Prosecco Made Me Do It: 60 Seriously Sparkling Cocktails. Amy Zavatto
your Manhattan takes on a whole new dimension. Same with Prosecco.
You now know how Prosecco came to be. You know where it’s from and the nuances of the region and can walk into any wine shop and pick like a pro! But before we jump into all the fun that’s to come, let’s go over a few basics to help set your Prosecco-cocktail concocting on a good path.
HOW TO OPEN A BOTTLE
Put that sabre away, and for the love of Pete, DO NOT ever launch a cork into the atmosphere. The former is for the pros and the latter is just a silly, dangerous thing to do, no matter how fun it might seem. When you hit your best friend in the eye with a cork powered by 2.5 bars of pressure, I guarantee they will not be happy with you.
So do this instead:
1. Set the bottle on a solid surface, like a worktop.
2. Grab a tea towel or kitchen towel.
3. Place the towel over the top of the bottle.
4. Grab the base of the bottle securely with one hand, and put the other hand over the top of the towel-covered cork section.
5. Gently twist until the cork is released.
That’s it. I swear, it’s really easy. You won’t lose tons of overflowing delicious Prosecco and no one gets hurt. No better way to get the party started right.
STORING YOUR WINE
Like any wine, store your Prosecco in a cool, dark, mildly humid place (like a basement, if you have one) on its side until you’re ready to chill it and use it. Do not store it or any other wine for the long term in the refrigerator – the opening and closing of the door makes for lots of up and down in temperature and its just too dry of an atmosphere for the long haul with any wine. Definitely do not store your bottles on top of the refrigerator, or any high-up area – heat rises! Heat is the enemy of wine, and definitely the arch rival of bubbles.
When ready to use your Prosecco, pop it in the fridge a few hours or up to a day or so beforehand.
It might sound bananas, but if you don’t manage to finish an opened bottle (blasphemous!), use a simple Champagne stopper – these have a rubber seal that you press into the lip of the bottle and two side wings that fasten onto the rim. They’re inexpensive, easy to find and you can use them for beer and cider, too.
INGREDIENT CARE
Aside from spirits, cocktails require other ingredients, like fruits, herbs and sweeteners like syrups.
When it comes to fruit, the number one rule: always wash it! By wash, I mean rinse thoroughly with cool water. That goes for citrus, especially if you’re using the zest as a garnish. With raspberries and blackberries, only gently rinse what you need – washing all of them at once and putting back the brunt that isn’t going to go in your cocktail will lead to mouldy fruit. All those little bumps and nooks and crannies hold the moisture and, thus, start to rot faster when wet. Blueberries and strawberries are an exception, but you should let them dry off on a towel before putting them back in your refrigerator.
As for herbs, gently rinse and pat dry. Store any extra like flowers with the stems in a container of water, or dampen a paper towel, wrap them up and store in the crisper of your refrigerator.
Many cocktails in this book require a touch of simple syrup. I prefer using this to caster sugar or any granulated sugar, no matter how fine, because it’s already dissolved and easier to mix with. Make a batch ahead of time and store it in your refrigerator. The variations you can make on this are only limited by your imagination and ingredients, but here are the recipes contained in this book for your reference.
SIMPLE SYRUP
The basic recipe tells you a lot about the name:
it’s simple! The method is as follows:
One part sugar to one part water.
Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan over a medium heat and gently stir until the sugar dissolves. Leave to cool, then store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
MINT SIMPLE SYRUP
200g (7oz) granulated white sugar
240ml (8fl oz) water
5g (⅛oz) fresh mint leaves, washed
Drop the mint into a small saucepan and gently muddle to release the oils. Add the sugar and water and cook over a medium heat. Gently stir until the sugar dissolves and the aroma of the mint is prominent. Leave to cool, then store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
VARIATIONS
Basil Simple Syrup – make as above but use basil instead of mint.
Rosemary Simple Syrup – make as above but use 3–4 fresh rosemary sprigs instead of mint.
Cinnamon Simple Syrup – combine 3 cinnamon sticks in the saucepan with the sugar and water and continue as before.
Honey Syrup – combine 240ml (8fl oz) honey with the water in a saucepan and continue as before.
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