Bourbon cocktails it is, but a few quick notes before you start shaking and stirring. All the recipes here come with a short recipe including instructions. For every bourbon cocktail, you will find a link. You already know how those work right? What’s great about these links, in particular, is that if you hit the one for the drink you plan to make you’ll find lots of more photos and some of the history and other tips about each drink. Don’t feel like reading more than necessary? No problem! Just use the recipe right here. Lastly, before we start drinking (responsibly of course) I have a bunch of other drinks that you can find in my drink recipe archive. Don’t forget to check that out.

Bourbon Cocktails

Now, let’s dig in. Below you’ll find all the recipes, try what you’re in the mood for and I hope you like them as much as I do.

Mint Julep Recipe

2 oz / 6 cl Bourbon
1 oz Simple Syrup, made using brown sugar
Fresh mint

crushed ice
even more mint

silver cup or glass
muddler

Many recipes call for sugar and water, that’s what goes into a simple syrup so use that instead. That way you will eliminate the risk of any sugar not being dissolved. I use simple syrup in this recipe with brown sugar. Regular sugar works well too but I like the slight molasses flavor you’ll get from the brown sugar. You decide.

Then it is all about adding loads of mint, plenty of ice, and enjoy your day.

Add a few mint leaves and the bourbon and simple syrup. Muddle lightly to crush the mint leaves a little bit. Add crushed ice until the cup is half full. Stir for 10 seconds. Add ice to top off the glass. Stick in a few sprigs of fresh mint. Serve.

There needs to be plenty of mint added because you want that aroma to really hit you in the nose while sipping. Enjoy!

Horse’s Neck Recipe

2 shakes of bitters
1 oz / 3 cl Bourbon
2-3 oz / 6-9 cl Ginger Ale

Ice
Lemon zest

Highball glass

This one is easy to make, fill a highball glass with ice cubes. As big cubes as the glass can fit. Add a long strip of lemon peel. Add two shakes of bitters and then the Bourbon. Fill the glass with Ginger Ale. Enjoy!

Peach Bourbon Ice Pop Cocktail

I’ll start with the peach and vanilla ice pop, then I’ll continue with the drink, good luck.

Peach Vanilla Ice Pop

1 peach
½ vanilla bean
6 tbsp simple syrup (1 part sugar + 1 part water)
3 tbsp water

Chop the peach. Split the vanilla bean and add everything to a pot. Bring to boil on low temperature and simmer for ten minutes. Remove the vanilla bean. Mix into a smooth thick sauce. Freeze.

The Ice Pop Cocktail

1 peach vanilla ice pop
2 oz / 6 cl bourbon
1 oz / 3 cl cinnamon syrup (1 part sugar + 1 part water + cinnamon stick)
1 oz / 3 cl Cointreau

a few slices of fresh peach

ice

glass
spoon
shaker or mixing glass
sieve

First, make the cinnamon syrup. Bring water and sugar to a boil and add a few cinnamon sticks. I made about two cups of syrup and used five cinnamon sticks. Don’t worry about making too much, it can be used for other drinks.

Add bourbon, cinnamon syrup, and Cointreau to the shaker, add ice and stir for 30 seconds. Add the sliced peach to the glass. Strain the drink into the glass. Add the ice pop. Enjoy!

This recipe is also featured in my collection of five different ice pop cocktails, find it here.

Smoked Old Fashioned With Apple And Cinnamon

serves 1

2 oz / 6 cl bourbon
0.5 oz / 1.5 cl cinnamon syrup (recipe below)
0.5 oz / 1.5 cl concentrated apple juice
4 dashes Angostura Bitter

1-2 slices red apple
1 cinnamon stick
1 big ice cube

smoking gun
applewood chips
ice for shaking/stirring
jigger
shaker
lighter
spoon

Add bourbon, cinnamon syrup, apple juice and Angostura to the shaker. Fill the shaker with smoke using the smoking gun. Add ice and close the shaker with the lid. Shake and set aside.

