Autumn Cider Mimosa

1.5 ounces apple cider, chilled
1 ounce brandy
one teaspoon light brown sugar, packed
2 dashes blood orange bitters (available at a liquor store, but regular bitters will be fine here!)
3-4 ounces champagne, chilled (Spumante champagne, but brut or cava would be delicious here too!)

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.

Add the apple cider, brandy, light brown sugar and bitters to the cocktail shaker.

Place the lid on the shaker and shake vigorously for 10-20 seconds.

Strain the mixture into a champagne flute, and top off with champagne. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Yield: one 8-ounce mimosa

Apple Cider Mimosa

This recipe is a sparkling rendition of spiked apple cider that pairs just as well with seasonal brunch dishes as it does with extraordinary fall desserts. Like all mimosas, it's best to keep things simple, so you only need three liquid ingredients to make this drink. The base is a lovely combination of pear vodka and apple cider, which is topped with your favorite sparkling wine. The apple garnish and cinnamon sugar rim complete the look and give you a little spiced, fruity sweetness to enjoy while you drink with friends and family.

While this mimosa recipe is excellent with regular vodka, you can really add a nice background flavor to it with a flavored vodka, like the recommended pear vodka.

Cinnamon sugar, for rimming (optional)
Lime wedge, optional for rimming
1 1/2 ounces pear vodka
1 1/2 ounces apple cider
4 to 5 ounces sparkling wine, to taste
Apple slice, for garnish (dip in lemon juice to keep from browning)

Gather the ingredients. Rim a glass with cinnamon sugar: Rub a lime wedge (or apple slice) around the rim of a Champagne flute to wet it. Slowly roll the rim in cinnamon sugar, then tap off any excess sugar.

Pour the vodka and apple cider into the prepared glass. Fill the glass with Champagne or sparkling wine.

Garnish with an apple slice. Serve and enjoy.