Strawberry French 75

By ltrodrigu

In “The Craft Cocktail Party,” Ms. Reiner writes of this take on the classic French 75, “Drinks have a tendency to look different in the sunshine, so if I know that I’m creating a cocktail for a brunch event, I take extra care to make sure it is beautiful. This is one such drink: It’s a showstopper and will look gorgeous on your table.”

Ingredients

• 14 hulled strawberries, divided
• 5 ounces simple syrup
• 10 ounces gin
• 5 ounces chilled fresh lemon juice
• 1 (750-ml) bottle Champagne or sparkling wine
• Lemon twist, for garnish

Preparation

Step 1

Place 10 hulled strawberries and simple syrup in a blender and blend thoroughly. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher, discarding solids. Add gin and lemon juice to pitcher, then slowly pour in Champagne and stir to incorporate. Thinly slice remaining 4 hulled strawberries and add to pitcher.

To serve, pour 5 ounces of cocktail into a chilled flute and garnish with a lemon twist.