Slice one or two apple slices. Turn an Old Fashioned glass upside down and fill with smoke. Once the smoke settles turn it and add a big piece of ice. Pour over the drink. Add the apple slices and a cinnamon stick. Serve.

Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate with Bourbon and Marshmallows

1 cup of milk (3% fat)
1.5 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp sugar
1.5 tbsp smooth peanut butter
1 oz / 3 cl bourbon
2 tbsp whipped heavy cream
1 handful of mini marshmallows

So, let’s make this. First, whip the cream and bring out the bourbon. You can also fill the cup you will be using for serving with hot water. I don’t heat the bourbon and the whipped cream will not be hot either. So if you use a cold cup it might not be hot enough.

Then add milk, sugar, and cocoa powder to a pot and bring to a boil while whisking. Once it’s hot set-aside and add the peanut butter without boiling it again. Whisk so all the butter melts into the hot chocolate.

Empty the cup and pour in the bourbon. Fill the cup but leave a little room for cream and marshmallows on the top. Spoon on the cream and then add the marshmallows. Then toast the marshmallows carefully with a Creme Brulee burner. Serve, with a spoon and feel the warmth spread.

Bourbon Apple Ginger Ale Cocktail

serves 1

2 oz / 6 cl bourbon
3 oz / 9 cl raw apple juice
4 oz / 12 cl ginger ale

1 lime
1 piece of fresh ginger
ice
glass

Cut the lime in thick slices, wash and slice the ginger in thick slices as well. Add ice and sliced ginger and lime to a glass. Add the bourbon and raw apple juice to the glass and stir. Top off with the ginger ale. Serve and feel that refreshing flavor!

Brown Derby Cocktail Recipe

1-2 oz / 3-6 cl Bourbon
1 oz / 3 cl Grapefruit juice
1 oz / 3 cl Honey syrup (1 part honey + 1 part water)

Champagne coupe
Shaker
Ice

Add all ingredients to the shaker, shake with ice, strain into the glass and garnish with a piece of grapefruit skin. Good luck and let me know if you liked it.

Blood Orange Whisky Sour Recipe

2 oz / 6 cl Bourbon
1 oz / 3 cl Blood Orange Juice
0.5 oz / 1.5 cl Lemon Juice
0.5 oz / 1.5 cl Simple Syrup
1 tsp Blood Orange Bitters
1 tbsp Egg white

Old Fashioned glass
Blood orange, for garnish
Ice
Shaker
Sieve

First, make the simple syrup if you don’t already have some. Just combine one part sugar with one part water and bring to a boil. Then leave to cool.

Squeeze blood oranges and lemons for the juice, if you’re only making one then one or maybe two of each should be plenty. Then strain the juice through a sieve.

Add bourbon, blood orange juice, lemon juice, simple syrup, egg white, and blood orange bitters to the shaker. Add a handful of ice and then shake hard for about 30 seconds. Strain the drink into the glass, make sure to let all the foam drip into the glass. Cut a thin slice of blood orange and place it on top of the foam. Serve!

Sazerac Recipe

serves 1

2 oz / 6 cl Rye Whisky
3 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
½ oz / 1.5 cl Absinthe
2 tsp simple syrup (1 part sugar + 1 part water)

Lemon
ice for mixing
ice cube for serving
glass
mixing pitcher or shaker
strainer

Add the absinthe to the glass and swirl so it coats the entire glass. Pour out (or back into the bottle) the remaining absinthe. In the pitcher add rye, bitters, simple syrup and a handful of ice. Stir for about 30 seconds. Strain into the glass. Add a big ice cube. Serve with a lemon zest.

Some claim that the drink should be served without ice. Maybe that’s true but I don’t get why, if you want it warm why stir it with ice before? Add a piece of ice, a big one so it doesn’t dilute the drink too fast. Enjoy!

Cherry Old Fashioned with Port Wine & Orange Bitters

2 oz / 6 cl bourbon
1 oz / 3 cl red port wine
2 oz / 6 cl cherry syrup (recipe below)
3 dashes orange bitters

ice
pitcher or shaker
spoon
old fashioned glass
one big ice cube
glazed cherry (recipe below)

Combine bourbon, port wine, cherry syrup and orange bitters in a pitcher. Add ice and stir for about 30 seconds. Add a big piece of ice to the Old Fashioned glass and strain the drink into the glass. Garnish with a glazed cherry. Serve.

