Kir Royales

Like fireworks in a glass!

For our most recent B4D, chronicled yesterday, Stefanie suggested we partake in some breakfast-appropriate, champagne-based cocktails. We decided to forgo mimosas in favor of the slightly boozier, slightly prettier, (ooh-la-la French!) kir royales.

Classing up B4D, since 2009.

I bought of bottle of crème de cassis (black currant liqueur) this past spring, so I could make kirs with Leah's birthday dinner, and it was a most welcome addition to my liquor cabinet. Kirs are a surefire way to really jazz up dry white wine, and a little bit goes a long way, so it lasts a while.

Oooooh! Aaaaaaah...

Class it up with these at your next brunch and I promise you -- people will welcome the change from the usual mimosa doldrums.


Kir Royales (with Kir variation)
via my noggin

16 tablespoons of crème de cassis liqueur (approximately)
1 bottle of champagne or sparkling wine

Step 1: Take our four champagne flutes.

Step 2: Pour approximately 2 tablespoons of liqueur into each glass (I don't usually measure this, but in the flutes I have, it's maybe slightly more than an inch... this shouldn't be any more than 2 tablespoons).

Step 3: Fill glasses with champagne. This cocktail is traditionally garnished with a twist of lemon peel, but it's fun to switch it up -- in this instance I used two blackberries per glass; I think a large mint leaf, still on its stem and hanging into the flute from the edge of the glass, would also be lovely.

Variation: To make kirs instead, replace the champagne flutes with white wine glasses, and replace the champagne with dry white wine.