"champagne" news and stories

References to Champagne drinks abound in old newspapers, novels and cocktail books. Champagne drinks containing brandy and orange liqueurs in the forms of punches and cups can be found in old cookbook recipe collections such as Mrs. Beeton's "Book of Household Management," first published in 1861.

I've seen mentions of Champagne cocktails in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle archives as far back as 1869, the same year Mark Twain mentions the drink in "Innocents Abroad." The first recipe citation for a Champagne cocktail goes back the "The Bar-Tenders Guide" written by Jerry Thomas in 1862.

Champagne during this time was generally much sweeter than today's popular dry style labeled "Brut," which didn't exist on a label until around 1876. Thomas' 1862 book calls for shaking the ingredients, including the sparkling wine, which was surely a mistake since shaking carbonated drinks can get explosive.

The sparkling wine we drink on New Year's Eve is not the stuff we drink at other times of the year. Beyond marking the end of the year, Dec. 31 also caps the end of holiday season, a last gasp of celebration -- and provides a ray of hope for what lies ahead. People want to party, not reflect. Chug, not sip.

Circumstances dictate that the sparkler you give or receive will likely be consumed by many mouths -- some quite inebriated already -- and not just by an intimate group of two or four. These factors influence what you buy.

Generally speaking, the ideal bottle will be inexpensive, widely available and fairly dry. The guide below walks you through New Year's Eve options, from fancy French Champagne to an international stable of less expensive, lesser-known alternatives.

Learn How to Open Champagne

• Shrimp cocktail is an effortless holiday dish -- and is made even easier with a variety of reviewed and rated premade sauces.
• "Squash explorations lead to a delectable journey," writes Tara Duggan, who delves into the different types available and supplies a recipe for Winter Squash Soup with Kale, and a Cilantro-Almond Pesto for topping.
• Grazalema Payoyo is a "cheese worth remembering," combining tangy goat's milk with sweeter sheep's milk.
• As Champagne imports to the U.S. plummet in the face of recession, stateside drinkers may get the opportunity to appreciate lower prices.
• Suspecting a "proven correlation between the holidays and the onset of cold and flu season," Chronicle staff writer Amanda Gold recommends "Christmas feasts that won't wear out the cook."

During the Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year's holidays, it's a good idea to have bubbly on hand because party invites might pop up faster than you can uncork a bottle. Contrary to what many people think, you don't have to spend a lot of money to get a great tasting sparkling.

In the celebratory spirit of the holidays, here are six sparkling wines -- all inexpensive alternatives to Champagne -- that cost $20 or less.

A friend had me over for dinner and handed me a bottle of Champagne to open. His roommate handed me a corkscrew. This reminded me how often folks really don't know how to open a bottle of bubbly. Here's how to properly open your champagne for the holidays and beyond:

1. Chill Champagne 3 hours in fridge or 30 minutes in ice bucket. Chilled Champagne is less volatile ... and tastier! Take care to not shake or disturb too much to also lessen volatility of bubbles.

2. Towel dry your chilled bottle to prevent any slippage.

3. Remove foil from top by pulling tab or gently cutting foil if no tab present.

4. Point the bottle away from you and other people just in case a cork gets on the loose.

5. Keeping thumb on the cork, remove wire cage with cap with six half twists. If you truly want to impress your friends, call the wire cage by its French name "le muselet."

6. Hold cork in one hand with slight downward pressure to prevent cork flying out and hold the fat part of the bottle in the other. If it helps you feel more secure, hold the cork with a towel in your hand for better grip and to help capture a runaway cork or wine spillage.

7. Twist the bottle and cork in opposite directions until you hear a soft "ssssffft" not the big pop you see in movies. This gentle way of opening helps maintain the bubble better. An old saying goes, "The ears loss is the palate's gain."

Want to really impress guests? Learn the "le sabrage" method after the jump.