Well, it is finally here! The last day of 2021. Many are looking forward to the ending of this year and starting fresh in 2022 at the stroke of midnight. I am one of them. And I love that this new year is starting on a Saturday, giving us today off to get ready for the celebration, and getting an extra weekend day afterwards to continue to reflect, relax, and reenergize before jumping back in post-holiday routines on Monday.
Along with some delectable appetizers, we will be bidding farewell to 2021 with a sparkling wine cocktail tonight. Vanilla bean simple syrup and bourbon are combined, then topped off with sparkling wine. It’s a festive & flavorful libation to welcome in 2022!
Champagne & Bourbon Cocktail (adapted from Bobby Flay via foodnetwork.com) Total Time Required: 25 minutes, Prep Time: 5 minutes, Inactive Time: 20 minutes
Makes: 1 cocktail
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
- 2 ounces bourbon
- 3 – 4 ounces prosecco or sparkling wine, chilled
Directions:
Combine the sugar, water, vanilla bean and seeds in small pot.
Bring it to a boil over medium heat and cook until the sugar is dissolved. Let the simple syrup cool to room temperature.
Strain the simple syrup into a clean jar and discard the vanilla bean. There will be enough simple syrup to make 6 – 8 cocktails.
Add the bourbon and 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) of the vanilla bean syrup to a chilled champagne flute.
Fill the flute to the top with sparkling wine and serve.
Happy New Year! ~Linda
Champagne & Bourbon Cocktail (adapted from Bobby Flay via foodnetwork.com) Total Time Required: 25 minutes, Prep Time: 5 minutes, Inactive Time: 20 minutes, Makes: 1 cocktail
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped
- 2 ounces bourbon
- 3 – 4 ounces prosecco or sparkling wine, chilled
Directions:
Combine the sugar, water, vanilla bean and seeds in small pot. Bring it to a boil over medium heat and cook until the sugar is dissolved. Let the simple syrup cool to room temperature. Strain the simple syrup into a clean jar and discard the vanilla bean. There will be enough simple syrup to make 6 – 8 cocktails.
Add the bourbon and 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) of the vanilla bean syrup to a chilled champagne flute. Fill the flute to the top with sparkling wine and serve.