Kir Royale

Horning suggests substituting raspberry flavors like Chambord for a twist on a French Martini or a Kir Royale.

Consider the French Kir Royale, which consists of just black currant liqueur and champagne—it's almost always served neat.

The classic liqueur is best known for its part in the kir, a 19th-century French aperitif which combines dry white wine with crème de cassis, and the kir’s bubbly offshoot, the kir royale, which swaps in sparkling wine for still.

Similarly, the faux Kir Royale below deserves a champagne flute.

“My mother fled through Europe,” she marvels, “and half a century later I danced through it, Kir Royale in hand. How do you like that?”