I am a year-round fan of sparkling wine and Champagne. Especially at the holidays, I must have fizz! I can’t always spring for the really good stuff, though, and that’s where drinks like this absolutely classic French 75 recipe comes in! You won’t want to use absolutely bottom-shelf bubbly, but a decent, affordable prosecco will honestly taste a lot better when you turn it into a French 75 cocktail.
3 Classic Ingredients
Most classic cocktails have a disputed history, and most originated in the 1920s, and the French 75 is no different! My recipe sticks to what seems to be the most classic ingredients: sparkling wine, gin and lemon.
Somewhere along the way, some people (probably in the 1940s, according to Robert O. Simonsen’s history of the drink over at Punch) swapped cognac for the gin. I’m a fan of gin, though, and I also am more likely to have it in my home bar than cognac, so my French 75 recipe features gin. You are welcome to try the recipe with cognac, if you prefer.
Tips For French 75 Success
- Gently remind your party guests that the drink is a little boozier than it tastes! French 75s have a way of sneaking up on you. Something about the sugar and the sparkling wine! Oh, and probably also the gin.
- Buy a nice gin. I often use Bombay Dry, which is widely available and affordable but reliable. Beefeater is also affordable and just fine. If you want to spring for a nice gin. I’d go for something assertively botanical, not delicate. More delicate gins, like Aviation and Hendricks, would be lost in a drink like this.
- Buy decent sparkling wine. For the sparkling wine, get a very dry sparkling wine, because you’re going to add sugar. Price-point wise, do not go below $15 a bottle, if you can help it. You’re getting into headache territory if you go lower than that.
How To Make Your Own Simple Syrup
You can buy simple syrup, but it’s also easy to make. Simple syrup is just a 1:1 mixture of regular white sugar and water. Combine equal parts sugar and water in a sauce pan, and warm it over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. I usually make it a day or two ahead of time, and move it to a mason jar in the fridge until it’s party time.
How To Batch French 75s For A Party
One standard 750 ml bottle of sparkling wine or prosecco will make 12 French 75 cocktails. For a party, I would scale up the gin, simple syrup and lemon juice mixture and store it in a pitcher in the fridge. You can shake and serve it to “order,” or stir the mixture in a big pitcher with ice if you need to serve all 12 drinks at once.
More Classic Drink Recipes
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