Champagne Wishes and Oscar Dreams

Like surf goes with turf, and peanut butter goes with jelly there is no doubt that Champagne goes with the Oscars. Planning your own Oscars party? Why not drink like the stars and indulge in some of these beauties?

Champagne Thienot is making quite a splash this year at the Oscars and are thrilled to be poured, quite a feat as the stage up to now has strictly been Moet & Chandon's. Thienot Brut will be poured at the Oscar Pre-Show and Champagne Thienot's Rose and Thienot 2005 will be poured at the Governor's Dinner paired with Chef Wolfgang Puck's visionary creations. What makes Champagne Thienot interesting is they are still a fairly young House with their beginning only dating back to 1985. Most of their grapes are from their own vineyards in the famous Cotes des Blancs and the Montagne de Reims.

Moet and Chandon's Imperial Brut will also be available to guests at Oscar events including the Oscar's, the Governor's Ball and the post-Oscars Party.

Although there has not been a mention of Champagne Bollinger being present at the Oscars I can not over look it's significance in James Bond films throughout the last 50 years. It has appeared in 12 Bond films in total! There will be a James Bond Tribute for those 50 years at the Oscars so I suggest if you can procure a bottle, pour and toast to Bond....James Bond.

Perhaps you are having trouble finding these Champagnes for your enjoyment? Try the next best thing and grab some sparkling wine from Moet& Chandon's domestic house Domain Chandon from California.

Prefer Champagne Cocktails?

Here's my suggestion, for a French classic perfect for the Oscars and the celebration of the films Les Miserables and Amour..

French 75

Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz Cognac
1 oz Lemon Juice
1 tsp sugar/1 sugar cube
6 oz Moet & Chandon Imperial Champagne

Directions:
Combine Cognac, Lemon Juice and Sugar Cube, add ice and shake until chilled.
Pour into Champagne flute, pour in Champagne and garnish with a lemon curl.

Sante and enjoy the show!

Divine Hot Cocoa

 

Valentine's Day may be over but my love for chocolate, marshmallows and vodka never ceases! Although it does not get as cold in San Diego as back in the Berkshires in Massachusetts  (where I grew up) there is such a blissful comfort on a chilly evening curling up with a cup of cocoa.

Recently I discovered Van Gogh's Dutch Chocolate Vodka and along came my idea for this version of thee most divine hot cocoa. It's a fairly easy recipe and the only thing to make is your own marshmallows (Ina Garten's are the best!). Store bought will work but homemade are divine! As an added idea, your leftover marshmallows could be used as a garnish for a chocolate martini you might make with the Van Gogh Dutch Chocolate Vodka!

Divine Van Gogh Hot Cocoa:

Ingredients:

-2 oz  Van Gogh's Dutch Chocolate Vodka

-8 oz unsweetened vanilla almond milk

-your favorite instant hot cocoa

-Ina Garten's Toasted Coconut Marshmallow Recipe

Directions:

-Microwave your almond milk in a mug for 1 minute and 30 seconds 

(or heat on medium low on the stove in a sauce pan)

-Stir in your hot cocoa mix

-Pour in the Van Gogh Dutch Chocolate Vodka

-Crown your cocoa with 1-2 ( or 3!) and indulge!