This Old Fashioned is sweeter than a regular one so if you don’t want it as sweet just use less cherry syrup. Now let’s see how to make that syrup and the glazed cherry.

Cherry Syrup & Glazed Cherries

20 fresh purple or black cherries
1 cup / 2.3 dl water
½ cup / 1.1 dl sugar
5 cherries (for glazing)

Add the water to a pot and add the cherries. Lightly crush them using the backside of a spoon or a muddler. Bring to a boil and then let it simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes. Strain the liquid into a new pot and discard the cherries.

Add the sugar and bring to a boil again. Add the whole cherries that will be served as glazed cherries and let the syrup slowly simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Set aside and leave to cool. You should now have a sweet syrup, it should be a little bit thick in the texture but not like a toffee sauce. In that case, add a dash of water.

Once you make the drink simply spoon out how much syrup you’ll need and then pull out a cherry for garnish. If kept cold both the syrup and cherries should last at least a week. Good luck!

Blood Orange Manhattan

Well as you can see in the recipe below there aren’t really any fresh blood oranges used in the recipe. I’m using a blood orange bitter I picked up at Whole Foods Market. It is kind of bitter but not like an Angostura. This is not to add some bitterness but more to use as an ingredient.

If you can’t find it I recommend trying a few dashes of Angostura and maybe a dash of fresh blood orange juice instead. I haven’t tried it like that but I’m guessing it will work. Now let’s blend.

4 parts Rye or Bourbon
2 parts Red Sweet Vermouth
2 parts Blood Orange Bitter
Lemon zest

Tools
Ice
Martini glass
Small pitcher
Spoon

Add the rye, vermouth, and bitter to a small pitcher. Add a handful of ice and stir the drink with the ice. Pour the drink into a martini glass without letting the ice slip into the glass. Add a few pieces of lemon zest into the glass. Serve.

Rob Roy Cocktail Recipe

2 oz / 6 cl Scotch Whisky
1 oz / 3 cl Red sweet vermouth
2-3 dashes Angostura bitters

Martini glass
ice
Maraschino cherries
Mixing glass

Stir whisky, vermouth and bitters with ice in the mixing glass. Strain into the martini glass and garnish with two Maraschino cherries. Done.

Some recipes add a lemon twist or even some of the juice from the cherries. I prefer not to but if that’s your thing go right ahead. Good luck mixing.

Boilermaker Recipe

This is not much of a recipe. In my version that you can also see in the photos, I use a PBR in a can. It looks cool and feels even more blue-collar. On the side, there is a shot of Old Grand Daddy.

1 PBR, in a can
1 oz Old Grand Daddy

Pour and drink.

Drink Recipes at Ateriet

Making drinks is fun and I highly recommend trying some of my recipes out. Use them as a starting point to create new and fun stuff. Some of my drinks are classics with a twist, some a real classics and some are inventions of my own. You’ll find them all here.

Hey, I think I just caught your interest, that’s great! Now let’s talk apple sauce. This condiment is a classic for me and I always keep a jar in the fridge and love to use it on porridge, granola, overnight oats, and all that great-tasting and healthy stuff.

The great thing is that making your own is really simple and it so much nicer to have something you’ve made yourself or even with your own apples if you are lucky enough to have a tree in your garden. If not, maybe ask around, people with apple trees can usually spare a few for a friend.

About the recipe

In this recipe, I have kept things very basic and not used any preservatives. This was because I only made a small batch and once it’s cooked I use it every day, hopefully you will too. You can of course use preservatives if you want to make a bigger batch and want to store it for longer. Or you can pasteurize the jars in boiling water and thereby make it last longer without using any preservatives.

While we are talking about recipes I have loads of more apple recipes here, check them at out as well.

What kind of apples to use?

