When I’m behind my bar and I ask my patrons their favorite spirit for a cocktail, it doesn’t happen often that I get a liquor as an answer. But every now and then I do, and I must say that it sometimes confuses me. But when you take a liquor like Grand Marnier, a 40 abv liquor, made with great quality spirit and amazing natural orange flavor, there’s no reason to snob it as a prime element.

Here’s a cocktail recipe you can try that will prove you I’m right.

The Menton’s Market is named after the city of Menton, located in the very south of France. Every year they celebrate citrus in a festival. During this celebration, you can witness enormous sculptures made out of orange, lemon, lime and many other citrus varieties. It is SO beautiful that it made me want to celebrate citrus as well. But since I’m no good in sculpture, I made a cocktail.

The Menton’s Market

– 1 1/2 oz Grand Marnier

– 3/4 oz Blood orange reduction*

– 1/2 oz Fresh lime juice

– 1/2 oz Amontillado sherry

– 1 barspoon of Fernet Branca

– 2 1/2 oz Soda water

– 3 healthy dashes of Lem-Marrakech bitters from Bittered Sling (When I made the picture I was out of it and tried with orange and juniper bitters from Bittered Sling again and it was also very good. Make your own test with the whole selection at Bittered Sling, they are fabolous! You can buy them by clicking the links here Alambika, BYOB, Monsieur cocktail or Bittered Sling)

Shake all ingredients except the soda water. Strain in an ice filled glass and top with the soda water. Express an orange zest on top of the drink and drop it in as a garnish.

*BLOOD ORANGE REDUCTION

juice 300 ml of blood orange

bring to boil and reduce it down to 200 ml

That’s it!

During the next weeks you will see other posts on different media platforms with the hashtag #LeGrandSling. Some of my Canadian bartender colleagues and I were chosen to participate to an immersion trip in France with Grand Marnier and Bittered Sling. This will be the trip of a life time! So follow us using the #LeGrandSling to see more of our adventures and cocktail recipes. Santé!!!

By Jean-Félix Desfossés