Grand Marnier It’s your day!

That’s right. Most “holidays” are dedicated to people, events, or general concepts. But, this one goes to a product. Not just any product. National Grand Marnier Day is dedicated to one of the great liqueurs of all time. For those of you not familiar with Grand Marnier. It is a blend of fine cognac with orange and syrup. Many have tried to duplicate or imitate it. And, many have come up short. Created in the 1870’s by Jean-Baptiste, Louis-Alexandre Marnier-Lapostolle (got enough names there, buddy?). He went on to partner with Cezar Ritz (who came up with the name grand marnier) as he opened the Ritz and Savoy Hotels in France. For the first time, Grand Marnier was served to some of the wealthiest people in Europe, establishing it as a boutique brand. Now available to the masses, Grand Marnier It’s your day!

Grand Marnier wasn’t a happy mistake. La Potolle’s father had started a distillery in 1827. So, the manufacture of fine spirits was in the family. At the time, oranges were not readily available. They were indigenous to tropical climates. So, they were expensive to get. Thus, Grand marnier was one of the most expensive liqueurs in its day. It was a very exclusive drink for about 100 years. Then in 1977, they released an anniversary version called Cuvée Spéciale Cent Cinquantenaire. This release celebrated the 150th anniversary of the distillery (and came with a hefty price tag and artisan decorated bottles). Versions of it and other anniversary editions are still available (and still expensive).

Grand Marnier It’s your day! Time to go public.

This release created quite a buzz in high society at the time. And, built on the mystique of Grand marnier. Over the next decade, the exclusivity factor helped build a following that extended to the masses. By the 1980’s it found a home in most bars and people’s homes. The original version was affordable to the general population. It was still pricey: but, nothing compared to high end cognacs. Bartenders got creative with it in specialty drinks. Bakers worked it into desserts. And, chefs began using it in more savory dishes with a sweet edge.

The B52 was one of those drinks (not to be confused with the band). This is a “bomb” of a drink comprising distinct layers of Kahlua, Baileys, and grand marnier. But, the creative uses didn’t end there. There are slippery nipples, between the sheets and the El Presidente, to name a few. Just using grand marnier as a substitute for triple sec elevated a drink to top shelf. Think of a Grand Gold Margarita or Grand Mimosa. Or, even our cantaloupe margarita.

But, Grand Marnier is for much more than drinking. It is an inegral part of many recipes. Many a desserts grew out of the flavor of Grand Marnier. The classic crepes suzette is orange and grand marnier set aflame in the pan. Of course, there are grand marnier souffles, tortes, tarts, cookies, bars, cakes, and a myriad number of other possibilities. There is something about the perfect balance of sweet and acidic, as well as the alcohol that lends well to desserts.

Not Just for the sweet tooth.

This delectable liqueur is not, however, just for dessert. There was a Chinese restaurant near me where they did a grand marnier chicken. It was battered chicken with a grand marnier mayonaise based sauce and broccoli florets. Unfortunately, the restaurant is no more. But, it was a truly unique dish.

And, the flavors keep coming. Picture shrimp flambe with an orange GM (Grand Marnier) glaze. Or, how about Butternut ravioli with a GM cream sauce? So, strap on your creativity hat and have at it. There are so many ways that Grand Marnier can accent a dish. Try an herbed lamb noisette with GM demi glace.

Even vegetarian dishes can evolve with a GM boost. Think: Japanese Eggplant and wild mushroom stir fry in a spicy GM orange sauce over rice noodles. Even a side dish like broccoli becomes elegant when cooked with GM.

Let’s not forget breakfast and brunch. Add GM to your waffle or pancake batter for a bit of zing. Put it in your maple syrup. Mix it with fruit. And, of course, add it to your mimosas. Why wait ’til noon?

Grand Marnier It’s your day! For Every Occasion…

Although it may have started as an exclusive drink, it can be a part of every meal, every day. And, it knows no moods and all moods at once. If you are happy and celebrating a milestone like a wedding: GM shots! If you are a little low and need a pick me up: GM shots. You want to impress your boss, family, or friends: cooking with Grand Marnier. Maybe you just had a break up or some bad news: GM shots. You want to hook up with someone new and you’re all out of roofies: GM shots (note: we do not condone this behavior). It’s Cinco De mayo and you want the best margaritas: Grand Marnier to the rescue.

It may not cure your asthma, but, Grand Marnier can cure a bad mood or make a good mood even better. So let’s celebrate this day with Grand Marnier.

And, let’s not forgot, today is also Bastille day. So, follow this link for a discussion about that and a tasty cassoulet recipe.

Here are a couple recipes to whet your apetite.

