A “French 75” is a Champagne cocktail named for the French 75mm howitzer artillery gun used during World War I. The legend is that the drink was created by a fighter pilot who wanted his Champagne to pack a little more punch. So he added gin. (Or Cognac, depending on who you ask.)

The drink caught on with Americans living in Paris at the time, like F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway. And they knew their drinks.

It has history.

You just can’t say that for Mad Dog 20/20 Blue Raspberry. The colder this cocktail is, the better it tastes, so shake the lemon juice, sugar and gin (or Cognac) in a shaker full of ice, strain it into a cold glass, and top it off with chilled Champagne.

It’s bright and bubbly and tangy and lemony and … POTENT.

Looking for other things to make and do this New Year’s Eve?

• Submit your New Year’s wish online to the Times Square Virtual Wishing Wall, and they’ll print it on one of the piece of confetti that falls at midnight.

• Make a Time Capsule! (Joy the Baker)

• Make some Black-Eyed Pea Dip. Doesn’t that look yummy? (Pioneer Woman)

• Hook up a Champagne Bar, or try a new Champagne cocktail.

• Engage in the South American tradition of buying new underwear for New Year’s Eve. (Mighty Girl)

• Hang out in your jammies for a New Year’s Eve movie double-feature: “When Harry Met Sally” and “Bridget Jones’ Diary.” (Hello Giggles)

• Make a glitter banner with this tutorial and printout from katie’s pencil box.

• Eat some of epicurious’ Lucky Foods for the New Year. Like coffee-glazed doughnuts! Yeah!

• Decorate some “Pucker Up, Buttercup” New Year’s Eve cookies. (Bake at 350)

• Check out MSN’s “Hot NYE Party Trends 2012.” Photo booths! Tarot card readers! Doughnuts!

• Need some party music? Check out Pandora’s new New Year’s Eve party mix stations.

• Add some silver stars to your Christmas wreath.

• Throw together an easy centerpiece with noisemakers on top of a cake stand.

• Bake some New Year’s Eve Cupcakes, like these from i am baker, Confessions of a Cookbook Queen and Eat, Live, Run.

• Set up a Bubble Wrap Stomp. (FamilyFun)

• Conquer these “10 To-Dos Before You Start that New Year’s Resolution.” (Apartment Therapy)

• Make a New Year’s Garland. (Craftzine)

• Watch a New Year’s Eve special on TV. Or, check out one of the weekend’s 131 TV marathons.

• Throw a New Year’s Eve party! (Check Hostess with the Mostess for party themes, or go glam with a Pink Metallic New Year’s Eve Party from Pizzazerie.)

• Track your resolutions with the All My New Year Resolutions app.

• Print positively present’s free 2012 Planner.

• Answer (in)courage’s 20 Questions for a New Year’s Eve Reflection.

• Read Simple Mom’s guide to Setting Reachable Goals for 2011. (I’ll link to the 2012 post when it’s live.)

Happy New Year!

French 75

Makes 1 cocktail

• 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) gin or Cognac
• 1/2 to 1 ounce (1 to 2 tablespoons) fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon sugar (You might need more if you use Cognac.)
• Brut Champagne or sparkling white wine, chilled

1. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, and add the gin, lemon juice and sugar.
2. Shake and strain into a chilled Champagne flute or a highball glass full of cracked ice.
3. Top off with chilled Champagne.

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