Be the ultimate party host with the most this New Year’s holiday
- STEP 1 – Gather your chilled bottle of champagne, some Champagne flutes and sabering object of choice. In order to make the glass more brittle, your Champagne should be refrigerated (38 – 40 degrees). A traditional saber, if you have one, makes for a nice spectacle if you are entertaining guests, otherwise a regular blunt knife, or even a butter knife will do.
- STEP 2 – Carefully remove the foil and cage and wipe away any moisture. Keep your thumb on the top of the cork until you are ready to saber. The pressure, and temperature once you remove the cage, could allow the cork to pop on its own.
- STEP 3 – Grab the bottle by the base, find the seam and point it away from onlookers. Using your less-dominant hand, maintain a tight grip around the bottom of the bottle with your entire hand. Tilt it in a 30 angle. Face the seam, the weakest part of the bottle, upwards. The intersection of the seam and lip is where you will get a clean break.
- STEP 4 – Hold the knife flat across the bottle with the blunt edge towards the lip. Run the saber or knife back and forth along the seam. In one swift motion, strike the lip of the bottle with the dull side of your blade, maintaining a slight angle and following through.
- STEP 5 – Pop and cheers! If you’ve done it correctly, the cork, with a little ring of glass around it, will fly off the end of the bottle. The cork can reach impressive speeds, so be careful in case it ricochets. The cut edge will be sharp, but the champagne is still safe to be served. Pour the escaping bubbly into waiting champagne flutes and offer a witty toast.
