Sparkling NYC: A NY Cocktail Club Event

A few weeks ago in a gorgeously decorated Upper West Side apartment, the gracefully gowned TR hosted the February meeting of the NY Cocktail Club. Her dashing co-host Toblerone, sporting a bright yellow ribbon, greeted every guest at the door enthusiastically. The theme was Sparkling NYC, and it was an elegant affair with (mostly) champagne cocktails from New York restaurants and a spread worthy of the bubbly occasion.

The NY Cocktail Club, as I've mentioned before, is a group of nine ladies who meet monthly in the pursuit of tasty libations. (See How to Start Your Own Cocktail Club.)

TR began the afternoon with a sparkler of champagne and St. Germain topped with a strawberry slice. So pretty, simple and delicious! Starting bites included my new favorite appetizer: warm dates stuffed with goat cheese and wrapped with basil and prosciutto. (You might never go back to bacon and blue cheese...)

Photo by Mrs. O

Subsequent rounds were made with modified recipes from the book Cocktails in New York. It was published in 2004 and includes drinks from some of the City's best known and longest standing cocktail joints (as well some "hot" spots that are now closed).

Each round was paired with a well-thought food course that resulted in a lovely balance of savory and sweet over several hours of indulgence. For example, the Indian Rose cocktail was paired with chicken tikka skewers and vanilla-curry caramel corn. After, I could only go home, lie on the sofa and watch back-to-back episodes of Parks and Recreation--a pattern that has only continued since I broke my toe.

The modified recipes are below. (You'll have to get your hands on the book to try the originals... or come over to my place and I'll make them for you. I just ordered it on Amazon!)

Elderflower Sparkler
1 oz St. Germain Liqueur (or more or less to taste)
Champagne

1 strawberry slice

Pour St. Germain into a champagne flute, add bubbly to fill, and top with strawberry slice.

Food pairings
Caprese on a Stick
Happy Hour Almonds

Warm Dates with Goat Cheese, Basil and Prosciutto
1 container pitted dates
1 log of goat cheese
8 very thin slices prosciutto (approx.)
Basil leaves

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Split dates and stuff with goat cheese. Wrap each date with a basil leaf and prosciutto. Hold together with a toothpick if desired. Bake dates for 3-5 minutes to warm through.

Indian Rosé
Based on the drink by Jerri Banks for Taj.

1.5 oz Hendrick's gin
1 oz rosebud tea
1/2 oz rose syrup
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
2 oz sparkling rosé
Rose petals for garnish (make sure the roses are unsprayed)

Shake all ingredients with ice except the rosé and rose petals. Pour into a chilled cocktail glass or flute, top with rosé and garnish with a rose petal.

Food Pairings
Chicken Tikka Skewers
Cat Cora's Vanilla Curry Caramel Popcorn


Nikita's Cousin
Based on a previous version of the Nikita at Pravda which used wild strawberry-infused vodka, which is hard to make in the middle of NY winter. (The bar now has a completely different, rum-based cocktail called the Nikita on their menu.)

2 strawberries
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz rich syrup (or substitute simple)
1 oz Chambord vodka
Prosecco

Muddle one strawberry with lemon juice and syrup in a shaker. Add the vodka and ice and shake. Strain into a cocktail glass or flute. Top with prosecco and garnish with the second strawberry.

Food Pairings
Pumpernickel bread, sliced apples and chicken liver pâté


Frost Bitten
Based on a version from Jean Georges that calls for Inniskillin Cabarnet Franc Icewine, which is  pricy, but said to be one of the best. Instead, we used Selaks Ice Wine from New Zealand, which was quite nice in this cocktail.

2 1/2 oz vodka
1 1/2 oz ice wine

Shake with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Food Pairing
Focaccia Cake

Valentino-esque
Based on a cocktail that was served at industry (food), an East-Village bistro that is now closed. TR used mango puree rather than passion fruit and Chambord vodka rather than strawberry vodka.

1 oz mango puree
.75 oz Chambord vodka
Splash of simple syrup
Splash of grenadine (homemade is best)
Splash of fresh lime juice
4 oz champagne
1 strawberry

Shake all ingredients with ice except the champagne and strawberry. Strain into a flute, top with champagne and garnish with a strawberry slice on the rim.

Food Pairing
Champagne Glazed Fruit Tart