Alcohol

(RICE WINE AND GINGER ALE COCKTAILS)

We thought we would update the popular Cosmopolitan by substituting Champagne for the usual lemon vodka. We garnished the drinks with skewers of sugar-coated fresh cranberries (thawed frozen ones will work just fine, too).

We recommend using a good-quality California or Spanish sparkling wine for this recipe. Both are widely available and less expensive than champagne.
You may want to garnish these drinks with fresh elderberry flowers; if so, make sure the blossoms you buy are unsprayed (nontoxic).

Omit the alcohol for a kid-friendly drink.

White chocolate adds a bit of luxury to the steaming brew.