While the beginning of the week might seem like an odd time to talk about a Mimoss, it is National Mimosa Day … so here we are.
As well as being light, refreshing and giving the sembelance of heath with it’s orange juice inclusion, the Memosa is about as simple a drink as you can make. Not only is it a two ingredient cocktail but it’s also an equal parts cocktail. So as much orange juice as you put in there, you’re going to be forced to put an equal part of champagne.
And really you are required to do that. Put in more champagne (ie two parts champagne and one part orange juice) then you actually have a Buck’s Fizz or accidentally reach for the Vodka instead of the Champagne … (it’s been known to happen …) then you have a Screwdriver.
There are actually a number of variations on the Mimosa that you can create – substitute Cranberry Juice for the Orange Juice and you have a Poinsettia; Substitute Lemonade for the Orange Juice and you have a Lemosa; substitute Orange Liqueur for the Orange Juice and you have a Grand Mimosa(and yes, it’s going to have a bit more of a kick) and substitute Apple Cider for the Orange Juice and you have a Vermosa (sometimes also called a Crisp).
For our money, it’s always best to keep to the original, as it’s a tried and tested recipe that’s been around for nearly a century. It’s believed that it originated in Paris in 1925, created by a bartender called Frank Meier. According to Drinks Feed, the bartender, Frank Meier, never officially took responsibility for the cocktail, but included it in his book “Artistry of Mixing Drinks.”
There is, of course, another story (far be it for a cocktail to have a clear history …), which is a little less believable. but possibly a little more fun. It says that the drink was created in the 1940s in San Francisco by Alfred Hitchcock. Apparently, after a rough night, he and a friend used the restorative powers of the Mimosa to quell a hangover.
So whether you’re pulling an Alfred Hitchcock or celebrating the day with your own friends, let’s raise a glass to this classic brunch special (… and make it bottomless…)
