Marilyn Monroe From How to Marry a Millionaire

Champagne & Vintage Cocktails from The Ritz

A revised and updated version of a popular blog post!

I have to start this post out with a chuckle, because I am not a big drinker.  My daughter says that in 2012 her mother “discovered” wine – well in 2015 I discovered whiskey!  I am learning!  The mystique and glamour of the vintage 1920-30’s jet-set writers, movie stars, moguls and millionaires sitting around the Bar Hemingway at the Paris Ritz has enticed me to explore these creative libations.  I recently came across a very cool book “The Cocktails of the Ritz Paris” that fed that dream.  So here are a few recipes I have recently shared with friends from that glamourous time in history when men wore hats and women wore gloves to the cocktail “hour”.  I fully intend to imbibe in at least a couple of these vintage drinks for my New Year’s Eve celebration.
Happy New Year to you all,enjoy and be safe and don’t drink these tasty concoctions and drive…please!   Love and Peace and Prosperity for an incredible 2016!  Sandy

 
I have to start by mentioning my favorite:  The Old Fashioned – the original classic in my opinion. Be sure to make it with a good bourbon whiskey like Woodford Reserve Bourbon.  For the recipe, see my recent post here.
 
 
 
And what is a New Year’s celebration without Champagne?  Here are a few of my favorite cocktails made with Champagne:

 
The Champagne Cocktail as published in The Cocktails of the Ritz Paris.  This delicious cocktail is a perfect Champagne twist for tonight’s New Year’s celebration!
1 Sugar Cube or tsp of Sugar
2 dashes Angostura® Bitters
6 oz. Champagne
In a Champagne Flute, place sugar and add bitters. Pour Champagne slowly in small portions to avoid excessive carbonation and bitter stains on the lip of the glass. Garnish with fresh fruit.
 
 

 
This year I discovered the French 75 and my little sister Leisa’s favorite!
1 1/2 ounces Gin
3 ounces Champagne, chilled
1 tablespoon fresh Lemon Juice
1 teaspoon Agave
Lemon Peel, for garnish
Mix together the gin, lemon juice, and agave. Pour into a chilled champagne glass. Top with champagne and garnish with lemon peel to serve.  DELISH!

 
ST. GERMAIN & champagne – St. Germain is exceedingly unique and rare, and is only handmade in very limited quantities from the elderflower berry. Mixed with Champagne, it makes for an exceptional cocktail.
2 oz. St. Germain® Elderflower Liqueur
6 oz. Champagne
In a Champagne Flute, add St. Germain liqueur. Pour Champagne slowly to proper fill level. Garnish with a lemon spiral.
 
 
 

Ready for a smooth vintage cocktail that you can stir up at your New Year’s Eve celebration? Here is one from The Hotel Ritz in London in 1922 the “Millionaire”.  
“The typical millionaire, circa 1920: top hat, tails, sweep-fendered Rolls-Royce, the whole Scrooge McDuck bit. An image with traction. In fact, it spawned several cocktails of that name, none of which a true millionaire would order. It was bad enough that these formulae wore their aspirations on their sleeves — back then, in the age before Trump with a capital T, a millionaire had to at least pretend that it wasn’t all about the Benjamins. Worse, though, most of ’em sucked. But here’s one — created at London’s top-shelf Ritz Hotel, sometime before 1925 — that “tastes sense,” as Lawton Mackall put it in Esquire’s October 1940 “Potables” column. Sweet, pleasant, even jovial…”  (From Esquire.com)
Here is the recipe:  2 ounces rye whisky, 1/2 ounce Grand Marnier, 1 dash grenadine, 1 egg whites. “Shake with cracked ice as though 7 demons were goading you to it” (Mackall), then strain into a chilled cocktail glass. A note on the rye: In strict point of fact, one of the more muscular Canadian brands — think Crown Royal — might be more historically appropriate, that being what Brits at the time thought of when they thought of rye whiskey. In point of taste, though, we’ll stick with American rye. A note on the egg: 1 white for every two drinks’ll work fine; we just didn’t want you to go around dividing egg whites.

 And maybe for New Year’s morning – The Ritz Jam Cocktail.Here is the recipe: Berkshire Ice Glen Vodka, Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice, Simple Syrup, Spoonful of Seasonal Locally Made Jam….

Holiday Magic and My Favorite Things

The holidays of Thanksgiving, Hanukah, Christmas and New Year’s have officially begun, and I am so excited as it unfolds each special gift. What a wonderful time when all is focused on love and giving – the sentiment, the change in focus, the energy and the opportunity for celebration, gathering and stopping to give thanks and outwardly show our love are the things I love most about it.  Even though these qualities can and do occur year round, for some reason, there is a bit of magic that infiltrates everything this time of year.  And I love it!

Today I want to wish each of you a very happy holiday season!  To start it out right, here are a few of my favorite things to remind you of the magic that is all around us. These are the simple beauties that inspire and motivate me. I invite you to take a minute and share with me what inspires you too.
Love and hugs – Sandy

A Few of My Favorite Holiday Things:

• a crackling, cozy fire in the fireplace
• decadent hot chocolate topped with homemade whipped cream
• listening to Carpenters Christmas album
• drinking eggnog
• looking at the cards at Papyrus
• being with my two wonderful grown up kids
• going to pick out the Christmas tree
• making and eating squash casserole (for my recipe go to: http://wp.me/p14m59-10R)
• rubbing up against the Christmas trees at the tree seller and taking the pine scent home on my coat
• cooking with my family and the mayhem in the kitchen
• drinking hot spiced tea by the fire

• presents under the tree
• fresh baked pumpkin pie with real whipped cream
• hanging a lights and decorating the front porch
• drinking wine and baking with friends
• creating the perfect holiday cards to send to special friends
• watching classic holiday films – It’s a Wonderful Life, White Christmas and Miracle on 34th Street
• shopping for little stocking stuffers
• hitting the $1 section at Target and sending “care” boxes to my loved ones
• snow flakes falling on Christmas Eve
• listening to and singing “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” and “White Christmas“
• laying under my mom’s HUGE Christmas tree like a kid
• snow sledding under the full moon

• hanging the stockings by the fireplace for my kids and granddogs
• mom’s stockings that she hangs over her mantel and the surprises they contain
• shopping for treasures and special ornaments
• taking chilly walks and stomping through the colorful leaves
• Bing Crosby, Barbara Streisand, Frank Sinatra, and Mariah Carey, Michael Bublé, MJB holiday music
• learning about and experiencing how others celebrate their holidays
• donating time or singing for local charities or special schools
• hosting a festive gathering at my home for special friends and family
• having coffee and shuffling around the house early in the morning in my cozy pajamas
• a chance to reflect on the amazing year I experienced
• endless scarves to choose from

• city streets and trees outlined in colorful lights
• going out in the neighborhood and doing some old-fashioned Christmas caroling with the family
• wrapping presents with beautiful papers and ribbons
• pumpkin bread with a homemade latte topped with cinnamon
• spending more time with my parents and family, loved ones and friends
• dressing up and going out to dinner for a special holiday night
• quiet walks and talks with family after we have eaten the holiday turkey
• an opportunity for a fresh start
• new chances to love and give

Wishing you a grateful heart, unconditional love and abiding peace – Happy Holidays!

Other posts on SaturdaySoul:
A world created from passion – passion has it’s downfalls, but how could we live without it?
love’s the only gift worth giving – we look for what will heal and comfort us, but it is right here in front of us!
Dazed in an Ice Cocoon – sometimes we think we will die in our icy little cocoon, but we will emerge again.
You Will Receive Wisdom on Your Journey – don’t forget to grab a little wisdom along the way!