How to make Cognac

How to make Cognac brandy

Imformation Cognac brandy France

All Cognacs originate from Cognac and its surroundings, in two French departements, which include Segonzac and Jarnac.

Is that obvious, redundant? Maybe so.

However, until 1909 when a decree protecting the delimited area was signed, this was not all that clear. The decree claims that only the spirit made with eaux-de-vie from the protected zone and permitted grapes are entitled to the name Cognac. They must be distilled and aged following specifically authorised techniques, respecting the double distillation process in a copper alembic, and aged in oak barrels for a minimum period of time.

Thus, all Cognac is brandy but not all coñac, kognac, or brandy is Cognac.

Not all Cognacs are alike:

With a rich clay soil, a softly tempered sea climate, and generous amounts of sunlight, the Charente valley enjoys a climate specifically favourable to cultivating vines. It covers over 200, 000 acres along the Charente river and may be distinguished by six different viticultural areas, or 'crus'.

Enjoying specific climate and soil, each region produces different and complimentary qualities of eaux-de-vie. The areas form a circular belt surrounding Cognac, and the eaux-de-vie loose sharpness and gain in body as they move further from the center.

The blending, or "marriage", of these distinct qualities will confer to each Cognac its individual, unique, character.

Only a long period of maturing in oakwood casks allows an eau-de-vie to become a Cognac.

The oak wood, quite porous, keeps the Cognac in permanent contact with the naturally humid or dry air of the cellars while losing some of its alcoholic content. This evaporation leaves a dark hallow over the walls of the town, poetically called 'The Angels Share'. A microscopic fungus - the 'torula compniacensis Richon', develops thanks to the humid air of the cellars. The angels over Cognac 'drink' each year some twenty million bottles per year, making them the second largest market for Cognac after the United States!

After the double distillation, the Cognac starts to mature at a maximum of 72% alcohol. Time will help it lose over a third, reaching not less than 40% in order to be sold. The aging process follows three main phases:

The 'extraction', during which the wood transfers to the eau-de-vie most of its tannin, boisé and taste. The newly distilled colourless eau-de-vie takes on some of the wood's tannins, naturally attaining its golden amber color. Each Cognac house decides on the respective length of stay in young and old casks according to the desired quality: The younger wood will transmit far more tannin to the eau-de-vie than the older.

The 'ageing', also called degradation or hydrolysis, is the period during which the eau-de-vie flattens. After two to three years of maturing, the eau-de-vie reaches qualities proper to consumption. But if allowed more time, the Cognac gains in complexity, perfume, aroma and taste. Bouquet and mellow reach their finest after fifty years.

Finally, the 'oxidation' gives the eau-de-vie its final bouquet and golden shade. Once transferred into glass, the Cognac is no longer in contact with the air or wood, and stops maturing. It remains immutable. Each Cognac house stores its oldest Cognacs in demi-johns in remote cellars known as 'Paradise'

Of Arabic origin, it is thought that the copper alembic, originally used to produce medicinal essences or perfumes, reached France at the time of the crusades; it has remained the same for the past three centuries. Copper is not only an efficient heat conductor but also plays a purifying role.

For its first distillation, the unfiltered wine is brought to boil in the copper pot. Since alcohol evaporates faster than water, alcoholic vapors may be collected in the onion dome shaped cowl and in the swan neck, which slows the rectification process of the flavors, before passing into the long serpentine condenser coil. Vapors condense to the contact of the cooler and turn into a liquid known as 'brouilli'.

This brouilli, with an alcoholic content of 27 to 30% vol., is distilled a second time in a process called the 'bonne chauffe'. The distiller's key task is then to choose the moment when to isolate the 'heart' of this second distillation, extracting the 'head' and the 'tail' in the process.

This distillation process is a delicate and slow one. It lasts for approximately twenty four hours and requires the constant care of the distiller. It usually begins in November and is conducted day and night for several months. The rule binds it to stop at the latest at the end of March. Distillation is a key factor to confer the Cognac its distinctive character. Its secrets are handed over from generation to generation.

Blood Orange Recipes

Blood Orange Sangria

Ingredients:
2 cups sliced strawberries
2 cups apple juice
2/3 cup Triple Sec (orange-flavored liqueur)
1/2 cup sugar
4 whole cloves
3 seedless blood oranges -- each cut into 16 wedges
2 bottles fruity red wine (750-milliliter size)
2 cinnamon sticks (3-inch size)
1 lemon -- cut into 8 wedges
1 lime -- cut into 8 wedges

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a large pitcher, and stir until sugar dissolves. Cover and chill 8 hours or overnight.
Discard cloves and cinnamon sticks. Pour sangria into individual glasses, including the fruit.



