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The perfect mimosa
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Mimosas are the perfect accompaniment to an outdoor spring or summer brunch, especially with the lovely weather lately. This past Sunday, I joined friends for a pleasantly relaxing lunch in the garden, and I made sure that everyone had a mimosa to sip.
What makes a good mimosa? The basic ingredients are simple: orange juice and sparkling wine served in a champagne flute. For best results, use chilled fresh-squeezed orange juice, which is softer on the palate than the regular kind. For the sparkling wine, use a dry (Brut) style, but I don't recommend actually using Champagne - true Champagne will likely run over $40 per bottle, and the subtlety of its flavor will be lost in the blending. I typically use an Italian Prosecco, but there are many reasonably-priced options out there, such as Spanish Cava, or French Cremants from Alsace, Bordeaux, or Burgundy. Most importantly, be sure that you can enjoy the bubbly on its own, because there will always be someone who prefers it straight. In that case, I might throw in a few blueberries and/or raspberries just to be festive!
How to prepare the mimosa: keep everything chilled, if possible, flutes included. Pour the sparkling wine in the glass first, about 1/3-1/2 full (in this way, you can control the amount of alcohol, if someone doesn't want a full glass, but it also seems to mix better than if the juice is poured in first). Next, pour in the juice so that the ratio of sparkling wine to juice is between 3:1 and 3:2 - so about 1/4 as much juice as wine, maybe slightly more. Err on the side of less juice, because too much will flatten the mimosa. That's pretty much it! No need to get fancy, but if you must, you can garnish with a thin slice of orange, or create a "Buck's Fizz" by adding a little grenadine. Don't use ice cubes - they will quickly water down and flatten the mimosa.
Serve your guests first, yourself last, and enjoy the day!
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