Champagne Cocktail Recipe

Soak sugar cube

Place one sugar cube on a small spoon or in a shallow dish. Carefully add 2 dashes of Angostura bitters onto the sugar cube so it absorbs the bitters but does not dissolve. Set aside.

Prepare lemon twist

Use a vegetable peeler or small paring knife to cut a 1/2-inch-wide by 3-4 inch-long strip of lemon peel from the lemon, avoiding too much of the bitter white pith. Gently twist the peel over the glass to release oils, then set aside.

Chill a Champagne flute in the refrigerator or by filling it with ice water for a minute, then discard the ice water and dry the flute if desired.

Place the bitters-soaked sugar cube into the bottom of the chilled Champagne flute.

Carefully pour 4.5 oz (about 135 ml) of well-chilled Champagne or sparkling wine into the flute over the sugar cube. Pour gently to preserve bubbles and allow the sugar cube to fizz and slowly dissolve; use a bar spoon to coax it if needed.

Express the lemon oils by holding the twist over the flute and giving it a quick pinch so the oils spray onto the surface of the drink, then drop the twist into the glass or rest it on the rim as preferred.

Serve immediately while effervescent. If the sugar cube does not fully dissolve, gently stir once with a bar spoon to incorporate remaining sugar.