Blood Orange Roast Pork Loin

Roasted fingerling potatoes would be great with this colorful dish. Ask the butcher to roll and tie the pork loin for you.

Ingredients
Blood oranges
1 3-pound boneless pork loin, rolled and tied
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 large onion, cut into 8 wedges
2 fresh rosemary sprigs, leaves stripped from stems, plus additional sprigs for garnish
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup low-salt chicken broth
1 large garlic clove, pressed
Blood orange slices

Preparation
Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 450°F. Using vegetable peeler, remove peel (orange part only) in strips from 3 blood oranges. Place pork in large roasting pan. Rub with 2 tablespoons olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss onion, orange peel, and rosemary leaves with remaining 1 tablespoon oil in medium bowl; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange onion mixture around pork. Roast until pork and onion are beginning to brown, about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, squeeze enough juice from oranges to measure 3/4 cup; pour juice into small saucepan. Add wine, broth, and garlic. Boil until reduced to 1 1/4 cups, about 7 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup orange juice mixture to roasting pan. Baste pork with pan juices. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F; continue roasting pork until thermometer inserted into thickest part of pork registers 150°F, basting often and adding more orange juice mixture as needed, about 30 minutes longer.

Place pork on platter and cover loosely with foil. Place roasting pan over medium-high heat; add remaining 3/4 cup orange juice mixture to pan. Boil until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove strings from roast. Slice pork; place on platter. Pour sauce and onion mixture over and around pork. Garnish with rosemary sprigs and orange slices.



Blood Orange Syrup

Ingredients
3 cups fresh blood orange juice or regular orange juice
9 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons grated blood orange peel or regular orange peel

Preparation
Stir all ingredients in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat and boil until syrup is reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 20 minutes. Refrigerate until cold. Cover and keep refrigerated up to 2 days.



Blood Orange Tart

Ingredients
1 refrigerated pie crust (half of 15-ounce package), room temperature

2 large blood oranges
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur

6 thin blood orange slices, halved

Preparation
Preheat oven to 450°F. Unfold crust in 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Press crust onto bottom and up sides of pan. Fold overhang in and press, forming high-standing rim 1/2 inch above pan sides. Pierce all over with fork. Bake crust until set and pale golden, about 10 minutes. Cool in pan on rack. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.

Grate peel from 2 oranges (orange part only); place in small saucepan. Cut pith from oranges; discard. Working over same pan, cut between membranes to release orange segments into pan. Add 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup water and lemon juice. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer until mixture is thickened and segments have fallen apart, stirring often, about 22 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

Mix cornstarch and 1 cup sugar in medium bowl. Beat in butter. Add egg; beat until fluffy. Stir in orange mixture and Grand Marnier (mixture will look curdled). Spoon into crust.

Bake tart until set, about 45 minutes. Cool on rack. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.) Garnish with orange slices. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Blood Orange Jelly with Brandied Whipped Cream

Brandied Whipped Cream

Ingredients
2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons confectioners sugar, or to taste 2 tablespoons brandy, or to taste

Preparation
Beat cream with confectioners sugar with an electric mixer until it holds soft peaks. Fold in brandy.


Blood Orange Jelly(o)

Ingredients
2 (1/4-oz) envelopes unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup water
4 cups strained fresh blood orange juice (from about 2 dozen blood oranges)
3 tablespoons sugar

Accompaniment: Brandied Whipped Cream

Special equipment: a 1-quart glass, ceramic, or stainless-steel mold

Preparation
Sprinkle gelatin over water in a large bowl and let soften 1 minute.

Bring 1 cup juice just to a boil and add to gelatin mixture. Add sugar and a pinch of salt, stirring until sugar and gelatin are dissolved. Stir in remaining 3 cups juice. Pour mixture into mold and chill, uncovered, until set, about 8 hours.

To unmold, dip mold into a bowl of hot water for just a few seconds. Shake mold from side to side, then invert onto a serving plate.

Cooks' note:
• Blood oranges can be expensive. To cut costs, you could substitute 2 cups strained regular orange juice for 2 cups blood orange juice.

Blood Orange Sorbet

Ingredients

4 pounds blood oranges or other oranges
1 1/4 cups water
3/4 cup sugar

Preparation

Finely grate enough peel from oranges to measure 1 1/2 tablespoons. Combine 1 1/4 cups water, sugar, and 1 1/2 tablespoons orange peel in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over high heat until sugar dissolves and syrup boils; remove syrup from heat.

