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Food & Wine Recipe

Cricket Ball Aperitif

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  • ACTIVE:
  • TOTAL TIME:
  • SERVINGS: 8

While planning his restaurant, the Red Cat, Jimmy Bradley searched for the perfect shade of red for his walls and dinnerware. He found it on a cricket ball. Lillet Rouge, a French aperitif, lends this drink a similar color.

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  1. 1/4 cup water
  2. 1/4 cup sugar
  3. 3/4 cup Lillet Rouge (6 ounces)
  4. Bitters
  5. 1 bottle (750 ml) chilled demi-sec Champagne
  6. 8 lemon twists
  1. In a small saucepan, combine the water with the sugar; bring to a simmer over moderately low heat. Cook, stirring until the sugar dissolves; let cool.
  2. In a pitcher, combine the Lillet with the syrup and 8 dashes of bitters. Refrigerate until chilled. Pour the mixture into 8 Champagne flutes and fill with Champagne. Garnish with the lemon twists.