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5 New Years Eve champagne drink recipes


Want to get noticed on NYE? Try these five champagne drinks

It's New Year's Eve and you sidle up to the bar at The Left Bank in downtown York. The ball's about to drop and maybe you're welcoming in the new year with a special someone.

You want to be noticed, set yourself apart from the pack. Here's your answer -- order up a swanky champagne drink.

According to Left Bank bar manager Ryan Mapes, there are plenty of champagne concoctions to choose from, but all have a common theme.

"It's to enhance the champagne, not to really take anything away from it," Mapes said.

Mapes calls the drinks "A 'Look-at-me.'"

Here are Mapes' top five champagne drinks for New Year's Eve to put on the classy, stylish vibe. And if you're in downtown York, stop by at The Left Bank for a champagne toast:

Traditional champagne cocktail

This is the classic, and probably the most popular, always done the same way.

"When someone orders this, you know it's served with angostura bitters, sugar and a twist of lemon to go with it," Mapes said.

How to make it: Star with a raw sugar cube, add a couple dashes of the bitters, then a lemon zest. Top with 6 ounces of champagne.

The Stiletto

This is a Left Bank special, Mapes said.

"We change our cocktail list three to four times a year to go with the seasons" and with what fruits are available, he said.

The Stiletto features, of course, champagne, and then cranberries, an orange zest and a dash of orange bitters.

How to make it: Start with sugared cranberries, add an orange zest strip, then a couple dashes orange bitters. Top with 6 ounces of champagne.

The St. Germain

This drink is made with elderflower liqueur and a lemon twist.

"Put those in first, and the champagne on top," Mapes said. "The effervescence of the bubbles -- that's your spoon."

How to make it: Start with 1 1/2 ounces St. Germain liqueur, top with 6 ounces of champagne. Garnish with a lemon zest.

The Pear Flute

A potion designed by Mapes on-the-spot, "Just kind of thrown together," he said.

This drink features a pear slice, a vanilla bean, and a special cooked mixture of pear nectar and vanilla bean.

How to make it: Start with 1 ounce of vanilla bean pear nectar, topped with 6 ounces of champagne. Use a thin slice pear for garnish. The vanilla bean pear nectar is made with 32 ounces of pear nectar and 2 vanilla beans split lengthwise. Heat on stove top at medium heat, continue until amount has reduced by a third. Remove from heat and let cool then refrigerate.

Chambord Kir Royale

Features a black raspberry liqueur, and usually a garnish of raspberries. But this this one, Mapes used a lemon-lime twist.

Typically, you want the garnish to match the drink -- raspberries with raspberry liqueur -- but Mapes used the twist because it's more visually exciting, he said.

How to make it: Start with 1 1/2 ounces of chambord, top with 6 ounces of champagne. Add a citrus twist or raspberries for garnish.

Mapes said champagne is the go-to drink on New Year's Eve, especially for a toast, but a good spirit is always an excellent choice. And there's plenty of other things to choose from on the Left Bank's drink menu.

"With our cocktail list and other offerings, I think we've spread it across the board," he said. "I have a great staff that we'll bounce ideas off of ... We definitely consult with the kitchen on certain things."