New Year’s Eve requires a special cocktail. And this one qualifies as it is easy to prepare, yet, beautifully layered, making it visually impressive. Happy New Year, friends.
Orasella Cherry Champagne Cocktail
Serves 1
.75 oz Highside Distilling’s Amaro Rosina
.5 oz Orasella cherry syrup (from a jar of Orasella maraschino cherries)
.25 oz vanilla extract
Antech Blanquette de Limoux Brut sparkling wine
Half a well-ripened pear, cut into slices
Pear and Orasella maraschino cherry to garnish
All items can be collected at PCC Community Markets.
Chill amaro, Orasella maraschino cherries and sparkling wine ahead of use. In a sturdy mixing glass, combine pears, vanilla extract and a splash of Antech sparkling wine. Muddle ingredients expressing as much pear juice as possible. Let sit for 5 minutes to macerate. Double strain into a small measuring vessel. You should have about .75 oz of liquid. Muddle more pear if needed.
Build your cocktail in a standard 8oz cocktail flute. Pour vanilla pear juice, Amaro Rosina, and Orasella cherry syrup into the base of the flute. To create layers of color, place the blunt end of a swizzled bar spoon into the champagne flute until barely touching the liquid in the base*. Very slowly, pour the Antech Blanquette sparkling wine down the bar spoon so as not to disrupt the base mixture. Let bubbles subside before gradually filling the flute.
Garnish with an Orasella cherry and pear slice. Sip and let the layers change or swirl, incorporating all the flavors to one.
*Note, if you don't have a swizzled bar spoon, you can also carefully pour the sparkling wine over the back of a spoon inserted into the champagne flute.