Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Grand Marnier St. Tropez Summer Drink

During the Rangers vs. Devils game last night, I noticed an animated commercial come on the screen for Grand Marnier. In it, the people are laying out on a beach in St. Tropez, France. As a woman in a bathing suit walks by (very Girl from Ipanema-ish), she gives out what I I believe is an amazing and simple drink for the summer containing Grand Marnier. Now excuse me if I get it wrong. It was small TV spot and I saw it out of the corner of my eye and quickly jotted down the recipe as I heard it off of the audio. I have yet to find the commercial online or on Youtube. I'll post the video when I come across it. Well, here is the recipe for the drink:

The Grand Tropez
1.5 oz. Grand Marnier
1 Squeeze of a Lemon Wedge
Soda Water

Over a glass with filled with ice, squeeze a lemon. Pour the Grand Marnier and fill with Soda Water. Stir gently.

For those of you who don't know, according to the Grand Marnier website:
Is a delicate blend of fine cognacs, distilled essence of wild tropical oranges carefully combined according to a secret recipe and then slowly aged in French oak casks.

Each year, we choose the finest eaux-de-vie (clear and colorless fruit brandy), made exclusively with Ugni Blanc grapes, from the Cognac region's premier growing districts. These eaux-de-vie have undergone two distinct distillations, using traditional copper pot stills.

We only use one kind of orange to create the orange essence: an exotic, wild variety called Citrus bigaradia. Mainly handpicked at the Marnier-Lapostolle plantation in the Caribbean, the oranges are cut into quarters while still green and therefore at their aromatic peak. The pulp is removed and the peels are left to dry in the tropical sun.
Upon arrival at the family distillery in Neauphle-le-Château - established in 1827 - the dried orange peels are macerated in neutral alcohol. This flavoured alcohol is then carefully distilled to produce an aromatic concentrate: essence of Citrus bigaradia.

The cognac and essence of wild tropical oranges are carefully blended with other components, according to a secret recipe transmitted from father to son for generations , and is then slowly aged in French oak casks.

This drink might just become my summer favorite. Where Grand Marnier by itself is a bit thick and sweet, the combination of the lemon juice and the soda water help to balance out the sweetness. Making it very light and bubbly. Very mild, easy on the palate and super easy to make. The summer is shaping up to be quite the cocktail filled season.


Happy Drinking,
Sisco Vanilla

UPDATE 05-25-2012
I finally saw the commercial and the actual name of the drink is the Grand Tropez Cocktail.

3 comments:

  1. i saw the commercial as well and had a bartender make it from my memory and it was delicious. very refreshing but you need several lemons. she muddled the first attempt and garnished with fresh lemon and that was the best

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  2. Thanks for the comment and the recommendation. I'll make sure to try the muddled lemon next time I'm behind the bar.

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  3. I decided I couldn't wait until I got to work to make myself woman. I agree with the first comment the cocktail does taste better with the muddled lemons as to opposed to a squeeze of a lemon wedge. Again, thanks for the recommendation.

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