Champagne really puts you in the mood to celebrate. The “pop” of the cork, the sparkle of the bubbles, the effervescent taste and tingle: Every aspect of Champagne brings joy. No wonder it’s the beverage of choice for New Year’s Eve.
To help you choose and enjoy your Champagne or other sparkling wine, let me share some essential information.
First, know what you’re buying. True Champagne comes from the northeastern French region of the same name and is produced by a centuries-old method from the area’s white-skinned chardonnay and red-skinned pinot noir and pinot meunier grapes.
Different makers create different styles from different blends of juices. Some taste toasty and yeasty, others soft and fruity. They range from bone-dry “brut,” through slightly sweeter “sec” and “demi-sec,” to “doux” dessert Champagnes. Those in which the pinot noir grape skins sat briefly in the juice become rose or “pink” Champagnes.
Ultimately, your own palate will lead you to your favorite. Get some guidance on specific makers by reading articles or attending a tasting at your local wine shop.
For big parties, select two or three different Champagnes or sparkling wines for guests to taste and compare. Plan on two or three glasses per person, with a standard bottle yielding six glasses. Get an extra bottle or two so you won’t run out.
Serve sparkling wine chilled to 42 to 45 degrees. Two hours in the refrigerator should do the job. Wine buckets filled with ice and water cool a bottle from room to drinking temperature in about 30 minutes and keep it cold after opening.
To open Champagne, don’t emulate victorious athletes who shoot corks into the air. Instead, carefully loosen and remove the foil-covered wire cage that secures the cork; then, firmly grip the cork with a folded napkin or kitchen towel, tip the bottle slightly so it points safely away from anyone, and twist the bottle to ease out the cork into your hand. You’ll hear a soft “pop,” but probably won’t lose any precious wine.
Use the tall, narrow glasses called flutes, though I happily drink Champagne out of a good wine glass.
Finally, pair your sparkling wine with some delicious food. This crab salad goes perfectly with whatever style of Champagne you like. Spoon it onto Belgian endive spears as a passed hors d’oeuvre or put it on a buffet table with crackers, toasts or endive spears for guests to help themselves.
Cheers!
Spicy crab salad on Belgian endive
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Chilling time: 30 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
This recipe can be prepared with cooked shrimp instead of crab, if you like.
1/2 pound lump crabmeat
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon each, minced: capers, cornichons, shallots, parsley
1 teaspoon chives, minced
1 teaspoon chervil, tarragon or dill, minced
Hot red pepper sauce, salt, freshly ground pepper
4 heads Belgian endive, ends trimmed, separated into spears
1 bunch fresh chervil, tarragon or dill, divided into tiny sprigs, for garnish
2 lemons, cut into wedges
1. Pick over the crabmeat to remove any pieces of shell; place crabmeat in a mixing bowl. Stir together the mayonnaise, ketchup, lemon juice, capers, cornichons, shallots, parsley, chives and chervil in another bowl. Season to taste with a few drops of hot pepper sauce, salt and pepper. Add the dressing to the crabmeat; stir gently until well blended. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
2. Place a tablespoon of the crab mixture at the stem end of each endive spear; arrange the filled spears on a serving platter. Garnish top of crab mixture with a sprig of fresh chervil, tarragon or dill. Serve with lemon wedges.
Nutrition information per serving:
139 calories, 74% of calories from fat, 11 g fat, 1.6 g saturated fat, 30 mg cholesterol, 2.6 g carbohydrates, 6 g protein, 262 mg sodium, 1 g fiber
