Drinking Diaries

Cointreau treats Dallas to a night of sauce, song and French history

Master Mixologist Kyle Ford guided guests on how to mix a Cointreau cocktailbefore letting them loose in the kitchen.
Photo by Conner Howell
Guests were given a bevy of fresh fruits and herbs to make their own Cointreaucocktails.
Photo by Conner Howell
An original copy of Jerry Thomas' Bartender's Guide, the first cocktail recipebook, published in 1862.
Photo by Conner Howell
Cointreau has been around for more than 160 years.
Photo by Conner Howell

What better way to travel back in time than with a little liquid courage. Cointreau, the French orange liqueur, was the center of attention at the aptly named La Maison Cointreau. The two-day event took place at the historic Aldredge House on Swiss Avenue, where guests got in touch with the spirit(s) of the mid-19th century.

Jonny Rodgers entertained guests by playing an orchestra of 20 tuned wine glasses while partygoers sipped on Cointreau cocktails such as sidecars and a devil’s own.

The French liqueur has a long history in Dallas, dating back to the days of the original margarita, which was made with lime juice, tequila and Cointreau.

But the evening wasn’t all sauce and song. Sixth-generation heir Alfred Cointreau and brand ambassador Richard Lambert discussed the history of the liqueur from Angers, France.

Cointreau informed the group that his first sip of the drink came when he was just 6 months old, when his grandfather put a small amount of the liqueur into his milk bottle. Cointreau claims he’s been hooked ever since.

Lambert said that Cointreau has a long history in Dallas, dating back to the days of the original margarita, which was made with lime juice, tequila and Cointreau. Though there are multiple origin stories for the quintessential Texas beverage, Lambert went with the one that claims the drink was born in Dallas. Smart move, monsieur.

In keeping with the theme of the evening, the library at the Aldredge House contained a collection of rare cocktail recipe books, dating all the way back to the original recipe book: Jerry Thomas’ Bartender’s Guide.

After the history lesson, guests went to the kitchen where Master Mixologist Kyle Ford helped them prepare their own Cointreau cocktails. Ford said that because Cointreau is 40 proof (comparable to most liquors), the liqueur works perfectly as a base for any number of drinks.

Guests mixed Cointreau with fresh fruit and herbs to experiment. We went with Cointreau, raspberries, pineapple, fresh lime juice and basil leaves. Ford might have put a little more care into his cocktails, but our concoction wasn’t bad, either.

La Maison Cointreau finishes its four-city tour with stops in Los Angeles and San Francisco next month.

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Breakfast News

Dos Huevos Breakfast Shop debuts in Garland with New York deli vibes

Dos Huevos

Behold the Hobo sandwich from Dos Huevos

There’s a gotta-try it new breakfast sandwich in town from Dos Huevos Breakfast Shop, a family-owned restaurant with roots in New York, now open at 1237 NW Hwy. in Garland, in a former mens wear storefront in a Tom Thumb-anchored shopping center.

Dos Huevos was founded in Spring Valley, New York, by Cambodian immigrants Bunthan and Sinoun Chan, along with their 3 sons – Kean, Ken, and Thomas – who've been serving breakfast and lunch to locals since 1989.

Bringing the concept to Texas are sons Ken and Thomas, who moved here in 2015; Ken previously worked for the city of Garland.

“The restaurant in New York is still running strong and we’re bringing it down here to Texas,” Ken says.

They're known for their trademark “hobo” breakfast sandwich, featuring egg and chunky homefries on a Kaiser roll — a roll they bake in-house. Many customers add bacon, ham, sausage, or black beans. (The sandwich can also be ordered in a burrito, although it seems foolhardy to miss out on the house-baked Kaiser rolls.)

The Hobo is their mother's recipe. "We offer the taste of a true New York bacon, egg & cheese sandwich," Ken says.

Everything on the menu is made from scratch: breakfast sandwiches, omelets, French toast, and pancakes; and then lunch options such as a smashburger, chicken salad sandwich, and a chicken cutlet sandwich, a popular item in the Northeast. Prices are a bargain, with nothing over $9.

The menu has almost a deli theme, with deli classics like a tuna melt, egg salad sandwich, and a BLT.

“My parents originally opened it as a doughnut shop, and the enterprise got so big, they turned it into a breakfast shop," Ken says.

The no-nonsense interior features white walls, counter service, and a smattering of tables & black chairs.

"We have good restaurants in Garland, but I want to serve amazing breakfasts," Ken says. "Our slogan is 'love is the main ingredient.' We enjoy seeing people smile with our food; we put a lot of effort and love into our cooking.”

breakfast openings