This tart and refreshing cocktail, adapted from Kate Simon's Tiny Bubbles: Fizzy Cocktails for Every Occasion is quite a bit more complex and tasty than the bottle of subpar Prosecco you're likely to find in the New Year's Eve party fridge. It's a variation on the South Side cocktail, with the bitter oils of the citrus contributing a refreshing pungent note, and the bubbly adding brightness and light.
You don't need to use fancy wine—the fresh lemon, orange, mint, gin, and Cointreau mask most of its flavor anyway. Even if you pour $5 plonk, this cocktail makes for a pretty elegant midnight countdown.
Recipe Details
The South Side Fizz Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 slice of orange, about 1/2 inch thick
- 1 slice of lemon, about 1 inch thick
- 12 mint leaves
- 1/4 ounce gin
- 1/4 ounce Cointreau
- Chilled sparkling wine
Directions
In a shaker, muddle citrus slices, mint, gin, and Cointreau. Shake vigorously with ice. Strain into a 6-ounce cocktail glass or Champagne flute.
Top up with chilled bubbly. Garnish with mint leaves if desired.
Special equipment
Cocktail shaker, muddler