You can use any sort of apples, you might have to adjust the amount of sugar if the apples are very sweet or sour. Just make sure to remove seeds, bad spots, or any damaged parts. In many recipes, they say you have to peel the apples but if you make the sauce in a blender it is not necessary.

In my basic recipe for applesauce below, I have used the skins of the apples and it works great. It is also less time-consuming. Just remember that if you use the skin of red apples you will get red applesauce. Not necessarily a bad thing, it looks kind of cool and it will make your applesauce the most talked about, who wouldn’t want that?

Can I add any other flavors?

You can add a ton of flavor to the applesauce, use things that you would normally pair with apples. Some ideas can be rosemary, vanilla, black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, and ginger.

Applesauce recipe

This is my basic recipe for applesauce, as mentioned I used bright apples with the skin on.

4,4 lbs / 2 kg apples, cut in chunks, seeds and damaged parts removed
0,8 cups / 2 dl water
2 tbsp ascorbic acid
2,2 lbs / 1 kg sugar

Add the apples and water to a pot and bring it to a boil. Let it simmer until the apples are soft. Mix the apples until they are smooth in a blender and then put back in the pot and add the sugar and ascorbic acid and bring it to a boil.

Then carefully pour the sauce into clean glass jars, but be careful. You don’t want to spill hot apple sauce on yourself, that sure is painful.

Close the lids and let the sauce cool off at room temperature at first, once it cooled down after a few hours you can chill it. It will keep at least for a week but almost certain for longer. If you choose to use preservatives or pasteurize the sauce it will keep much longer.

How to serve applesauce

You can serve the applesauce to porridge, cereal, and granola. It is also perfect for any roast. You can also add to glazes or sauces that you can use for barbecue. Mix it with barbecue sauce and brush ribs on the grill. But only your imagination is the limit.

We are in the middle of the summer and it is the high season for drinks and especially the ones that goes great in the shade on a hot day. The Aperol Spritz is definitely one of those and it is very easy to make.

Aperol Spritz Recipe

3 parts Prosecco
2 parts Aperol
plenty of ice
a slice of orange or grapefruit and lime

This is my version, Aperol themselves suggest only orange slices and also that you add one part of soda but for that leaves the drink a bit too watered down. The ice will take care of that while you sip on it. Also usually a slice of orange is added but I prefer grapefruit and lime for a bit more acidity and the bitterness of the grapefruit adds a little something.

Use a big wineglass for the drink, first add the ice and slices of grape and lime, then the aperol and finish it off with the prosecco, start sippin straight away.

Drink Recipes at Ateriet

Making drinks is fun and I highly recommend trying some of my recipes out. Use them as a starting point to create new and fun stuff. Some of my drinks are classics with a twist, some a real classics and some are inventions of my own. You’ll find them all here.

This Apple and Fennel Coleslaw is a classic in our house, we serve it with all sorts of dishes like grilled meats, sausages, fish, tacos and burgers. You can also use this as a base for a bigger salad.

The two main ingredients are Granny Smith Apples and Fennel. For our American readers fennel might be called Anise in stores. All you do is cut the apple and fennel into thin strips and marinate it with oil, vinegar, lemon, salt and pepper. It is a very fresh recipe for coleslaw so don’t expect to get the regular mayonnaise packed coleslaw. This is something much fresher but you can of course serve it to everything you would serve a regular coleslaw.

Apple and Fennel Coleslaw

Side dish, serves 4-6 people

2 Fennels
2 Granny Smith Apples
3 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
1 lemon
black pepper, salt

Split the fennel in half and cut away the root which is located in the bottom of the fennel. Slice it thin and add to a bowl. Split the apples and remove the seeds. Cut the apples into thin strips and add to the bowl.

Add the olive oil, apple cider vinegar and squeeze in the lemon. Season the salad with salt and pepper.

You can eat the salad straight away but I think it gets better if you leave it for a an hour or so before serving. This also makes the fennel a bit softer.