Cut all peel and pith from oranges. Working over bowl to catch juices, cut between membranes to release orange segments. Discard any seeds. Transfer orange mixture to processor; puree until smooth, about 30 seconds. Measure 2 1/3 cups orange puree and mix into orange syrup (reserve any remaining puree for another use). Cover orange mixture; refrigerate at least 6 hours and up to 1 day to blend flavors.

Process orange mixture in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer to container; cover and freeze. (Can be made 2 days ahead.)

Blood Orange, Grapefruit, and Pomegranate Compote

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1/4 cup dry Sherry
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
6 pink grapefruits
3 blood oranges or 1 1/2 navel oranges
1 pomegranate

Preparation
In a saucepan bring white wine, Sherry, honey, and sugar to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Transfer syrup to a heatproof bowl and chill until cold.

Cut peel and pith from grapefruits and oranges and cut fruit into sections, discarding membranes. Halve pomegranate and squeeze gently to yield seeds with juice. Divide citrus sections, pomegranate seeds and juice, and wine syrup among 6 dessert bowls and chill, covered, at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour. Stir compote before serving.

Shrimp Escabeche with Blood Orange Mojo

Ingredients
2 cups freshly squeezed blood orange juice or other orange juice
1 cup fresh lemon juice
3 large garlic cloves, minced, divided
Pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

2 pounds cooked deveined peeled shrimp, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups chopped red bell pepper
1 1/2 cups chopped celery
1 cup chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup olive oil

Additional olive oil (optional)
Lemon wedges
Tortilla chips or pita chips

Preparation
Combine orange juice, lemon juice, and 2 minced garlic cloves in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add pinch of salt; boil until orange juice mixture is reduced to 1 cup, about 15 minutes. Cool. Mix in crushed red pepper.

Mix shrimp, bell pepper, celery, red onion, cilantro, and 1/4 cup olive oil in bowl. Toss with orange juice mixture and remaining minced garlic clove. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and chill until cold, about 2 hours. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Keep refrigerated.)

Arrange escabeche in shallow bowl. Drizzle with additional olive oil, if desired. Garnish with lemon wedges. Serve with tortilla chips or pita chips.

Caramelized Blood Orange and Almond Sundaes

Ingredients
3 blood oranges
2/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
1 quart vanilla ice cream
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted
Fleur de sel* (optional) Squeeze juice from 1 orange (about 1/4 cup) into small bowl. Cut ends off remaining 2 oranges to expose flesh. Cut oranges lengthwise into quarters; pull out and discard white center pith. Cut orange quarters crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices. Place orange slices along with any collected juices in another bowl.

Sprinkle sugar evenly over bottom of heavy 10-inch-diameter skillet; scatter butter pieces over and drizzle with 2 tablespoons orange juice. Stir over medium heat until mixture begins to melt and bubble, then swirl pan to blend. Cook until sugar mixture is dark amber, occasionally scraping down sides of skillet with heatproof spatula, about 6 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons orange juice and cook until smooth and thickened, about 2 minutes. Add orange slices with juices to skillet and stir until coated, about 1 minute. Cool. DO AHEAD: Caramelized orange sauce can be made up to 3 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.

oven-roasted dungeness crab

The buttery sauce that coats the crabmeat and the shells is part of the pleasure of this dish; to really enjoy it, dispense with the utensils and just eat the crab with your hands. Serve with a green salad dressed with tarragon vinaigrette and plenty of crusty sourdough bread.

Ingredients
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 1/2 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper
2 large Dungeness crabs, cooked, cleaned, and cracked (about 4 1/4 pounds)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme, divided
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided

1/2 cup blood orange juice or regular orange juice
1 teaspoon finely grated blood orange peel or regular orange peel

Preparation
Preheat oven to 500°F. Melt butter with oil in heavy large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in garlic, shallot, and dried crushed red pepper. Add crabs; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon chopped thyme and 1 tablespoon chopped parsley over crabs. Stir to combine. Place skillet in oven and roast crabs until heated through, stirring once, about 12 minutes.

Using tongs, transfer crabs to platter. Add orange juice and peel to same skillet; boil until sauce is reduced by about half, about 5 minutes. Spoon sauce over crabs. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon thyme and 1 tablespoon parsley and serve.

Dungeness crab: These large crabs are prized for their sweet, tender meat. They're named for Dungeness, Washington, where they were first harvested commercially, but they are caught in the Pacific Ocean all the way from Alaska to Mexico.

maltaise sauce for asparagus

Ingredients

2 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
a pinch of freshly ground white pepper
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon grated orange zest (preferably from a blood orange
,available seasonally at specialty product markets)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon fresh orange juice (preferably from a
blood orange)

Preparation
In a blender or food processor put the egg yolks, the lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and the white pepper and with the motor running add the butter in a stream. Add the zest and the orange juice and blend the mixture well. Force the mixture through a fine sieve set over a small bowl and keep it warm, its surface covered with a buttered round of wax paper, set in a pan of warm water. Serve the sauce over asparagus.



