Clementine & Raspberry Rosé Fizz
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of KORBEL California Champagne. All opinions are 100% mine.
I am on a brunch kick this month! I brought you brunch ideas for a crowd featuring lots of quiche and coffee, but you know what was missing when I created the menu in that post? Champagne. Without further ado, grab your lady friends who brunch, and let’s get this bubbly brunch started.
My soirée starts off with a signature cocktail – this Clementine & Raspberry Rosé Fizz. The prep for this is as simple as making a clementine simple syrup (just clementine juice, sugar and water) the night before brunch and throwing it in the fridge. When guests arrive, pour a touch of the clementine syrup in each glass, add a few raspberries, and top it with KORBEL California Champagne.
I used KORBEL Sweet Rosé, which is made from both red and white grape varieties. It has a very bright fruit flavor and aroma, and pairs perfectly with aged cheeses or sautéed shrimp (more on that later). All KORBEL California Champagnes are made according to the traditional méthode champenoise, in which the champagne is fermented inside the same bottle from which it is served, which ensures countless dazzling bubbles in every glass served!
KORBEL Brut Rosé would work in this cocktail as well. This one also has a bright fruit flavor, with a little less sweetness. It pairs well with a wide variety of foods – everything from chicken to pizza. If Rosé isn’t your thing (let’s face it, pink wine isn’t for everybody), try Brut. This champagne has a crisp acidity that pairs nicely with cheeses, oysters, egg dishes and smoked salmon – making it a great choice for brunch!
Since my signature cocktail this time around used KORBEL Sweet Rosé, I made a simple shrimp appetizer for snacking. I call this “lazy’s man’s chimichurri shrimp,” because instead of making a proper chimichurri (a delicious Argentinian sauce made with parsley and sometimes, cilantro), I just sauté a few shrimp in butter, and then right near the end, throw in a whole mess of parsley and cilantro. Five minutes, and you’re in and out of the kitchen with this easy peasy appetizer. To round out my spread, I relied on a little help from the store for some of those crunchy dried breadsticks I love so much, and a bowl of salt and pepper pistachios.
Clementine & Raspberry Rosé Fizz
Ingredients
For the Clementine Simple Syrup:
- 1 cup clementine juice
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup water
For the Clementine & Raspberry Rosé Fizz (1 cocktail):
- 2 teaspoons Clementine Simple Syrup
- 3 raspberries
- Chilled KORBEL Sweet Rosé
Instructions
- Make Clementine Simple Syrup: In small saucepan, combine clementine juice, sugar and water. Simmer over medium heat 15 minutes or until mixture is reduced to a syrup. Remove from heat; let stand at room temperature until completely cool. Transfer syrup to airtight container and refrigerate up to 1 month.
- Make Clementine & Raspberry Rosé Fizz: Add 2 teaspoons Clementine Simple Syrup to champagne glass. Add raspberries, then top drink off with KORBEL Sweet Rosé, gently stirring if necessary to combine syrup and champagne.
Notes
Home Chef Tip: Open champagne with ease by twisting the bottle, not the cork. Just place a clean dish towel or napkin over the cork, then use one hand to grasp the cork. Use your other hand to twist the bottle until it gently separates from the cork.
