Cognac

Cognac is a geographically specific Brandy, named after the commune Cognac, France. Cognac is a commune in the Charente department in the south-west of France.

Cognac production is regulated by the French Appellation d'origine with specific methods of production and specific grapes from designated regions to be used to meet the legal requirement to be declared a Cognac.

Methods include a double distillation in copper pot stills and aged at least two years in French oak barrels from Limousin or Troncais. Cognac is also an eau de vie.

Cognac has a fascinating history and it's association with Napoleon Bonaparte, specifically the Emperor's association with the Courvoisier cognac has made Cognac one of the most celebrated and sought after alcoholic beverage ever.


Napoleon Bonaparte visited Bercy in 1811 as documented in a historic painting by Etienne Bouhot and later was credited with saying he wanted his artillery companies to have a ration of cognac during the Napoleonic Wars - Wikipedia
The current legally defined categories of Cognac are
V.S.: Eau de vies with a minimum age of two years. Also known as Very Special or Three Stars.
V.S.O.P.: Eau de vies with a minimum age of four years. Also known as Very Special Old Pale or Reserve.
X.O.: Eau de vies with a minimum age of six years

Cointreau Orange Liqueur

Orange Liqueur is the generic name for orange fruit based liqueurs, there are two traditions of orange liqueur, Triple Sec and Curacao, two major brands being Cointreau from the Triple Sec tradition and Grand Marnier from the Curacao tradition.

White Creme De Cacao

Creme de Cacao is a chocolate liqueur that has probably been produced and sold in France since as early as 1666. In America a Chocolate wine was popular in the 18th Century, it's ingredients included sherry, port, chocolate and sugar.

A modern recipe for chocolate liqueur at home lists the ingredients as chocolate extract, vanilla extract and simple syrup and in purest form, chocolate liqueur is clear and colours may be added.

Creme de Cacao can be consumed straight and as an apertif, in cocktails and in desserts, in dessert sauces, cakes and truffles.

Whipping Cream

Whipped cream is a liquid heavy cream that has been whipped by a whisk or in a mixer until a light fluffy cream that holds its shape. The whipping makes the water and cream form a colloid and often dissolved gas is used which on expansion forms a firm colloid. Whipped cream is also called Chantilly cream.
Whipped cream sold in aerosol cans, where the cream is instantly whipped by the expanding gas, is a ready to use whipped cream, and its known by several names like Squirty Cream, Spray Cream or Aerosol Cream, in Scotland it’s called Skooshy Cream. A common Squirty Cream brand in the United States is Reddi-Wip.

Whipped cream is a liquid heavy cream that has been whipped by a whisk or in a mixer until a light fluffy cream that holds its shape. The whipping makes the water and cream form a colloid and often dissolved gas is used which on expansion forms a firm colloid. Whipped cream is also called Chantilly cream.
Whipped cream sold in aerosol cans, where the cream is instantly whipped by the expanding gas, is a ready to use whipped cream, and its known by several names like Squirty Cream, Spray Cream or Aerosol Cream, in Scotland it’s called Skooshy Cream. A common Squirty Cream brand in the United States is Reddi-Wip.

Egg Yolk

Eggs are used to add viscosity and mouthfeel to cocktails, sour cocktails like Whisky Sour, tastes the best when made with added egg white. Egg whites create a creamy texture and a thick layer of foam on top of a cocktail. While unlike using just the white, adding the yolk adds a bit of a flavour to the drink, it helps emulsify the other ingredients and adds the eggnog flavour to your cocktail.
To get the silk smooth texture and mouthfeel and the foamy head without weakening the drink by melting the ice from too long shaking, which is needed to break the proteins of the egg white to froth up, dry shake the ingredients first, that is, pour all ingredients and the egg white in your shaker and shake hard without ice first, for about a minute and then add ice and shake again.