Also, I incorporated many of the recipes for small plates and appetizers that I started developing when I lived in Paris...and I included some from our world travels.
I have been asked by many...Why Champagne Thursday? Well, it is a two part answer: First, about 12 years ago, my aunt shared with me her tradition of Champagne Thursday. About the time she hit the 5 year breast cancer free mark, she decided to celebrate with some bubbly and shrimp cocktail...and she and my Uncle Louie have enjoyed the pleasures of Champagne Thursdays...when she came to visit us and sponsor my eldest daughter for Confirmation, it was was a Thursday and she asked if we had any champagne for this was perfect reason to celebrate Champagne Thursday; a tradition was born! It was reborn in March of 2010 on a cold March afternoon in Paris...and it has going quite strong ever since!
Secondly...we need to fast forward to April 2012! My darling husband came home from work and declared he needed a gift for his assistant for Administrative Assistants' Day...the next day! I suggested we put together a Champagne Thursday Basket for Bonnie. It contained some Champagne, cocktail goodies, recipes and ingredients for some lovely appetizers and our history of Champagne Thursday...she cried and told me it was the best gift she ever got and that I should write a book. So I did.
Just over nine months later, accompanied by self-doubt, butterflies and sheer dumb luck, I self-published Champagne Thursday at www.lulu.com !
It has been a great learning experience and I have learned some very valuable lessons...but perhaps the most important being just how lucky I am to have so many supportive friends and family who taste-tested, consumed great quantities of sparkling wines, and never doubted that I could do it!
If you are on Facebook, I hope you will pop over to My Champagne Thursday page and like it...I could use the help in publicizing my little tome...You'll know it because the cover from my book is the banner picture!
Also, if you have been so gracious as to buy my book, first...THANK YOU!!! and secondly, would you go to www.lulu.com (search for Champagne Thursday) and write a review...the more comments I get, the higher up the Lulu list my book goes!
So today is Champagne Thursday...I'd like to toast you all for your support for this blog, my book and my writing in general...you have given me the courage to try. Cheers!
My first Champagne cocktail in Paris...in 2001 was a French Kiss...here's the recipe! Bisous!
Ingredients
1 ounce Courvoisier (V.S.) 1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. super fine sugar Lemon peel twist
4 ounces Champagne (Pommery Pop was the preferred bubbly of the bartender!)
Method
In a small bowl, dissolve the sugar in the lemon juice.
Add the sweetened juice to a champagne flute.
Pour the brandy and champagne into the glass, swirling gently to mix.
Twist the lemon peel over the rim of the glass and use as a garnish.
Cheers!
Bon Appetit!
