Champagne is simply sparkling wine from the Champagne region of France. Sparkling wine is also made in regions all over the world. In Spain it is known as Cava while from Italy it is Prosecco. Here in the good old US of A, it is known simply as Sparkling wine or as my friends in Napa like to call it “bubbly”.
I don’t write a lot about sparkling wine and I must admit that I still have a lot to learn and much palate training to be done when it comes to sparkling wine. That said, I HAD to write about this frozen drink concoction. “Champagne Granita” (which can also be made from any sparkling wine) is made simply by freezing the bubbly together with some other sweet liquid (varies depending upon exact recipe – see below) and scraping up the frozen stuff (shaved ice) just like the ices they sell on the street (at least here in NYC). From there all you need to do is add your favorite garnish (berries, mint, cut fruit, etc.) & serve. Yummy…
The food network has a great recipe by Bobby Flay here, while other variations can be found on the Global gourmet site or Cocktail times.
What a delicious looking way to beat the summer heat!
Happy frozen bubbly tasting!
WTG
