Cointreau
Encyclopedia
Cointreau is a brand of triple sec
produced in Saint-Barthélemy-d'Anjou
, France. It is drunk as an apéritif
and digestif, and is a component of several well-known cocktails. It was originally called "Curaçao Blanco Triple Sec".
, but it was when they concocted a blend of sweet and bitter orange peels and pure alcohol from sugar beet
s that the success of the enterprise was definitively confirmed. In 1875, the first bottles of Cointreau were sold. It is now estimated that thirteen million bottles are sold each year, in more than 150 countries. Ninety percent of production is exported. The company is still owned and run by the Cointreau family, although a notable descendant, André J. Cointreau
, left the company to run the famed Paris-based Le Cordon Bleu
culinary school in the 1990s.
The production methods and recipe are a family secret
, but tours of the distillery are open to the public. Photography is restricted in many areas to protect the production process from being copied.
Cointreau sources its bitter orange
s from all over the world, usually Spain, Brazil and Saint-Raphaël, Haiti
as well as Ghana
.
(or often on ice
), Cointreau is at the heart of many famous cocktail
s.
Several recipes claiming to be the original Margarita
include Cointreau as does the IBA
approved recipe for the Cosmopolitan
.
entertainer Dita Von Teese
became the new face of Cointreau's "Be Cointreauversial" advertising and marketing campaign.
Triple sec
Triple sec, originally Curaçao triple sec, is a variety of Curaçao liqueur, an orange-flavoured liqueur made from the dried peels of bitter and sweet orange....
produced in Saint-Barthélemy-d'Anjou
Saint-Barthélemy-d'Anjou
Saint-Barthélemy-d'Anjou is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France.-References:*...
, France. It is drunk as an apéritif
Aperitif
Apéritifs and digestifs are alcoholic drinks that are normally served with meals.-Apéritifs:An apéritif is usually served before a meal to stimulate the appetite. This contrasts with digestifs, which are served after a meal for the purpose of aiding digestion...
and digestif, and is a component of several well-known cocktails. It was originally called "Curaçao Blanco Triple Sec".
Production
Cointreau Distillery was set up in 1849 by Adolphe Cointreau, a confectioner, and his brother Edouard-Jean Cointreau from Angers. Their first success was with the cherry liqueur, guignoletGuignolet
Guignolet is a French wild cherry liqueur.It is widely available in France, including at supermarkets such as Casino and others, but is not widely available internationally....
, but it was when they concocted a blend of sweet and bitter orange peels and pure alcohol from sugar beet
Sugar beet
Sugar beet, a cultivated plant of Beta vulgaris, is a plant whose tuber contains a high concentration of sucrose. It is grown commercially for sugar production. Sugar beets and other B...
s that the success of the enterprise was definitively confirmed. In 1875, the first bottles of Cointreau were sold. It is now estimated that thirteen million bottles are sold each year, in more than 150 countries. Ninety percent of production is exported. The company is still owned and run by the Cointreau family, although a notable descendant, André J. Cointreau
André J. Cointreau
André J. Cointreau is the president and CEO of l’Ecole de Cuisine et de Pâtisserie Le Cordon Bleu, better known as Le Cordon Bleu. During his tenure, he has shifted the Le Cordon Bleu business from one school in Paris to a multinational concern with nearly 30 schools in 15 countries.Cointreau is a...
, left the company to run the famed Paris-based Le Cordon Bleu
Le Cordon Bleu
Le Cordon Bleu is the world's largest hospitality education institution, with 35 schools on five continents serving 20,000 students annually. Its primary education focus is on hospitality management and the culinary arts...
culinary school in the 1990s.
The production methods and recipe are a family secret
Trade secret
A trade secret is a formula, practice, process, design, instrument, pattern, or compilation of information which is not generally known or reasonably ascertainable, by which a business can obtain an economic advantage over competitors or customers...
, but tours of the distillery are open to the public. Photography is restricted in many areas to protect the production process from being copied.
Cointreau sources its bitter orange
Bitter orange
The name "bitter orange", also known as Seville orange, sour orange, bigarade orange, and marmalade orange, refers to a citrus tree and its fruit. Many varieties of bitter orange are used for their essential oil, which is used in perfume and as a flavoring...
s from all over the world, usually Spain, Brazil and Saint-Raphaël, Haiti
Saint-Raphaël, Haiti
Saint-Raphaël is a city and municipality in Saint-Raphaël Arrondissement, Nord Department, Haiti. It is the seat of Saint-Raphaël Arrondissement....
as well as Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
.
Cocktails
In addition to being consumed neatStraight up (bartending)
In bartending, the term straight up refers to an alcoholic drink that is shaken or stirred with ice and then strained and served without ice in a stemmed glass....
(or often on ice
Ice
Ice is water frozen into the solid state. Usually ice is the phase known as ice Ih, which is the most abundant of the varying solid phases on the Earth's surface. It can appear transparent or opaque bluish-white color, depending on the presence of impurities or air inclusions...
), Cointreau is at the heart of many famous cocktail
Cocktail
A cocktail is an alcoholic mixed drink that contains two or more ingredients—at least one of the ingredients must be a spirit.Cocktails were originally a mixture of spirits, sugar, water, and bitters. The word has come to mean almost any mixed drink that contains alcohol...
s.
Several recipes claiming to be the original Margarita
Margarita
The margarita is a cocktail consisting of tequila mixed with orange-flavoured liqueur and lime or lemon juice, often served with salt on the glass rim. It is the most common tequila-based cocktail in the United States...
include Cointreau as does the IBA
International Bartenders Association
The International Bartenders Association, often confused with the International Bar Association, founded on February 24, 1951 in the Saloon of the Grand Hotel in Torquay, England, is an international organization established in order to represent the best bartenders in the world.An annual event,...
approved recipe for the Cosmopolitan
Cosmopolitan (cocktail)
A cosmopolitan is a cocktail made with vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice, and freshly squeezed lime juice or sweetened lime juice. Informally, it is referred to as a Cosmo.-History:...
.
Publicity
Ex Avirex LTD., nowadays Cockpit USA, issued in the 1980s an A-2 limited edition leather flight jacket featuring Cointreau Original Margarita noseart on the back of the jacket. In early 2008, burlesqueBurlesque
Burlesque is a literary, dramatic or musical work intended to cause laughter by caricaturing the manner or spirit of serious works, or by ludicrous treatment of their subjects...
entertainer Dita Von Teese
Dita Von Teese
Dita Von Teese is an American burlesque dancer, model, costume designer, author and actress.-Early life:...
became the new face of Cointreau's "Be Cointreauversial" advertising and marketing campaign.