are heading out to said shindig or if you are staying in and playing Monopoly with your family,  you will need a drink.  A cocktail to raise at midnight.  A drink to ring in the New Year.  Something with champagne.  Champagne is a must!

To be honest, cocktails are not my strong point.  I am a bottle of beer or glass of wine gal.  My cocktail of choice is a gin and tonic or maybe ginger ale and bourbon.  Nothing crazy.  No fancy names.  I have never stumped a bar tender.  So I had to do a bit of research on champagne cocktails.  This website offers a whole catalog of choices.  So, if a French 95 doesn’t do it for ya, then pick another and let me know how it goes!

 

French 95

Makes 2 cocktails

Ingredients

1.5 ounces Bourbon

2 ounces Orange Juice (pulp free)

1.5 ounces Lemon Juice (freshly squeezed if possible)

1 ounce Simple Syrup

Champagne (≈ 12 ounces)

Ice Cubes

 Combine the bourbon, orange juice, lemon juice, simple syrup, and a few ice cubes in a shaker and give a quick shake to mix.  Stain mixture evenly between 2 champagne flutes.  Top off flutes with champagne of your choice.  Enjoy immediately.

Here is to a happy and healthy New Year!