Tiny flecks of edible gold leaf dance on champagne bubbles in the Grant’s Gold cocktail. Photo by Ramona d’Viola/Ilumus
There’s no doubt lots of champagne corks will be popping all over Hollywood and surrounding districts as the Academy Awards – which gives Oscars to the best work in the movies the past year – rolls out another list of winners. If you ask me, the best supporting actress is just too hard this year — I wish they could split the Oscar five ways between Marisa Tomei, Amy Adams, Taraji Henson, Penelope Cruz and Viola Davis. Or maybe the best dress should win.
If you want to make like the red carpet crowd, then pick up a bottle of bubbly by Moet & Chandon – Oscar just chose the venerable champagne house as the official champagne of the Academy Awards. Their wines including Nectar Imperial, Imperial Rose and the latest Grand Vintage will be poured from the Red Carpet cocktail party to the Governer’s Ball after party.
But if you want a golden champagne cocktail that fits the occasion, then try my Grant’s Gold, a champagne cocktail that features edible 23K gold leaf dancing in champagne along with VSOP Cognac and Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur. I created the signature drink recently for a special event at the Grant Grill, the fine dining restaurant in Starwood’s U.S. Grant Hotel in downtown San Diego.
While developing this recipe, I found that static cling can make the delicate gold leaf difficult to handle, but chopping it with the sticky candied ginger takes care of this. And when you drop the pieces of decorated ginger into the drink, they’ll slowly release little flecks of gold. The Grant’s Gold is potent and delicious and whether you choose to add the gold or not, the cocktail will add a luxurious note to any party.
Pair this cocktail with creme brulee, pound cake or dark chocolate desserts. The intense flavors of fresh ginger and cognac are a perfect counterpoint to sweets while the edible 23K gold leaf from Italy makes it memorable.
Grant’s Gold
Makes 1 cocktail
3 to 4 ounces brut champagne like Moet Brut Imperial, chilled
1 ounce Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur
1/2 ounce VSOP cognac
2-3 slivers candied ginger with 23K gold leaf
Pour the champagne or sparkling wine into a flute. Add the ginger liqueur and
cognac. Just before serving, drop in the slivers of candied ginger with gold leaf.
© 2009 By Maria Hunt aka The Bubbly Girl. All rights reserved.
