Break Away from Classic Champagne in 2012

Are you getting bored with the classic New Year’s Eve beverage? Although Champagne has symbolized this annual celebration for many years, that doesn’t mean you have to stick to the traditional glass while awaiting the arrival of 2012.  These champagne cocktails offer a few alternatives to really look forward to this year.

Bellini
Ingredients

• 6 oz. champagne
• 2 oz. peach juice or peach puree

Directions

1. Pour the peach juice or peach puree into a champagne flute
2. Slowly add champagne (avoid stirring to keep the bubbles intact)

Black Velvet
Ingredients

• 4 oz. champagne
• 1 oz. chilled black Irish stout

Directions

1. Pour the Champagne and black Irish stout into a beer mug, pint glass or Champagne flute.

Poinsettia
Ingredients

• 1/2 oz. Cointreau or triple sec
• 2 oz. champagne
• 1 oz. cranberry juice

Directions

1. Chill all ingredients beforehand
2. Pour the cointreau and cranberry juice into a chilled Champagne flute
3. Stir well
4. Top with champagne

French 75
Ingredients

• 1/2 oz. lemon juice
• 1 oz. gin
• ½ oz. Cointreau
• 2 oz. Champagne

Directions

1. Pour the lemon juice, gin, and Cointreau into a cocktail shaker with ice cubes
2. Shake well
3. Strain into a chilled Champagne flute
4. Carefully top off with the Champagne- beware, this cocktail packs a punch!

All recipes adapted from The Food Network