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Unique Mimosa Ideas to Boost Your Brunch

Unique Mimosa Ideas to Boost Your Brunch

Many people don’t realize that the classic mimosa recipe calls for three ingredients, not two! Officially, a mimosa combines sparkling wine, orange juice, and triple sec. If you’ve been making mimosas with only sparkling wine and OJ, that is actually called a Buck’s Fizz.

However you make it, the addition of cold sparkling mimosas is sure to make brunch into a celebration. Although you probably won’t get any complaints if you serve up traditional sparkling wine mimosas at brunch, it might be time to take your celebration up to the next level of deliciousness.

Sometimes you may want to embellish the customary mimosa just a bit, and other times, you may want to change it completely. In either case, I’ve put together some mimosa recipe ideas designed to help you add a touch of sparkle to any brunch celebration you might have in mind.

How to make a classic Orange Juice Mimosa

While you can experiment with a variety of mimosa ingredients, your technique should follow a few basic best practices.

First, make sure your ingredients are cold from start to finish. Make sure to chill your juices and sparkling wines so you don’t have to stir them with ice at any point. Serve mimosas in tall champagne flutes to preserve bubbles or, if unavailable, wine glasses work in a pinch. Remember that anything with bubbles goes in the glass first to avoid overflow. When pouring bubbly liquids, tilt the glass to protect carbonation. Last, but not least, a great garnish can elevate a mimosa quickly and easily, so don’t skimp on the final touches!

mimosas with a kick

If you want an exciting but straightforward change-up, try adding just one or two distinctive ingredients to your orange juice and sparkling wine. For example, to make a Moscow mule mimosa, pour equal parts of ginger beer, sparkling wine, and orange juice into a champagne flute garnished with either lime squeezes or orange slices. Or, to keep with the citrus theme, simply drizzle Grand Marnier as a float to a traditional mimosa to add an unexpected layer of lusciousness.

Fruit Juice Mimosas

While fresh squeezed orange juice always sings a lovely melody with your mimosa, don’t discount the talents of other juices such as cranberry, mango, peach, pineapple, pomegranate or strawberry. All you need to do is try a different juice, add the appropriate matching garnish, and you’ve created a refreshing mimosa.

There’s always a juice out there looking for a new mimosa relationship. For example, grapefruit juice mixed with champagne and garnished with a grapefruit peel twist is straightforward yet refreshing. Want a bit more color? Ruby red grapefruit juice will work wonders.

How To Create A Bubbly Mimosa Bar

Creating a mimosa bar gives your guests the chance to make the drink of their dreams, bound only by their imagination.

Step 1. Find a home for your mimosa bar. An empty table, kitchen island or counter-top will do the trick.

Step 2. Situate the mimosa makings in the order of use. For example, artfully place champagne flutes on platters.

Step 3. Place ice-filled buckets or beverage tubs containing sparkling wines such as Champagne, cava or Prosecco.

Step 4. Put a few chilled carafes filled with several types of fruit juice. You can also offer a few bottles of fun drink toppers such as liqueurs or grenadine.

Step 5. Offer tongs or cocktail picks to pluck garnishes from bowls filled with maraschino cherries, mint leaves, orange slices, raspberries, rosemary sprigs, strawberries, and pineapple chunks.

Match your mimosas to an occasion

Although a good mimosa brunch can stand on its own two flutes, throwing a themed brunch can provide all kinds of creative opportunities. From celebrating weddings and anniversaries to bridal showers, new jobs, change of seasons, football or basketball watch games parties and any holiday, you can find or create a special mimosa recipe for every special occasion.

St. Patrick’s Day mimosas are easy to make, just fill a champagne flute with equal parts of sparkling wine and orange juice, then add a splash of Blue Curacao. Allow the bubbles to mix the ingredients to create a lucky shade of St. Paddy’s Day green.

A hibiscus mimosa is an elegant choice for a Mother’s Day brunch. To start, place one dried hibiscus flower in the bottom of a champagne flute. Next, add ice to a shaker and shake 1 ounce of Germain elderflower liqueur, 1 ounce pink grapefruit juice, and 1/2 ounce wild hibiscus syrup. Strain into the champagne flute and top with sparkling wine.

Upgrade your mimosas

The addition of hard alcohol like tequila or vodka can upgrade your mimosa into a serious cocktail.

Try a pomegranate tequila sunrise mimosa; pour 1 ounce tequila into a flute, then fill halfway with sparkling wine. Top off the flute with orange juice and finish with a splash of pomegranate juice and an orange garnish.

Prefer vodka in your mimosa? Not a problem. A pineapple mimosa is easy to make and even easier to enjoy. Combine pineapple vodka with a little bit of orange juice, and a little lemon juice, topped with sparkling wine.

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About The Author

Michelle Stansbury

Michelle Stansbury is a San Diego-based blogger and freelance writer who writes about travel, food, cannabis, and relationships. Follow her Instagram @discoverwithmichelle or visit Eat, Drink, Be SD. Her work has appeared in national magazines like Marie Claire, Forbes, Cosmo, Reader's Digest, and Bustle.

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