The Horse’s Neck is one of those classic cocktail. Like most classics it’s simple, delicious and comes with a history. I will let you know how to make what I think is perfect one but first let’s check out some history of this classic cocktail.

When was the Horse’s Neck invented?

Like with many classic cocktails the history is a bit unclear. What I can say for certain is that from the beginning is was a non-alcoholic drink. I know that sounds scary but eventually it turned into what we love today.

The non-alcoholic version which is only ginger ale, lemon and ice dates back to the 1890’s. But luckily by the early 1910’s bartenders had figured out that if you add bourbon it will be better. This also turned the drink into a Horse’s Neck with a Kick or a Stiff Horse’s Neck.

Since the original one didn’t contain any alcohol is was naturally phased out. The Horse’s Neck is referenced in a number or source from the late 1800’s. Both with and without alcohol. I do think it is safe to say that it was a drink you could get in the Eastern US with or without Bourbon. According to The Mansfield News it was a common drink in Atlantic City in 1900. The same article claims the drink was invented in a resort by a bartender who was about to lose his job. The drink turned out to rescue his job since it became so popular.

A few things go for all the versions of the drink. You will need plenty of ice, good ginger ale and a spiral of lemon zest as long as the glass.

What goes into a Horse’s Neck?

Bourbon, ice, lemon zest and ginger ale. That is the main components in a Horse’s Neck. There should be plenty of ice and the lemon zest should be as tall as the glass and served as a spiral in between the ice cubes.

Some recipes call for an Old Fashioned glass but most will suggest a highball glass. I think the highball works best. More room for ice and since it’s not really a short drink I think a highball works better. It also makes more sense considering the lemon peel.

Other varieties?

Like with all classic drinks there are varieties. Before we go into that I just want to say that the original recipe without Bourbon is a great non-alcoholic drink. So this is one of those drinks that is perfect to serve when not all your guest want to get the buzz.

Common varieties are Brandy instead of Bourbon, old fashioned glass instead of highball. A Kentucky Gentleman is the same drink but made with Maker’s Mark and Ale 8 One, a soft drink from Kentucky. In Canada you can get a Rye and Ginger which is also the same thing but then made with Canadian whisky.

Naturally a simple order of Bourbon and Ginger Ale works fine in any bar, but it’s not a Horse’s Neck.

I use a few dashes of bitters in my version. This is also mentioned in many other recipes. For me it is essential so do use it. I made mine with a bitter I got in the US but most works. A classic Angostura works like magic.

So what do you think, time to make a Horse’s Neck?

Horse’s Neck Recipe

2 shakes of bitters
1 oz / 3 cl Bourbon
2-3 oz / 6-9 cl Ginger Ale

Ice
Lemon zest

Highball glass

This one is easy to make, fill a highball glass with ice cubes. As big cubes as the glass can fit. Add a long strip of lemon peel. Add two shakes of bitters and then the Bourbon. Fill the glass with Ginger Ale. Enjoy!

What is important about it?

The Bourbon and Ginger Ale is what matters here. Like with anything there is a big difference between different brands of both Bourbon and Ginger Ale. I’m not saying what type to use but try different brands and find your favorite.

The big ice cubes make the drink cold but won’t dilute it too fast. You should be able to drink it all without being left with a half full glass of water.

Drink Recipes at Ateriet

Making drinks is fun and I highly recommend trying some of my recipes out. Use them as a starting point to create new and fun stuff. Some of my drinks are classics with a twist, some a real classics and some are inventions of my own. You’ll find them all here.

Making tuna carpaccio is not that hard, get some good fish, slice it thin and add whatever flavors you like. The important thing is that you get really fresh (or good frozen) fish and check with your guests before since not everybody is into eating raw fish.

I serve the carpaccio with a little bit of homemade mayonnaise that I think add great flavor and the extra little bit of fat goes great with the tuna. In the recipe it only says mayonnaise so either make your own or use any good bought one.

