Queen of Burlesque Dita Von Teese and Kyle Ford, a cocktail and spirits expert at Remy Cointreau USA, hosted a Virtual Holiday Soiree on Oct. 29 live from Von Teese’s Los Angeles home. Von Teese, a global brand ambassador for Cointreau, shared her passion for entertaining and offered tips on throwing a successful soiree, from signature cocktails and do-it-yourself bar setups to lighting and themes.
Working from Von Teese’s vintage-inspired, hot-pink-wallpapered kitchen, Ford walked the online audience through three simple cocktail recipes: the Cointreau Rickey, the Cointreau Berry Rickey and the Cointreau Apple Crisp. Each drink used 2 oz. of Cointreau, 1 oz. of fresh lime juice and mixers such as seltzer or apple cider and fruit and herbs.
Because Cointreau is an 80-proof spirit that’s already sweet, it’s easy to use in cocktails, Ford said: All you really have to do is add a citrus juice to balance it. And the orange oil that gives Cointreau its flavor goes with everything from sweet to savory, he added.
How did Von Teese wind up working with Cointreau? “When you become famous for bathing in a large cocktail glass, you get a lot of suitors,” in terms of beverage alcohol companies that want to work with you, she said. After Cointreau approached Von Teese and she met with them, she became intrigued with the brand’s history, and it seemed like the right fit, she said.