More Cocktails of the Week: Champagne Cocktails

More cocktails of the week is right. Didn't we just talk about hurricanes for Mardi Gras yesterday? Oh, well.

Here's what we'll be serving at our Academy Awards party this weekend. They're elegant cocktails that will add the perfect spark to the festivities. They'd also work for the classic Oscar party I talked about last week. But, you don't have to have a party to try them. They're delicious for brunch...or just as a cocktail before dinner. Beware though...they are packed with a punch.

Champagne Cocktail
1 sugar cube
3 dashes of Angostura bitters
5 ounces chilled Champagne or sparkling wine
1 lemon twist

Soak the sugar cube in bitters and drop into a Champagne flute. Fill the glass with Champagne and garnish with the lemon twist.

French 75
2 ounces gin
2 teaspoons superfine sugar (or 1 tablespoon simple syrup)
4 teaspoons lemon juice
4 ounces chilled Champagne

In an ice-filled cocktail shaker, shake the gin, sugar and lemon juice together. Strain into a flute and top with Champagne.

Air Mail
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon freshly-squeezed lime juice
1 1/2 ounce light rum
4 ounces chilled Champagne

In a cocktail shaker, stir the honey, lime juice and rum until honey is dissolved. Add ice and shake. Strain into a flute and top with Champagne.