Champagne

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended preparation time.

The classic — and amazingly easy — French sauce made with butter and wine gets a glamorous makeover with Champagne. Feel free to use less-expensive sparkling wine for cooking, but keep the blanc de blancs flowing as an accompaniment.

A beautiful and elegant dessert that has lots of great berry flavor.

This drink is sometimes called Champagne Velvet, and in certain quarters is known as the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick Shandygaff, a fine euphoric title.

Passion-Fruit Champagne Cocktail

This drink is sometimes known as a Napoleon.

Variant: King's Peg (Napoleon)

Accompanied by Champagne, this beautiful and delicious appetizer starts the meal on a sophisticated note.

CHAMPAGNE A dish that's refined yet spirited, much like the bubbly that has made the region so celebrated. For a first course, serve steamed leeks bathed in a simple vinaigrette. What to drink: Champagne, of course.

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).

Kir royale, the French aperitif of Champagne with a splash of cassis, becomes a sophisticated sorbet or granita. If you have them, Champagne coupes or martini glasses make elegant servers.