Pomegranate French 75

The Pomegranate French 75 is the perfect drink to add to toast with this holiday season and a must for brunch! Bubbly, sweet and floral with a touch of tart flavor from the pomegranate. Cheers!

The end of the year is coming up fast, but before it’s over and we all get back to our normal eating and drinking routines, I have a couple fun and easy party recipes. Let’s start with a cocktail, because that’s usually the first thing I offer people when they arrive for a party or gathering. A Pomegranate French 75 is what I’m serving up for both Christmas and New Year’s Eve this year and you should too!

A French 75 is a classic cocktail and it’s been around for a long time, 1915 according to what I’ve read. It uses minimal ingredients, it’s easy to make and it’s perfect for brunch, happy hour, dinner or toasting the New Year.

A classic French 75 is a combination of gin, lemon juice and simple syrup. The mixture is then topped off with champagne and a garnish of lemon peel. It’s bright, bubbly and full of citrus flavor. To give the French 75 a winter twist I decided to swap the lemon juice for pomegranate juice and of course I had to drop some pomegranate seeds in for garnish.

I never considered myself a fan of gin, but lately it seems like every cocktail I try that uses it I end up loving. Gin has a fairly strong flavor. It’s citrusy, floral and juniper is almost always a flavor you will notice to some degree depending on the brand you use. I went with Hendrick’s Gin for this recipe. It’s a solid, good quality brand and one that the average cocktail drinker/maker can get behind. If you’re a gin connoisseur feel free to use your favorite.

To make the Pomegranate French 75, simply combine the gin, pomegranate juice and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake it until it’s cold, then strain it into two champagne glasses. Top with champagne and some pomegranate seeds and that’s all there is to it.

Today I’m sharing this recipe over on my friend Ashley’s blog Spoonful of Flavor. Head over there and let the party begin! Cheers!