Happy Mother’s Day! Screw cooking. Start sipping.
Those clever folks at Papyrus must have had me in mind!
As we enter the season of Hallmark holidays — those inauthentic, soulless, made-up occasions we all scoff at, but will curse our nearest and dearest for overlooking — please accept this gentle Mother’s Day reminder, and be sure to send a heartfelt card, a lovely plant or a case of champagne to all the deserving mothers, grandmothers, wives and daughters in your life.
If you don’t have any of the aforementioned, feel free to rouse yourself from your sofa-induced stupor and send the champagne to me. One bottle per hour of labor seems appropriate. Mine went on for approximately 18, and I still recall every agonizing, nauseating, humiliating second as if it were yesterday — unflattering fluorescent lighting, insufficient quantities of narcotics and random interns in me to the elbow. What a day that was!
Astute reader Lora Robins sourced and sent along the lovely slattern-inspired Mother’s Day card pictured above, which features the touching inscription I lifted for the title of this post. Thanks, Lora! I was so moved, I went straight to the liquor cabinet, retrieved the ingredients for my favorite champagne cocktail, popped the bubbly and started the party early!
So without further ado, here’s my recipe of choice for this year’s day of recognition and relaxation. As I dislike excessively sweet drinks, I use far less sugar than is usual in a champagne cocktail. Most recipes call for a cube per drink, but I just use a suspicion of simple syrup instead, though sometimes I skip it altogether, as the Grand Marnier is quite sweet. You’ll do as you like.
The Slattern’s Champagne Cocktail
Into each flute, pour:
1 tsp simple syrup (more or less to taste)
2 dashes Angostura Bitters, or similar
1 ounce Grand Marnier
Slosh the ingredients around to mix, then fill each flute with the ice-cold, dry champagne of your choice. I like Gruet from New Mexico. It’s tasty enough to drink on its own, but not so expensive that it you feel guilty mixing it with something. Garnish with a festive orange slice, maraschino cherry or both.
Let the wild rumpus begin!
Posted on May 12, 2012, in Cocktails!, Holiday fare and tagged Angostura Bitters, Food, Grand Marnier, Humor, Mothers Day, New Mexico, Wine cocktail. Bookmark the permalink. 6 Comments.
Kitchen Slattern 
The only thing better than a cocktail is a CHAMPAGNE cocktail! Cheers~
Can’t argue with that. Thanks for stopping by!
Happy Mother’s Day!!!! Thought I’d get the BS out of the way. I’m adopted, my adopted mother died when I was twelve. The only blessing that came out of that, besides time spent, was a pass on heart disease, cancer, alcoholism and an unhealthy desire to work as many hours per week as possible. I miss my mothers. Despite attempts by my dad and aunts trying to take their place, life gave me enough to write about.
Amen, brother.
I have been nibbling on chocolate covered strawberries sent by my younger son, and sipping on a pitcher (glass, etched, antique) of sangria. That’s what we’re calling supper in these parts…
That’s what I call heaven. I can even remember when I used to call it Tuesday.