December 27, 2018

Grand Marnier

Happy holidays, Merry Christmas, and blessings on the Winter Solstice!  May you be having a joyful holiday season; whichever holiday it is you may celebrate.

I’m going to leave you with something a bit different for our last blog together of 2018 – Grand Marnier. 

I’m brave when it comes to wine.  I drink wine from all over the world.  Some white, some read, some rose.  Some sparkling, some not.  Some amazing, some leaving me wishing I’d stuck with water.

However, I frequently go to dinner and think to myself, I’m going to drink something different tonight.  I look at the drink menu, get overwhelmed, and stick with wine. 

This year on my birthday, I ordered chocolate mousse for desert and looked over the desert drink menu.  I love a good port but the idea of that much additional sugar didn’t sound good to me.  I told the waitress to have the bartender serve me whatever after dinner drink he thought was the best fit. 

(Side note, I occasionally do this if I’m somewhere that I feel is safe – meaning they won’t serve me a $200/glass item.  I’ve found some interesting wines this way and it gives waiters an opportunity to show off the knowledge they’ve been trained for in higher end restaurants.  Most of them are good about staying at my preferred price point if I give it to them, too.)

The bartender comes over, asks a few questions about my preferences, and shortly later my first glass of Grand Marnier arrives.  The nose is divine.  The cognac glass looks so much cooler on the table than another wine glass, too.

A spoonful of chocolate followed by a sip of the Grand Marnier and I’m in desert heaven.

I love a good port.  I’ll splurge once or twice a year for a really good glass.  The sugar is almost too much for me any more.  I’m ecstatic to have a new desert love.

The holidays have been good.  Numbers are looking up (way up) and my day job has finally found it’s stride again.  I bought a brand new Smart Planner for 2019 to keep me on track (shameless plug for an amazing company located locally to me).  2019 is going to be special.

Drink amazing champagne this new year.  I’ll post pictures to my Instagram, send me a photo of your own.

I hope your holiday season has been filled with family, friends, and love.  Here’s wishing you the happiest of New Years!