Food - Drink
The Perfect Party Cocktail That Combines Crème De Cassis And Wine
By SYLVIA TOMCZAK
Wine is amazing on its own, but can also be used in cocktails for a special occasion, and some ingredients make a wine cocktail truly memorable. Crème de cassis, a rich and syrupy blackcurrant liqueur with a maroon hue, has an incredible aroma and bittersweet taste that makes for an extra-special apéritif when mixed with wine.
This cocktail is called a Kir after its inventor, Félix Kir, a former mayor of Dijon, France who allegedly mixed dry white wine with crème de cassis to mimic Burgundy red wine, after said wine was confiscated during WWII. The original Kir is definitely delicious, but to start a party, try making a Kir Royale, which uses sparkling wine.
Punch offers a basic formula for the Kir Royale, made with ¼ of an ounce of crème de cassis and champagne to create a fruity, fizzy drink. Once you've tried the original Royale, you can use different liqueurs and base wines to transform the drink; any way you mix this low-alcohol, elegant tipple is bound to be a hit at your next get-together.