Tuna Carpaccio with Capers, Cress and Mayonnaise

serves 4 as an appetizer

260g / 9 oz fresh tuna
4 tbsp capers
about a handful of fresh cress
4 tbsp mayonnaise
salt
black pepper
olive oil

Slice the tuna as thin as you can and plate it, do this as close to serving as you can because it tends to dry out really quickly. However if have to prepare long before serving you can brush the plate with olive oil, slice and add the tuna and then wrap the plate with cling film until serving. Using this method it can be prepared maybe two or three hours before serving.

After the tuna is on the plate add capers, mayonnaise, salt, pepper and olive oil. Serve straight away, good luck.

The Mint Julep is one of those classics. Ice, fresh mint, bourbon and sugar. What more do you need?

I will start with the recipe and how to make it, after that we dig down on some of the history of this great drink. So if you want to taste it just use the recipe, if you want to learn more then keep reading.

Mint Julep Recipe

2 oz / 6 cl Bourbon
1 oz Simple Syrup, made using brown sugar
Fresh mint

crushed ice
even more mint

silver cup or glass
muddler

Many recipes call for sugar and water, that’s what goes into a simple syrup so use that instead. That way you will eliminate the risk of any sugar not being dissolved. I use a simple syrup in this recipe with brown sugar. Regular sugar works good too but I like the slightly molasses flavor you’ll get from the brown sugar. You decide.

Then it is all about adding loads of mint, plenty of ice and enjoy your day.

Add a few mint leaves and the bourbon and simple syrup. Muddle lightly to crush the mint leaves a little bit. Add crushed ice until the cup is half full. Stir for 10 seconds. Add ice to top off the glass. Stick in a few sprigs of fresh mint. Serve.

There needs to be plenty of mint added because you want that aroma to really hit you in the nose while sipping. Enjoy!

Tools to make a Mint Julep

You will need crushed ice. There are some ways to get good crushed ice. Either invest in an ice crusher or buy crushed ice-trays. You can also crush it using something hard like a pot and place ice inside a thick plastic bag or towel.

If you want to serve it in silver cups there are plenty to find, here is one that I like. But of course the drink will taste just as good in a regular glass.

History of The Mint Julep

The Mint Julep was popularized at the Kentucky Derby in 1938 when it was sold and marketed at the Churchill Downs Racetrack in Kentucky. Since then it has become a Kentucky Derby classic and each year over 100.00 are sold during the Kentucky Derby.

But the Mint Julep was a drink long before it got associated with the Kentucky Derby. The Mint Julep appears in literature as early as 1784 and 1803. By then it seems to have been used more for medicinal purposes instead of cooling you off on a hot day.

The word Julep most likely come from the Spanish Arabic word Julepe which means rosewater.

Like all classic drinks the old recipes comes with plenty of variation. If you look in the original edition of Bartenders Guide: How to Mix Drinks or The Bon-Vivant’s Companion there are five different types of Mint Juleps. If you ask for a Mint Julep today you will most likely get something close to my recipe but to just name a few other ingredients from the past there are whisky, claret, madeira, pineapple, peach brandy, cognac and gin.

The Silver Cup

Traditionally the Mint Julep is served in a silver cup. The silver cup have been a mark of wealth in the South for a long time and silver cups have been given out as prizes in Kentucky since the 1800’s. Since the Mint Julep contains so much ice the silver cup produces frost on the outside of the cup after a while. So the reason why it has been the standard serving glass for the Mint Julep is probably a combination of this and the Southern tradition.

Julep Drinks Today

Mint Juleps and other varieties is a small category of drinks on its own today. It’s not really clear what makes a Julep a Julep but most recipes you see in bars contain much alcohol, some herbs or berries and plenty of crushed ice.

Drink Recipes at Ateriet

Making drinks is fun and I highly recommend trying some of my recipes out. Use them as a starting point to create new and fun stuff. Some of my drinks are classics with a twist, some a real classics and some are inventions of my own. You’ll find them all here.

Fennel and grapefruit is a great combination and one of the best ways to serve this is to make a very simple salad. There is really nothing to it, peel and slice a grapefruit, wash and slice a fennel and sprinkle some chopped parsley, olive oil and black pepper on top. That’s it.