Blood Orange Crostata

Ingredients
1 recipe Rich Sweet Pastry Dough
raw rice or dried beans for weighting tart shell

For pastry cream:
1 1/2 cups milk
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
2 tablespoons grappa, or to taste

4 blood oranges*
4 small navel oranges
1/3 cup orange marmalade

*available seasonally at specialty produce markets

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°F.

On a lightly floured surface roll out dough into a 15-inch round (1/8 inch thick) and fit it into an 11-inch tart pan with a removable fluted rim. Trim dough flush with rim and lightly prick bottom all over with a fork. Chill shell until firm, about 30 minutes.

Line shell with foil and fill with rice or beans. Bake shell in middle of oven 15 minutes. Remove rice or beans and foil and bake shell until golden, about 8 minutes more. Cool shell in tart pan on a rack. Shell may be made 1 day ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.

Make pastry cream:
In a 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan bring milk just to a simmer over moderate heat. In a metal bowl whisk together yolks, sugar, flour, and zest and add hot milk in a stream, whisking. Transfer mixture to pan and bring to a boil over moderate heat, whisking constantly. Simmer pastry cream, whisking constantly, 1 minute and transfer to a bowl. Whisk in grappa and cool, stirring occasionally. Chill pastry cream, its surface covered with plastic wrap, until cold, at least 4 hours, and up to 2 days.

With a sharp knife cut a slice from top and bottom of each orange to expose flesh and arrange, a cut side down, on a cutting board. Cutting from top to bottom, remove peel and pith. Cut oranges crosswise into thin slices and drain slices in one layer on several thicknesses of paper towel 15 minutes.

In a small saucepan bring marmalade to a simmer, stirring, and force through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on solids. Discard solids.

Spread pastry cream evenly in tart shell. Arrange orange slices decoratively over pastry cream, overlapping them slightly to cover cream, and brush with marmalade. Crostata may be made 2 hours ahead and chilled, covered. Bring crostata to room temperature before serving.

ambrosia

Tip: Just-as-sweet calorie saver: Mix honey, not sugar, intro fruit desserts.

Servings: Makes 6 servings.

Ingredients
4 seedless navel (or blood) oranges
2 Ruby Red grapefruit (1 lb each)
3 tbsp honey
1 starfruit, thinly sliced
1 cup seedless red grapes, halved
1/2 cup champagne grapes (optional)
Julienned orange zest


Preparation
Using a sharp knife, cut away peel and white pith from oranges and grapefruit. Remove orange and grapefruit segments from their membranes. Squeeze juice from membranes into a small bowl. Whisk honey into juice. Arrange layers of orange segments, grapefruit segments and starfruit slices in a clear glass serving dish. Top with grapes. Pour sweetened juice over fruit and garnish with zest. Chill at least 1 hour before serving.

candied citrus peel

makes about 1/2 cup

Ingredients
1 blood orange or navel orange
1 lemon
1/2 pink grapefruit
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup water


Preparation
Using vegetable peeler, remove peel (colored part only) from fruit in 1 1/2- to 2-inch-long pieces. Cut peel into very thin strips (about 1/16 inch wide). Bring small saucepan of water to boil. Add strips and boil 5 minutes. Drain. Repeat.

Bring sugar and 1/4 cup water to simmer in small saucepan, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add blanched citrus peel, cover, and simmer 3 minutes. Transfer syrup with peel to small bowl. Cover and chill overnight. (Can be made 1 week ahead. Keep chilled.)

Using slotted spoon, transfer citrus peel to paper towels to drain before using.

moroccan lamb stew

This fragrant stew is great over couscous.

Servings: Serves 4.

Ingredients
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
3 1/2 pounds o-bone (round-bone) lamb shoulder chops, well trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces, or 2 pounds lamb stew meat
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onions
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 1/3 cups water

2 large blood oranges
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon honey

Preparation
Mix salt, pepper, cinnamon and allspice in medium bowl. Add lamb and toss to coat with spice mixture. Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add lamb to pot and sauté until brown on all sides, about 4 minutes per batch. Return all lamb to pot. Add onion, garlic and ginger to pot and sauté 5 minutes. Add 1 1/3 cups water and bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until lamb is almost tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, grate peel from blood oranges and reserve. Cut all remaining peel and white pith from oranges and discard. Coarsely chop oranges. Add oranges and grated peel to lamb. Cover and simmer until lamb is very tender, about 20 minutes longer. Stir in parsley and honey. Season with salt and pepper.

