To Know:

Cosmos, or Cosmopolitans if we’re being formal, have been a household favorite since the days when Carrie Bradshaw and her squad strutted their fab selves around the Big Apple. My mom and parents-in-law especially love them, so I knew when we hosted them for a Mother’s Day brunch last month, these masters of the sneak attack would have to make an appearance on the menu. But as I added the boozy ingredients to my shopping list, I couldn’t help but wonder, would serving martinis before noon hurl our Mother’s Day do into a Mutha’s Day don’t? It was then that it came to me, a slightly tamer alternative, the Cosmo Mimosa.

I bartended for over a decade and cosmos were a particular specialty of mine. Like most cocktails, it all comes down to the right balance of ingredients so that one flavor does not outshine any other. With that in mind, subbing out the vodka for the right something sparkly became the main objective. I ultimately went with a Spanish cava, which tend to be drier than other reasonably priced sparkling wines, as I knew there would be enough sweetness from the orange liqueur and juices. From there it was just finding the right ratio to get the right amount of sweet, sour…and pink! That said, sparkling wines and orange liqueur flavors can vary by brand and batch, so play around to find your own perfect balance. Nothing wrong with an extra splash of this or glug of that, whatever it takes to bring it on home for your or your own fab squad.

To Get:

2  ounces dry sparkling wine, such as a cava, chilled

1  ounce orange liqueur, such as triple sec, curacao, or a high-end brand

2  ounces cranberry juice, chilled

1 teaspoon fresh-squeezed lime juice

Lemon twists, optional garnish

To Do:

1. Combine the orange liqueur, cranberry juice, and lime juice in a champagne flute. Top with sparkling wine. Add a twist of lemon, serve, and enjoy responsibly…whatever that means to you 😉
2. Alternatively, if a making a batch, combine orange liqueur, cranberry juice, and lime juice in a pitcher or cocktail shaker with some ice. Give a stir or a shake, depending on which vessel you chose, and strain the chilled mixture into your glasses. Top with the sparkling wine. Add a twist of lemon, serve, and enjoy responsibly…whatever that means to you 😉