I served this salad as a side for a creamy tagliatelle with a steak on the side, it was a great way to serve it. It also works great for buffets or if you’re having trouble coming up with a fresh appetizer for a vegan friend or just want to cut down on meat this is a great recipe.

Also, my first plan was to make this recipe with yellow beets and some blood orange with the fennel instead of the grapefruit. Unfortunately both stores I visited was out of blood orange and yellow beets so the plans had to change. What that means is that you can tweak this salad in a lot of ways so feel free to add your own twist. Now for a more detailed recipe.

Fennel and Grapefruit Salad with Black Pepper and Parsley

Serves 4 as an appetizer or side salad

2 pink grapefruits
2 small fresh fennel/anise
Black pepper
Olive oil
Some fresh parsley

Cut away all the skin from the grapefruits, make sure you’ll remove all the white stuff. It is very bitter and it needs to go. Cut the fennels in half and cut away the stem in the middle. Rinse the fennel in water.

Slice the grapefruit and fennel thin and combine on a plate or more if you’re serving this as an appetizer. Chop the parsley and sprinkle on top. Add a few twists of black pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Serve.

Roe or caviar or just fish eggs is one great product to use for appetizers and finger food. I do it all the time. Now roe comes in a wide range of different varieties and price ranges. From the cheapest possible to the very exclusive sturgeon caviar that can cost insanely much.

In this recipe I use bleak roe. This is quite expensive but it can’t compare to the sturgeon caviar. There can also be different qualities of bleak roe so the best thing is to visit a fish market you trust and ask them for advice. The good thing is you don’t need very much. I used an American bleak roe that I bought frozen in this recipe. I paid around $8 for 80g / 2.8 oz.

If that is over or under your budget you can just replace the bleak roe with any variety that you like, now let’s make some bleak roe on toast.

Bleak Roe on Toast with Lemon Smetana and Dill

serves 2-4 as a finger food

The portion for this is small, I served four people but that was with other types of finger foods as well. Usually I make sure that each guest can eat 2-3 pieces each. In my photos there are nine pieces but I actually made twelve and that is what the recipe is for. But these things tend to be eaten if they are served so it is always a good idea to make a little bit extra. This is what you need.

80g / 2.8 oz bleak roe
3 slices of toast bread
1 tbsp butter
100g / 3.5 oz smetana or creme fraiche
1 lemon
salt, pepper
fresh dill

Cut away the edges of the bread and cut each piece into four squares. Toast them in a pan with the butter. Grate the lemon using a microplane and combine with the smetana. Season with salt and pepper.

Smear some lemon smetana on each piece of toast. Spoon the bleak roe on to the toasts. Add a piece of dill on each toast. Serve.

Champagne Cocktails is the one type of cocktail you should be serving this New Year’s Eve. But there are plenty of different ways to do so, why not try any of these six varieties.

We have a good spread of Champagne Cocktails, some dry and perfect for sipping, a few classics and something sweeter for those of you who love that style. Let’s go!

Pomegranate Champagne Cocktail with Rosemary

3 oz / 9 cl Champagne
3 cl Gin
1 tbsp Pomegranate Seeds
3 cl Rosemary Simple Syrup

1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 tsp pomegranate seeds

Glass
Sieve
Muddler
Shaker or plastic jar

First make the rosemary simple syrup. It’s one part sugar one part water and a few sprigs of rosemary. This will hold for a long time so you can make a little extra. Allow to cool before using it and remove the rosemary once it has a nice rosemary aroma.

Add the gin, pomegranate seeds and rosemary simple syrup to a shaker or plastic jar. Muddle to get all the juices out of the pomegranate seeds. Pour the liquid into a glass through a sieve.

Add a sprig of rosemary to the glass and a teaspoon of pomegranate seeds. Pour the champagne to top of the glass. Serve.

Cointreau Champagne Cocktail

3 oz / 9 cl Champagne
3 cl Cointreau Liqueur
2 dashes of Grapefruit or any Citrus Bitters

Orange slice

Glass
Ice
Spoon
Shaker or small pitcher

Add the Cointreau and bitters to a shaker or pitcher, add a few pieces of ice. Stir the liquid with the ice. Pour into the glass without allowing any of the ice to slip in. Add the champagne and a slice or orange.

