Ball Drop Champagne Cocktail

Early in December, Les and I set out to test champagne cocktail recipes. We were having a small party to celebrate our 15th and final Christmas concert at the elementary school our children attended. Champagne and dessert were on the menu, but we also wanted to serve a fun cocktail.

We tried a few different cocktails, but my favorite was the Ball Drop, which I found in Food Network Magazine. It tastes a little bit like an old fashioned cocktail. It was definitely the favorite cocktail of our small party.

These Ball Drop Champagne cocktails would be a great addition to your New Year’s Eve menu, but be careful when you serve and drink these cocktails, they go down easily and they go to your head quickly!  

Ball Drop Champagne Cocktail
Adapted from Food Network Magazine
Printable Recipe 
Bourbon
Triple sec or other orange flavored liquor
Champagne or sparkling wine
Maraschino cherries
Orange twists

Pour ½ ounce bourbon and ¼ ounce triple sec into each champagne flute. Top with Champagne or sparkling wine and garnish with maraschino cherry and orange twist. Serve immediately.

Happy New Year!

I know it’s already January 4th, but I wanted wish you “Happy New Year” and tell you about the delicious drink Les served for our New Year’s Eve party.  Les and I took over the New Year’s Eve party this year when Rob and Barb moved to Tennessee.  Rob and Barb are great hosts, so we didn’t take on New Year’s lightly.  Rob always had a fun cocktail poured and ready when we arrived.  Les wanted to keep that tradition going, so he created a Pomegranate Martini for our celebration.

The Pomegranate Martini is slightly sweet with a subtle tartness.  It was a delicious drink to sip while noshing on appetizers. 

We also served wings, sausages, beans, and these ribs.  Everyone else brought something to share, so we had plenty of delicious food to eat!  And, after dinner we had a blast playing Scattagories. 


Pomegranate Martini
Printable Recipe
1 ounce Vodka
½ ounce Cointreau
½ ounce Pomegranate Syrup (We used Tornani)
2 ounces Cranberry Juice Cocktail
¼ lime wedge
Ice

Pour ice into a cocktail shaker, and add the first four ingredients.  Shake the cocktail shaker.  Rim a martini glass with the lime wedge, and pour mixture from the cocktail shaker into the martini glass.  Squeeze the lime into the drink, and add the lime wedge into the drink.  Enjoy!