Stars in their Ice

Colin Field, of The Ritz Paris’s Hemingway Bar, was named the best bartender in the world by Forbes in 2001. Today, he shares one of his own recipes with NOWNESS, a champagne cocktail that he describes as “France in a Glass.”

Serendipity

“In a tumbler, put one sprig of fresh mint, but don’t take off the leaves. The first 2/10 of the glass should be calvados—which is for me an apple cognac, distilled twice, aged in barrels, not a brandy, which is a horrible term for that fantastic product. Then add one small teaspoon of sugar. Now, stir together, but do not muddle—bartenders want to get a great big baton out and bash it about, but we don’t want that. Then take some clarified apple juice—think liquid gold, that you can see through—add lots of ice and, finally, top up with champagne. About 5/10 of the cocktail will be champagne."