Alton Brown Cocord Grape Royal, using Orange Bitters

Concord Grape Royal
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2012

Show: Food Network SpecialsEpisode: Thanksgiving Live,Recipe categories: Wine, Fruit, Grapes, more

Total Time:1 hr 50 min
Prep10 min
Inactive30 min
Cook1 hr 10 min
Yield: about 8 servings

Ingredients
Concord Grape Syrup:
4 cups 100-percent Concord grape juice
One 8-inch sprig fresh rosemary
1 1/2-inch square cube crystallized ginger
1 teaspoon aged balsamic vinegar

Cocktails:
One 750 ml bottle rose champagne, chilled
Orange bitters
Concord grapes, halved, for serving
Orange rinds, for serving

Directions
For the Concord grape syrup: Combine the grape juice, rosemary and ginger in a 2-quart saucepan. Reduce the mixture for 1 hour over medium-low heat. When the mixture has reduced by half, add the balsamic and continue cooking until the mixture has reduced by half again, about 10 minutes. Cool for 30 minutes. Strain and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

For the cocktails: Add 1 ounce of the grape syrup to each champagne flute. Top with 4 ounces champagne and 2 to 3 dashes of bitters. Top each glass with a skewered grape half and orange rind piece.