It’s no secret around here at the gallery that all us of Huffingtons are addicted to the delicious bubbles of Veuve Cliquot. We are all so addicted to it that Linda gave us biographies of la Veuve Cliquot (quite a shrewd little bird she was) for Christmas one year.
Think about the whole magical process of pouring a glass of Veuve. First, the bottle, which is simple but soundly constructed from heavy dark green glass. It’s heavy and sometimes requires two hands to maneuver. The label, in that gorgeous orangey-yellow with its timeless typeface, seems so French and is completely elegant, sort of like a drinkable Hermes box. (Have the French trademarked that color? Just asking.) The cork is wrapped tightly in matte gold foil and the wire surrounding it usually requires a little picking and prying. It’s just like opening a present.
(And have you seen the charming little jackets that come with the bottles now? So stylish with top stitching and leather accents. Impossibly chic.)
What all the best dressed bottles are wearing
We all learned a long time ago (probably from some frustrated French boyfriend/waiter/host family, whatever) how to properly open a bottle of champagne. This involves the removal of the said wire and gold wrapping to reveal the nice and tight cork. We like to grab a kitchen towel and very gently rotate the cork until it quietly pops out with a whisper of fizz.
And then, your troubles begin to magically disappear as the clear and frothy liquid spills into a flute (Reidels rank among the favorite, but so do Madame’s “test tube” glasses that we Huffingtons recently got her as a housewarming gift).
Flute #1 by Amy Dixon
At this point, you’ve got delicate glasswear in your hands filled with this aromatic and lively concoction of fermented grapes, yeast and carbon dioxide. Brut, or super dry, is the best -- and the taste sensation in the mouth is cool, bubbly, dry with lingering aftertastes of all things wonderful and delish. And don’t even get us started on rose champagne, which is pink, festive and fun as well as all the other superlatives.
Sadly, we find that one glass is never enough, which can lead to problems. And, food to accompany this elixir? Anything and everything!
Sante…Ta ta..
M.
BTW, apparently, the whole concept of champagne resulted from a mixup in the fermentation process (thanks, Dom Perignon) but we all agree, what a wonderful mistake.
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