Blood Orange Sour

Juice of 2 small Blood Oranges or 1 large one - the darker the better
Juice of 1/2 a regular orange
Juice of 1 lemon
Juice of 1/2 a lime
3 oz. of Jim Beam Bourbon
2 tsp. superfine sugar or big splash of simple syrup

Shake all in a cocktail shaker. Serve neat or with the ice. Add a nice slice of Blood Orange as a garnish.
No cherry required.

Duck boobs in blood orange sauce

This is one of our faves and is only repeated as a treat for special occasions.

2 duck breasts
2 - 3 blood oranges (or another kind if you wish)
3 - 4 TBS port
Flour, Arrowroot or Xanthan Gum to thicken
knob of butter
1/2 cup D'artagnan Duck & Veal Demi-Glace (or if no other option GOOD beef/chicken stock)
salt and pepper

With a vegetable peeler, peel strips of the orange rind off as if peeling an apple. Try to do it lightly so as not to take to much of the white pith with the rind. Slice into matchstick sized pieces. Fill a saucepan 1/2 - 3/4 full of water and once boiling add orange rind. Turn heat down and simmer for 10 - 15 mintues. Drain and place on paper towel.

Score the duck skin in a diamond pattern (like scoring a ham) and salt and pepper. Lots of pepper.
Heat a good skillet to medium to medium-high and once hot place the duck breasts in skin side down.
Salt and pepper the second side and if possible cover with a spatter guard. Cook breasts approx 8 minutes or until skin is nicely browned and fat has rendered out. Flip over and cook approx 8 minutes more. This really depends on whether you like your duck pinkish (as I do) or well done (as husband the Brit does).
When they are done place breast side down on a plate while you make the sauce.

Remove all but a tsp or so of the fat. Return the pan to medium-high heat. Add the juice of the oranges. Cook until reduced by half. Add Demi-Glace or stock, cook until reduced by half again. Add port, orange rind, juices from the duck resting on the plate and season to taste with salt and pepper. If you wish add a small knob of butter to make sauce smooth. If you like it as it is, leave it. If you wish it to be thicker, add either a burre manie of butter and flour mixed (skip butter step above), Xanthan gum or arrowroot.

Yellow Bird: four ounces fresh orange juice with a jigger of white rum and a splash of Galliano liqueur, over ice.



I've always found martinis either too bitter or too tart for my taste. But the enjoyable thing about the Golden Kumquat martini - apart from its name being so much fun to say - is that it seems to straddle the line between the two spectrums admirably well. It goes down almost like fruit juice, but there's a spicy, robust kick to its aftertaste that says, "Hey, not for kids!"

Plus it has this amazingly translucent golden color that looks really cool sitting on the bar in front of you. If Christopher Lee's villainous Scaramanga character from the old Roger Moore James Bond flick "The Man with the Golden Gun" drank martinis, he'd probably drink the Golden Kumquat.

The martini is made with Buddha's Hand. I had no idea what that was until I got an explanation from the bartender, and followed up on the Internet. It's a segmented, finger-like citrus fruit that looks like a big bundle of bananas and tastes sort of like a lemon. It's quite popular in modern-day Japan and China. (Thank you Wikipedia!)



Blood Orange Mimosas

Start your New Year's Day brunch with a flavorful, citrus-inspired Champagne toast.

SERVINGS
6

INGREDIENTS
2 cups fresh blood-orange juice (from about 8 oranges)
1/3 cup orange-flavored liqueur
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon organic granulated sugar
1 (750-ml) bottle white sparkling organic wine or Champagne, chilled

PREPARATION
1. Mix the blood-orange juice, orange-flavored liqueur and sugar in a large pitcher until the sugar is dissolved. Chill for about 1 hour.

2. Add 1/4 cup of the orange mixture into each of the Champagne flutes. Fill the flutes with the sparkling wine or Champagne.

Lemon Drop Martini

1 1/2 ounces vodka
1/2 ounce Triple Sec
1 teaspoon superfine sugar
3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
Ice cubes
Superfine sugar for dipping
Twisted peel of lemon

Mix the vodka, Triple Sec, sugar, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice; shake well (supposedly the cocktail is to be shaken 40 times to make sure the sugar is well blended). Pour strained liquor into sugar-rimmed martini glass and garnish with a twisted peel of lemon.

NOTE: To create a sugar-rimmed glass, take a lemon wedge and rub the drinking surface of the glass so it is barely moist. Dip the edge of the glass into sugar.

Makes 1 serving.