French 75

3 oz / 9 cl Champagne
1 oz / 3 cl Gin
0.5 oz / 1.5 cl Lemon Juice
0.5 oz / 1.5 cl Simple Syrup (1 part sugar 1 part water)

Lemon peel for garnish

Glass
Shaker
Ice

Add a handful of ice to the shaker. Add simple syrup, gin and lemon juice. Shake. Strain into the glass and top with the champagne. Add a lemon peel or slice of lemon for garnish.

Sangria Champagne Cocktail

3 oz / 9 cl Champagne
1 oz / 3 cl Red wine
1 oz / 3 cl Simple Syrup (1 part sugar 1 part water)
4 fresh raspberries

a few fresh berries for garnish

Glass
Muddler
Sieve
Shaker or plastic jar

Add red wine, simple syrup and raspberries to a shaker or plastic jar. Muddle to crush the raspberries. Strain the liquid into the glass via a sieve. Add a few fresh berries and top with the Champagne.

Passion Fruit Champagne Cocktail

3 oz / 9 cl Champagne
1 oz / 3 cl Simple Syrup (1 part sugar 1 part water)
1 Passion Fruit
0.5 oz / 1.5 cl Lemon Juice

½ Passion fruit

Sieve
Shaker or plastic jar
Spoon
Ice

Cut the passionfruit into half. Scrape out the seeds into the sieve and squeeze the seeds with the spoon to get all the juices out. Add the simple syrup and lemon juice and a handful of ice to the shaker. Stir to cool down the liquid.

Strain the liquid into the glass. Add the seeds from half a passionfruit and top with Champagne.

Classic Champagne Cocktail

3 oz / 9 cl Champagne
1 sugar cube
a few dashes of Angostura Bitters

Lemon peel for garnish

Glass
Spoon

Let’s end with the most classic of Champagne Cocktails. In some recipes you might find some Cognac added to this recipe. I prefer it without but if you feel like it you can add 0.5 oz / 1.5 cl of Cognac to this recipe.

Put the sugar cube on the spoon. Add Angostura Bitters to the cube to let it soak. Add to the glass and add just a few drops of Champagne. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Top with Champagne. Add a long strip of lemon peel for garnish.

About the Champagne Cocktails

These six cocktails have been tried and tested by myself and I like all of them. However if you can try mixing one before your guests arrive. Maybe you would like things a little bit sweeter or use a different garnish or glass. Then do so, pouring an early drink while preparing will not hurt you either.

All recipes makes one cocktail, this way it is easy to multiply the recipe and make as many as you want.

Champagne vs Cava, Cremant or Prosecco

Only Champagne is Champagne. With that said Champagne do cost at least three times as much as a really great Cremant or Cava. And you will be blending it with a bunch of other stuff.

So let your budget decide, I almost always go for a good Cava or Cremant instead of Champagne. The flavors is simply just as good and I prefer to break my New Years Eve budget on the food instead.

The only thing you need to make sure is that you choose a dry Champagne for these recipes. All of them are tried with either Cava, Prosecco and Champagne all dry. You will be adding sugar in one form or the other in most of the recipes.

About Glasses for Champagne Cocktails

As you can see I use a few different types of glasses for these cocktails. All work for any drink. I do think it is a bit easier to pour and make the drinks when they are not served in Champagne flutes. Any glass that make your guests feel like it will be a great night works.

There are no rules, at least not that can’t be broken from time to time.

Pouring the Champagne Cocktails

Champagne easily rises and pours over when you pour it. This is even more true once you add sugar and other ingredients. So pour very slowly to not spill too much of the good stuff.

Drink Recipes at Ateriet

Making drinks is fun and I highly recommend trying some of my recipes out. Use them as a starting point to create new and fun stuff. Some of my drinks are classics with a twist, some a real classics and some are inventions of my own. You’ll find them all here.