Royal Wedding Champagne Cocktails
It’s ROYAL WEDDING TIME!
I know we just had one of those like seven years ago. But y’all. This is different. Harry is marrying an American. I know that our two countries have had a Special Relationship for some time now, and are BFFs. But I feel like this marriage finally seals the deal of forgiveness from the Revolutionary War/War of 1812. And there’s going to be so much pomp and circumstance, and I can’t wait to see what Meghan’s dress looks like. This is absolutely a cause for celebration and some champagne cocktails! So here we go!
St. Germain, can be found at your local liquor store.
The Lemon Elderflower Champagne Cocktail
1/2 ounce elderflower liqueur, preferably St. Germain
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
3-4 ounces chilled bubbly
Lemon juice to wet rim of glass
Sparkling sugar (There are tons of colors that you can find for $1 at your local craft store in the baking section)
Run a lemon around the rim of your glass. Dip glass in the sparkling sugar. Add the St. Germain and lemon juice, and top with chilled bubbly of your choice. Cheers!
The One Based on the Wedding Cake
Tradition usually dictates that the royal wedding cake be crafted from--wait for it--fruit cake. Meghan and Harry are swerving from tradition though, and are going with lemon elderflower, “to incorporate the bright flavours of spring.” I don’t know about y’all, but when I see “elderflower,” my mind immediately jumps to St. Germain and cocktails. It’s a liqueur that has a floral flavor, and pairs extremely well with champagne. Seriously--whenever I see a drink that incorporates these two ingredients, I’m probably going to order it.
So I went hunting in my liquor cabinet (and bakery decorations) to see what I could find to mimic their cake flavors, and here we are.
The One That’s Just Plain British
Forbes
This one might be a little much for the early morning hours. But the British are known for their gin and it marries (pun intended) well with champagne. I recommend Tanqueray, because it’s my favorite, and is a classic dry London gin, but feel free to use whatever you have in your liquor cabinet. The honey syrup adds a nice twist of sweetness and balances the tartness of the lemon. So if you’re up for it in the wee hours, stick out your best stiff upper lip and pour yourself this stiff one.
The Royal Stiff Upper Lip
1.25oz Tanqueray dry gin
0.75oz lemon juice
0.75 oz honey syrup*
Top with bubbly of choice
Combine gin, lemon juice, and honey syrup in a cocktail shaker. Shake. Pour into your champagne glass of choice. Top with champagne. Garnish with lemon twist and brandied cherry. If you don’t have that, substitute with maraschino cherry.
*Honey Syrup: Combine 1 cup of honey with 1 cup of hot water in a medium saucepan. Stir until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. Let cool to room temperature. Keep refrigerated for 2 weeks).
The One That Celebrates the Bride
We obviously have to have a cocktail celebrating the bride! Her hometown is Los Angeles which is the mecca of celebrity health trends. Meghan herself has been quoted as saying she’s really into “a really good natural source of energy, like a great green juice.” I’m not saying you have to put spinach in your cocktail (although you do you if that’s your jam). However, I am saying let’s go a little different from just a regular mimosa in honor of Meghan’s walk down the aisle.
There are lots of ways to do this one. If you’re in a pinch for time--and if it’s too early for you to do much beyond popping the champagne bottle--you can always grab your favorite green juice from the store. V8 has a fruit and veggie blend with apples, pineapples, and yes--spinach--that would be pretty delish topped with your favorite bubbles and garnished with a pineapple slice. But ever since we recorded the last podcast and talked about frozen drinks, that’s what I’ve been craving. So I’m going with a frozen fruit concoction.
The Meghan Aisle Power Walk
8 medium frozen strawberries
1 kiwi, peeled, cut, then frozen
1 cup of bubbly. Pour more if needed to blend everything together.
Blend all ingredients together. Makes 2 servings (or one giant serving)
Whether you get up and watch by yourself, or host a viewing party, I hope these champagne cocktail recipes help you celebrate the royal wedding in bubbly style!