Hello 2008!

MANGO MINT SPARKLERS

Serves 6

Active Time: 15 minutes Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

Brunch is a wonderful time to indulge in this refreshing Mimosa alternative. It's important to use pure mango nectar here (though it may not be labeled "pure"); nectar mixed with other fruit juices or high-fructose corn syrup makes the drink too sweet.

1/4 cup packed fresh mint leaves
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
3 cups pure mango nectar, chilled
1 bottle Moscato d'Asti sparkling wine or sparkling water, chilled

Garnish: cucumber spears and fresh mint leaves

* Crush mint leaves with lime juice in a bowl with a pestle or wooden spoon until bruised and beginning to break up. Stir in mango nectar, then chill, covered, at least 1 hour.

*Pour mango mixture through a sieve into a large glass measure, discarding solids, then pour about 1/2 cup mango mixture into each 6 (10-ounce) glasses and top off with Moscato d'Asti (or sparkling water).

Cook's note: Mango mixture can be chilled, covered, up to 1 day.

From The Best of Gourmet: The World at Your Table- A Year of International Flavors; 2006 Conde' Nast Books

It always ends this way. Hazy, hurried, rush of Christmas, our Anniversary, and New Year's, and then POOF. Silence. A welcomed silence, but a sad one.

Thinking of all of you who came and left...can't wait to see you again. Those that live here....can't wait to see you again either. After maybe about four days. Just give me four days.

Cheers peeps. Here's to you, here's to us, and here's to a great New Year.