It’s mimosa season! Hurray! Personally, I love mimosas all year long but when I think of this glorious champagne cocktail, I think of Sunday brunch, Mother’s Day, bridal showers and lunch al fresco with the girls.

This classic cocktail has been said to have been made popular by Alfred Hitchcock in the 1940’s but its origins date back to the early 1920’s when a drink called “Buck’s Fizz” was invented at the Buck’s Club in London. It was said to have a larger quantity of sparkling wine than the modern day mimosa. Later in 1925, a bartender at the Ritz Hotel in Paris named Frank Meier invented the classic half champagne half orange juice cocktail we have grown to love.

Although the mimosa may be perfection in it’s classic form, it has evolved with infinite modern day twists. My favorite is a mimosa bar. It can be served a number of ways and allows your guests to be creative! You will need several carafes of juice or sorbet, garnishes of fruit, candy, edible flowers or herbs and champagne or sparkling wine.

Selecting your champagne or sparkling wine for cocktails should be simple. This is not the time to bring out your favorite bottle you’ve been saving for a special occasion. Special bottles should be savored and served by themselves. A lower priced bottle will work perfectly in this situation. Just be careful not to go too cheap or you will pay for it later!

Cheers!
Chrissy Liescheidt