How-To: Keep the Fizz in an Open Bottle of Champagne
While dining in Paris, Dorie Greenspan saw her waiter put a silver spoon in an opened bottle of Champagne before storing it in the refrigerator.
Sticking a silver spoon in an opened bottle of Champagne to preserve the fizz is an old wives' tale, but at least one waiter in Paris (among others) swears by this trick. Research has found (of course there's been research) that spoons don't do a whole lot but are better than recorking, that neither spoons nor corks are needed, as long as the bottle is refrigerated after opening, and that the only way to avoid losing fizz is to drink the whole bottle at once or seal it with a hermetic cork.
One of my friends explained that the spoon acts as a heat sink, thus cooling the inside of the bottle and causing a slower release of carbon dioxide.
Or maybe it's just urban mythology.
Add a comment:
Previewing your comment:
HTML Hints
Some HTML is OK: <a href="URL">link</a>, <strong>strong</strong>, <em>em</em>
Comment Guidelines
Post whatever you want, just keep it seriously about eats, seriously. We reserve the right to delete off-topic or inflammatory comments. Learn more at our Comment Policy page.
If you see something not so nice, please, report an inappropriate comment.
4 Comments:
Now, this is interesting. I always was taught to use a silver spoon with Coca-Cola. But my mother always used it when I had stomach upset and the intent was to REMOVE as much of the carbonation as quickly as possible. Put a silver spoon in a glass of Coke, and it goes flat faster. I've always believed this, and now some darn French waiter throws my whole world view into a cocked hat! Grrrr!
DougW at 8:34PM on 07/18/07
The whole idea of a heat sink is really interesting -- thanks. I know that the only right thing to do with Champagne is to drink the bottle down to the bottom in one quick sitting - and I do, as often as I can - but when there's a glass or so left, there's something very comforting about sticking a spoon in it and knowing that what you're doing (even if it isn't perfectly effective) is a link in a long tradition. It's almost as romantic as the Champagne itself.
dorie at 9:15AM on 07/19/07
a friend of mine taught me this trick a year or so ago and I now use it without fail.
ckh189 at 10:31AM on 07/19/07
I just went to the Harold McGee class the other weekend. We did a test and it debunked the myth of the silver spoon by measuring the carbonation after a certain amount of time with a cork, a silver spoon,a metal spoon and just left open in the refrigerator.
Veron at 1:57PM on 07/24/07