Ahh, what better way to enjoy the summer than with a fizzy and fruity beverage? The Mimosa has its beginnings in the early 1920′s in either England or France, depending on who you listen to. In 1921, the Buck’s Fizz was invented in an English club by the same name, while in 1925, the Mimosa was invented in a Paris hotel. The drinks are nearly identical, but occasionally call for different measures and the inclusion of grenadine on the part of the Buck’s Fizz. Regardless, the Fizzy Mimosa (as it shall now be known in this article) has been a staple of hot weather and weddings ever since. Indeed, the first time that I tried one, I was on the sun deck of a cruise ship off the coast of Belize, about to get in a morning game of ping pong with one of my mates. I had only recently become a fan of Champagne, after largely ignoring it in favor of stiffer spirits, and I was eager to try out this beverage (it was on special during this hour. $3 per glass!). Lo’ and behold, I loved it, and have partaken in it many times since.

In wedding tradition, the Fizzy Mimosa is served to keep the alcohol content down while celebrations are in full effect. Not as hard hitting as wine or even straight Champagne, guests are able to imbibe without devolving into the crazy fringe-family member who nobody really likes to associate with.

Even though summer is on the way out on this first day of September, this beverage can still be enjoyed; The weather is still warm enough to really experience its refreshing nature. Only a couple of weeks ago, Micah Hanks and I were experimenting with different mixtures, trying to improve upon the traditional recipe. We introduced cranberry juice instead of orange, as well as vodka. Eureka, we cried! Only to quickly search for the recipe we thought up, and find that this cocktail had already been created and named the Poinsettia. Personally, I find this particular drink to be more enjoyable than the Mimosa itself, as it has more refreshing qualities to it. Orange often leaves me wanting, but the cranberry, despite its dry complexion, did indeed seem to provide more fulfillment.

So here’s my suggestion for the aforementioned drinks: Keep the Mimosa as the morning brunch or wedding drink, especially in the hot months of the year, but start introducing the Poinsettia in later afternoon or evening hours, and also drop the alcohol content a little bit to have less of a kick. Here is the mixture that we used:

3oz Biltmore Estate Sparkling Blanc de Blancs (relatively dry, with hints of lemon, apple, and pear)
2oz Ocean Spray Cranberry juice
1 tsp Maraschino cherry juice
Garnish with Maraschino cherry

While definitely not the strongest concoction on the planet, it proved to be a great dessert beverage to go with the New York style Cheesecake we were also partaking in. The dry nature of the Blanc with the dry nature of the cranberry offset the sweetness of the Maraschino, so it was not overpowering when combined with the dessert. Overall, a pleasant experience, and will be repeated.

Tags: champagne, dessert, mimosa, poinsettia, recipe