Drink to a drum corps Bastille Day 2018 with the Santa Clara Vanguard

Happy Bastille Day!  For the third year in a row, I am celebrating today as another drum corps holiday.  Two years ago, I featured Phantom Regiment's "City of Light" show.  Last year, I shared Cadets and Cadets 2 playing "Les Miserables."  This year, I return to the well to retrieve 2013 Santa Clara Vanguard - Les Misérables.


For a complete show, watch Santa Clara Vanguard Rehearsal of Les Misérables.

Performed at Hawk Stadium on the PG High School Campus in Texarkana, TX on Wednesday, July 24th.

That's a video that's been up nearly five years and is not likely to be taken down.

I mentioned drinking to the day.  That's because today is also National Grand Marnier Day.  Follow over the jump for the explanation of the day from National Day Calendar along with two Tipsy Bartender recipes that use Grand Marnier.

An 1880s French invention by Alexandre Marnier-Lapostolle, Grand Marnier adds a splash of orange liquor to mixed drinks or desserts.  Also enjoyed neat, this cognac concoction blended one of the most expensive fruits of the time with a strong spirit. The result was truly grand.  

Grand Marnier is used in a long list of desserts including liquor cream buns, Yule log, cranberry sauce, Crepes Suzette and Grand Marnier souffle creme brulee’.  Grand Marnier is also used in the sauce of the roasted duck dish, “Canard a l’Orange.”

Some examples of the mixed drinks including Grand Marnier are: Cosmopolitan, Margarita, Sidecar, Dirty Harry, Grand Mimosa, B-52, the Grand Marnier Smash, Grand Smash, Smash Marnier, Bloody Smash, Maced Marnier, Ace Marnier Smash, Frosty Smash, Smace, Grand Hound, Blood Pug, Clarke, Nogley and the Grand Marnier Fireball.

Since the description of the day mentioned the B-52, I present the Tipsy Bartender version, the T-52.

1 Part Coffee Liqueur
1 Part Tequila Rose
1 Part Grand Marnier
PREPARATION
1. Layer in shot glass in order shown above.
2. Enjoy responsibly!

Now for an original drink using Grand Marnier with a cool name, Chapter Of The Forgotten Monuments.

2 oz. (60ml) Gin
1 ½ oz. (45ml) Pomegranate Liqueur
1 ½ oz. (45ml) Grand Marnier
1 oz. (30ml) Raspberry Syrup
1 oz. (30ml) Lemon Juice
1 Egg White Bougainvillea Flower
PREPARATION
1. In a mixing glass, combine gin, egg white, pomegranate liqueur, Grand Marnier, raspberry syrup, and lemon juice. Add ice and shake well.
2. Strain mix into serving glass and garnish with Bougainvillea Flowers. Enjoy responsibly!

While I'm done with drum corps and booze for the holiday, I'm not done with celebrating things French, as France plays Croatia in the World Cup.  More soccer!  Also, Vive la France!