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Hornblower Cruises—the Art of Sailing

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By Doug Singer

On a blustery New York evening, my wife and I headed over to Pier 40 at NYC’s West Street to board Hornblower’s Infinity Yacht for a night of fun. Sailing the Hudson River along the base of Manhattan offering exquisite, panoramic views of the Empire State building, Battery Park, the Brooklyn Bridge, Governors Island and the Statue of Liberty was just the beginning.

At a spectacular 210 feet and recently remodeled with a bold design, this yacht is the largest in the New York fleet and delivers a true “wow!” factor. Rife with comfy couches everywhere, a huge dance space, mesmerizing LED lights and a top-quality staff, you are in excellent hands for any occasion.  

This was a Valentine's Day celebration, so upon boarding, we were greeted with a celebratory glass of champagne, a bouquet of gorgeous roses and a delicious array of passed hors d’oeuvres. Many times when you board a vessel of this sort it is all about the ride and the food is a secondary thought—not the case here. Hornblower’s capable culinary team delivered an expertly executed feast of crab cakes, filet mignon, salmon and some artisanal desserts that would put a smile on the face of the most stringent of chocophiles. Add to that some unforgettably sultry jazz performed by Acute Inflection and you have all of the ingredients for an evening to remember.
At a capacity of 1,000, Infinity is a floating palace that even amidst questionable conditions, can very comfortably handle the choppy waters around Manhattan. Today, Hornblower operates out of nine different ports, including San Francisco, Berkeley, Sacramento, Marina Del Rey, Long Beach, Newport Beach, San Diego, Corpus Christi and New York City. The company's entire fleet includes more than 30 ships.

In February 2012 it was announced that Hornblower Canada Company, a Canadian subsidiary of Hornblower, was awarded the 30 year 
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contract to operate the Niagara Falls Gorge Boat Tour—just one more feather in this Captain’s hat and a true sign of the quality offered by this now international company.

To make reservations for their wide array of cruises visit them at www.hornblower.com
By Michael Hepworth

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What exactly is GRAND BRULOT I thought to myself as I opened the bottle for the first time just around the time this lockdown took effect. Well, Grand Brulot is listed as a VSOP Cognac Café and it can be used in Bloody Mary’s, Manhattans, Negronis, Martinis, spritzes and sidecars , just for starters. It is a blend of Ugni Blanc & Colombard that is crafted into 80 proof VSOP. Then 100% Robusta Ecuadorian coffee bean essence is extracted and blended with brandy to meld for a few months and finally, it is blended with the VSOP Cognac. There is also a whiff of peppermint, nutmeg and hot cocoa in the drink. The retail price is $42.99.

The idea for the drink was instigated in 2015 by John Bernbach who asked for the help of industry veteran Francisco Tonarely to investigate the potential of a cognac/brandy drink blended with coffee. Three year later in August 2018 Grand Brulot was launched. This cognac comes from the Tardy Cognac Group and the grapes come from its single estate. Grand Brulot also plays homage to a New Orleans specialty of the same name that is still served around town.  The name Grand Brulot was inspired by the famous French pirate Jean Lafite who helped New Orleans repel the British invaders in 1812. He would order coffee, pour cognac in the saucer, set it alight and mix it with the coffee.
Recipes:

THE RISE AND SHINE
2 oz Grand Brulot
Orange Twist

Just pour Grand Brulot over ice and the orange will highlight the flavors
of the spirit.

BRULOT BLACK MANHATTAN
1 oz Grand Brulot
1 oz Bourbon
1 oz Sweet Vermouth
3 dashes Orange Bitters

Bartender Todd Smith created this one. Stir all the ingredients together in
a mixing glass. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass with ice and garnish

with orange wheel.

FRENCH NEGRONI
1 oz Grand Brulot
1 oz  Sweet Vermouth
1 oz Campari

Build in a rocks glass over ice and garnish w/orange wheel.

GRAND BRULOT CAFÉ HOLIDAY
1 oz Grand Brulot
0.5 oz Crème de Cacao
3 oz Porter Beer or Stout
3 dashes of bitters

Throw cocktail ingredients between two cups a couple of times to mix
And ignite the foam from the beer. Pour into a highball glass over ice
And garnish with nutmeg.



www.grandbrulot.com
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