Welcome to 2021! We made it!
New Year’s Eve gets all the hype, but if you ask me, New Year’s Day is where the real fun is.
Don’t get me wrong, I love donning a party hat and toasting flutes of champagne while counting backwards from 10 as much as the next person. But New Year’s Eve always leaves me with an underwhelmed feeling, and occasionally a throbbing headache.
If you ask me, New Year’s Day is where the real fun is. Although this year we will be missing the Rose Bowl Parade and the NHL Winter Classic– two of my NYD traditions- New Year’s Day is still full of optimism, resolutions and of course, brunch!
And what goes better with brunch than a mimosa? This New Year’s Blood Orange Champagne Cocktail is a posh version of a mimosa that combines, rosemary, honey, blood red oranges and of course champagne to create a seasonal must-have for a boozy brunch.
Blood Oranges are one of my favorite flavors. They are a natural mutation of sweet oranges that taste like a cross between an orange and a raspberry. Their vibrant flavor combined with Rosemary is what gives this cocktail that extra kick for the New Year. I recommend this delicious aperitif for New Year’s Day brunch but it can be enjoyed day or night throughout the Blood Orange Season (December-March).
New Year’s Blood Orange Champagne Cocktail
Ingredients:
- Rosemary Syrup (rosemary and honey)
- Blood Orange Juice
- Champagne
- Rosemary Springs and Orange Slices for Garnish
Mix It:
For the Rosemary Syrup- add 4-5 springs of Rosemary to 2 cups of water. Bring to boil then let simmer for 20 minutes. Strain out the Rosemary and allow to cool. Once cool combine with 1 cup of honey and set aside.
For the Cocktail- in a champagne glass combine 1 Tbsp. Rosemary Syrup and 2 Tbsp. Blood Orange Juice. Fill glass the rest of the way with Champagne and garnish with a spring of Rosemary and a blood orange slice.
