Setting up a celebration to kick off the Lunar New Year? Here’s how you do it.
The Year of the Tiger is here, and it’s one that encourages us to be bold. It’s a time for reflecting on the year that was and also a time for thinking about where we’re headed. But more than anything, it’s a time for celebration.
And if you’re looking for ways to do it with a bit of cognac on the side, here’s how it’s done:
Photo: Rémy Martin
Put up red decorations.
Cherry-hued home ornaments are common during the Chinese New Year. The color represents joy and it drives away bad spirits.
Reunite with family.
Enjoy a reunion dinner with the family by serving symbolic dishes with lucky meanings such as dumplings, spring rolls, fish, and chicken, among others. Cap the night off the night with a bit of drink and toasting to success and abundance.
Don’t forget the sweets.
Make sure to serve desserts. Sweet nibbles like oranges and tangerines symbolize happiness and togetherness.
Pass the best wishes.
Gift-giving is an act of respect and gratefulness and a way to wish friends and loved ones good fortune.
Break out the Cognac
What better way to tie everything together than with a bottle of cognac? Rémy Martin XO is housed in a dazzling red coffret, pairs well with sweets, is best enjoyed when shared, and makes for a fantastic gift to mark the start of the year.
Photo: Rémy Martin
Face the year ahead
All of these can be done with minimal preparation, and if you’re looking to wind down after all the festivities, you can enjoy a glass of cognac in several different ways. It can be poured into a glass neat, or on ice.
You can also add a lump of sugar and 3 dashes of bitters, stirring until the mixture is smooth, while adding ice. Then garnish it with a sprinkle of edible gold flakes for a bit of extra luck to face the year.
However you choose to drink it, cognac fits the bill as a drink of choice.
It’s a type of brandy that’s made from white wine, which is double-distilled in copper stills and aged in oak barrels for at least two years. The spirit is heavily regulated, and is made only from grapes in the Cognac region in Western France. It’s this exclusivity that’s made it popular as a drink for celebrations.
Rémy Martin’s Centaur Odyssey Limited Edition Collection (particularly the Club and XO) lends itself well to these occasions. These are made from grapes that grow from the terroir (grounds) of the vineyards of Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne.
Rémy Martin’s Cellar Master blends more than 400 different eaux-de-vie by employing rigorous fermentation and distillation methods, making the house’s creations some of the most luxurious drinks available.
In any case, you can grab a bottle from local liquor stores and supermarkets. And if you’re looking for a bit more information, you can head to Rémy Martin’s site to get it.
Have a great Lunar New Year, and remember that while today is a day for celebration, the rest of the year is up to you to enjoy as well.
