The Jewel-Toned 2-Ingredient Cocktail Ina Garten Shakes Up For Valentine's Day
When you make a marriage work for more than 50 years, it's a pretty sure bet you know a thing or two about setting an intimate setting. Couple that with a love story that reads like a romance novel (via Food Network), an affinity for French cooking, and a talent for creating idyllic table settings, and we have no qualms about turning to Ina Garten for Valentine's Day inspiration. The multiple James Beard Award-winning (in addition to nominations including the Entertaining and Special Occasions award in 2000 and 2002) self-taught celebrity chef, best-selling cookbook author, and all-around aesthete took to Instagram to showcase the perfect cocktail for celebrating all things romance.
With the strains of Édith Piaf's "La Vie en Rose," a song about the beauty of Paris that's become internationally associated with romantic love (via French Moments), playing in the background, Garten fittingly demonstrated how to make Kir Royale, a classic French cocktail created by a defiant priest (via Chilled).
Resistance to romance
According to Chilled, a Catholic priest by the name of Felix Kir created the self-named Kir during the Nazi occupation of France in World War II. When Nazi troops took control of the city of Dijon, Kir, a member of the French Resistance, stayed behind to assist with covert operations like liberating prisoners from a nearby encampment.
Not only did Nazi troops steal freedom from the Dijonnais, but they also stole their beloved red wine — a sacrilege of the highest order. To boost morale, Kir came up with a substitute. It wasn't Dijon's beloved Burgundy, but it was enough to lift local spirits. Kir added créme de cassis to Aligoté, the local white wine, to create a faux red wine.
The Kir Royale Ina Garten showcases in her Instagram post evolved later. Instead of Aligoté, it's a blend of champagne and créme de cassis (black currant liqueur) resulting in a bubbly jewel-toned concoction that whispers romance. As Garten says, "Nothing sets the mood like a delicious bubbly cocktail and a romantic playlist! For a Kir Royale, pour a little crème de cassis in a Champagne flute, then fill the glass with Prosecco or Champagne. How easy is that??"