The first is a flambe crepe. This can be a part of breakfast, brunch, or a dessert. And, setting it aflame is always a load of fun. The trick is to add the alcohol and then add the flame. This can be done by applying a lighter or slightly tilting the pan into the flame on the stove. Either way, it looks dangerous. But, it is a controlled flame. As soon as the alcohol burns off, the flame will go down. Just don’t pour in too much. A couple ounces will burn off in a few seconds. If you are wary, start with 1 ounce instead.

The second recipe is for the classic B52 shot. it is a layered drink. consisting of Kahlua, Baileys and Grand Marnier. Since they have different viscosities, they will float on top of each other. Some people like to flame this drink too. It gives a dramatic effect. But, it doesn’t do anything for the drink itself. In fact, what is burning is the alcohol. So, what’s the point? The separation of the ingredients is dramatic enough. It is intended to be consumed in one shot to blend the flavors in your mouth. And, that’s why they call it a B52, because you are going to get bombed! It’s, basically, a double shot.

As the French say: A votre sante! Or, since today is also Bastille day: “Je lève mon verre à la liberté.”

Vanilla Mint Crepes with Grand Marnier Apricot and Cherry Flambe

cheffd

Print Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Course Breakfast, brunch, Dessert

Cuisine American, French

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  

• For the Crepes
• 2 Large Eggs
• 11/2 cup Light Cream
• 1 cup AP flour
• 2 Tbsp Melted unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pan spray for cooking
• For the Topping
• 1/2 stick Butter
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 cup pitted fresh rainier or other type of cherries
• 1 cup fresh apricots, pits removed and cubed
• 2 oz Grand Marnier

Instructions

 

• make the crepe batter: Whisk the eggs. Add in sugar and mint and continue whisking. Add the cream and vanilla. Continue whisking. Slowly add in the flour until it is well incorporated and there are no lumps. Allow to rest for at least 10 minutes.
• Heat a non stick pan over medium heat or use a crepe maker. A flat pan works best. Spray the pan with pan spray and carefully ladle the mix in in a thin layer, turning the pan to get maximum thin coverage. If it is too thick, it will be more of a pancake than a crepe. Cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute depending on your heat level. It should be golden brown on the bottom. The top should be just about cooked through. Then flip the crepe, either by hand or using a rubber spatula. Stack the crepes when done. repeat this process until all the batter is used up.
• make the flambe: Melt the butter over high heat and stir in the sugar. They will make a caramel syrup type of base. Add in the fruit and stir until well coated. Remove the pan from the heat and add in Grand Marnier. Dip the pan toward the flame and allow the flames to catch. This will result in a bluish flame. Burn off the alcohol and continue to cook about 30 seconds to a minute. The result will be fruit in a caramel syrup.
• Fold the crepes in quarters and arrange on a plate. Spoon the fruit and syrup over the crepes, garnish, and serve hot.

Notes

The crepe making process can be done in several ways. The method described here doesn’t require any special equipment. I find that a non stick saute pan works great. If you are more comfortable with a “crepe pan” or crepe making apparatus, feel free. These are usually flat pans or machines that have a flat heated surface. You use a wooden spatula or trowel to smooth out the batter. If your batter is thin enough, you can get similar results from an old school saute pan, though.

As for the color of the crepes. Some people don’t want any color at all in their crepes. So, you will want to cook over a lower temperature. I prefer a golden brown color. One side has a nicely marbled coloring. The flip side is pretty much cooked batter with a few brown spots. If you are making stuffed crepes, blintzes, or a manicotti, you probably want less color. For this type of recipe, though, color is good.

To make it easy here, we just spoon the fruit and syrup on top. In classical cooking, the crepes would be reheated in the syrup to evenly coat them. Having larger chunks of fruit in this recipe, makes that less than practical. Again, it’s up tp you  how you want to present the dish.

Keyword Apricots, cherries, Crepes, Flambe, Grand marnier, Mint, rainier, vanilla

Classic B52 shots

cheffd

Print Recipe

Prep Time 8 minutes mins

Course Drinks

Cuisine American, French, Irish, Mexican

Servings 4 shots

Ingredients

  

• 4 oz Grand Marnier
• 4 oz Irish Cream (Baileys or similar)
• 4 Oz kahlua (Or similar coffee liqueur)

Instructions

 

• Set up 4 small cordial glasses
• Pour 1 ounce or 1/3 of the glass worth of Kahlua into each glass.
• Pour the Irish cream over the back of a spoon into the glass over the kahlua. Because the Kahlua is heavier, the Irish cream will float on top. Do not mix. And do not pour too fast or the floating effect will be lost.
• Use the same spoon technique to put the Grand marnier on top of the Irish cream.
• Serve immediately. These are intended to be drunk in one shot, so the flavors will blend in your mouth.

Keyword B52, cocktail, Grand marnier, Irish Cream, kahlua, liqueur, Shots