With your first
big dinner party of the year coming up, you probably have some questions
about bubbly. Learn some quick tips and tricks and you will realize
that champagne is not just for New Years Eve anymore!
If you are serving
wine at a party it is good to know how much you will need. There
are six about 4-oz glasses in a 750ml bottle of champagne. Decided
on how many glasses you would like to pour per guest and then the
math is easy.
There is about
80 pounds-per-square-inch of pressure behind the cork, so carefully
remove the foil covering and wire hood. You should always place
a towel or dinner napkin over the top of the bottle while working
off the cage and cork. With all of that pressure behind a cork you
never know when you will fall victim to the cork flying out suddenly.
It’s better to be cautious than lose an eye or injure a guest.
Although many
people think that you should have that famous “pop" when
opening your sparkler, the truth is that it is really a faux pas.
The cork should not pop. As the saying goes, "The ear's gain
is the palate's loss." You waste bubbles when you pop the cork.
When properly executed it should come off with a quiet sigh. To
open a bottle of bubbly without the infamous “pop,”
you will need to have it properly chilled to about 45 degrees and
gently ease the cork from the bottle. This temperature can be achieved
by placing the unopened bottle in an ice bucket — one-half
ice and one-half water — for 20 to 30 minutes. Or, you may
refrigerate it for 3 to 4 hours. The refrigerator temperature is
too cold for the bottle to be left in there for extended periods.
It should never be placed in the freezer.
Next ease the
cork out, by securing the cork and turning the bottle (held at a
45 degree angle). Once the cork sighs open you are ready to pour.
Fluted glasses or tulip-shaped glasses (called coupes) are best
for Champagne and sparkling wines as they encourage the bubbles
to collect and rise to the top allowing the full aroma to concentrate
near the surface. They also preserve the lovely bubbles longer.
Never chill or ice the glass, as it would take away from the enjoyment
of the wine. Incidentally, if you are using crystal glasses, the
surface texture is rougher than ordinary glass, more bubbles form
on these glasses.
Go slow when
pouring the bubbly, to avoid frothing, and allow glasses to settle
a moment before topping them off.
Once opened,
Champagne and sparkling wines may be stored for a few days in the
refrigerator with the help of a handy Champagne stopper, which helps
to keep the wine from oxidizing too rapidly. As for long-term storage,
Champagnes and sparkling wines may be cellared horizontally like
other wines, but do not necessarily benefit from additional aging.
Champagnes and
many sparkling wines tend to pair well with a variety of appetizers,
both mild and strong cheeses and hold up particularly well with
spicy Asian cuisine. Chips and popcorn, pizza that’s light
on the tomato sauce, nuts and Mexican food all pair surprisingly
well with Champagne due to the salt factor. Bubbly wine is generally
more versatile than still wines for pairing with food, making it
ideal for not only celebrations but for every day drinking. Think
about serving champagne on any occasion, not only for special events.
It's perfect for the arrival of guests, as an aperitif, or even
with fresh fruit for dessert.
A fantastic
drink for guest arrivals is a Champagne Kir Royale.
This Champagne cocktail is simple and tasty! This recipe calls for
Creme de Cassis which is centuries old - it was created in France
by monks, and is in essence black currant liqueur. It was thought
to cure "wretchedness". Simply pour 1/2 shot Creme
de Cassis into a tall flute and then pour Champagne over it. If
you don’t have Crème de Cassis you may also use Chambourd.
Enjoy!
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