cheers to the sixth birthday of my blog and how to drink champagne like an expert
Hello my lovelies, it's my sixth year blogging and I am happy to be still here. I have blogged through happy times and tramatic times (as you know) and I am still inspired by beautiful things, people and events. I hope you continue to stop by The Girl at the Beach and I have to say a big thank you to my biggest fans, as I am not sure where I would be without you. So CHEERS to more loveliness, and more inspiration from the beach to you in the coming year.
HOW TO DRINK CHAMPAGNE LIKE AN EXPERT
1) The glass
The best way to enjoy champagne is in a white wine glass. A white wine glass's larger bowl enables the wine to open up in the glass, allowing you to better enjoy all the aromas and to savor the complexity of the champagne. Traditional champagne flutes are perfect for showcasing champagne's stream of bubbles, but their narrow shape limits the drinker's experience of aromas and flavors. Coupe glasses, on the other hand, create the opposite experience; the glass's extra-wide mouth amply exposes the champagne to the air allowing the bubbles and aromas to escape quickly.
2) Best way to open
When opening your bottle of Moët & Chandon, make sure you keep the cage on! The cage helps you control the cork so it doesn't fly out when it pops, and also gives you leverage to help separate the cork from the bottle. When removing the cork, hold the top of the cage with your thumb to keep the cork in place and untwist the wire six times. Then hold the cage and cork together in one hand while using the other to twist the bottle's base in a circular direction away from the cork to slowly work the cork out. Twisting the bottle instead of the cork allows you to more gently remove the cork and have more control.
3) Where to store
A common misconception when storing champagne is to leave it in the fridge. If you're planning to enjoy your bottle of champagne immediately (within 3 or 4 days after buying it) storing it in the refrigerator is fine. But if it sits there for weeks the cork can dry out as there is no humidity in refrigerators. As corks dry out, the seal between the bottle and the cork loosen up and the champagne will oxidize faster, changing its aromas. Instead, keep it in a cool place in your home, away from any light, and where the temperature is consistent.
When opening your bottle of Moët & Chandon, make sure you keep the cage on! The cage helps you control the cork so it doesn't fly out when it pops, and also gives you leverage to help separate the cork from the bottle. When removing the cork, hold the top of the cage with your thumb to keep the cork in place and untwist the wire six times. Then hold the cage and cork together in one hand while using the other to twist the bottle's base in a circular direction away from the cork to slowly work the cork out. Twisting the bottle instead of the cork allows you to more gently remove the cork and have more control.
3) Where to store
A common misconception when storing champagne is to leave it in the fridge. If you're planning to enjoy your bottle of champagne immediately (within 3 or 4 days after buying it) storing it in the refrigerator is fine. But if it sits there for weeks the cork can dry out as there is no humidity in refrigerators. As corks dry out, the seal between the bottle and the cork loosen up and the champagne will oxidize faster, changing its aromas. Instead, keep it in a cool place in your home, away from any light, and where the temperature is consistent.
4) The ideal temperature
Once you're ready to enjoy your champagne, the best way to chill your bottle is to fill an ice bucket with ice and one-third water and allow your bottle to cool for 15-20 minutes. Moët & Chandon should be served around 50⁰ F.
5) Pouring
When pouring champagne, only fill your glass about one-third of the way full. If you over-pour, it will warm up too quickly!
6) Hold the stem!
Also, remember to hold your glass by the stem and not by the bowl because your hands will warm the champagne up too quickly. And, holding the glass by the stem will make you look oh so elegant!
7) The stopper
In between pours, don't forget to use a good champagne stopper to preserve all the delicious bubbles! A stopper will keep your open bottle fresh for about 1 day, in case you don't finish in one sitting.
8) Drink champagne with your dinner!
Enjoy champagne throughout an entire meal! Many people think they should only enjoy Champagne as an aperitif but that it is not the only way to drink it. Champagne pairs beautifully with foods like fish, meat, grilled vegetables, and risotto, and can bring out new flavors you've never tasted in these foods!
9) Best foods to pair with bubbly
Also, don't be afraid to experiment with food pairings. Oysters and caviar are fantastic with champagne, and more casual foods like truffle fries, fried chicken and cheese are equally delicious with Champagne! Champagne loves oily, salty and fatty foods as they bring out the wine's fruitiness and freshness, so foods like burgers, tacos, BBQ sauce, and lobster are exciting new pairings to try that champagne connoisseurs have been enjoying for years!
10) Celebrate every day
If you have a bottle of champagne in your refrigerator, don't wait for a special occasion to enjoy it. You will see that by opening that bottle, the special occasion will come to you. Celebrate life every day!
Good post :) Congrats :)
ReplyDeleteCelebrate every day, no matter what ! I like that :)