2010 FINALISTS & WINNERS

Place of Employment: Justus Drugstore: A Restaurant; Smithville, MO

Years Experience Bartending: 3

Cocktail: “Tit for Tat”

Ingredients & Measurements:
2 oz Hendrick’s Gin infused with wild carrot tops (AKA Queen Anne’s Lace seedheads) and calamus root
1/2 oz 2:1 simple syrup
1/2 oz fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp Aqua Perfecta pear eau de vie
3 drops Bitter Truth celery bitters

Glassware & Garnish:
cocktail (martini) glass

Queen Anne’s Lace flowerhead (gathered fresh for aroma)
freshly bruised juniper sprig

Directions:
Combine all ingredients over ice; shake, strain into chilled glass and float garnishes on top.

Inspiration:
As for inspiration, well, I wanted to feature a common but overlooked locally available ingredient; Queen Anne’s Lace seemed to fit the bill–flowering in neglected profusion, as it does, along every roadside. The seed gives an interesting flavor–fresh and piny, with suggestions of caraway, carrot, and coriander–and the flower a similar, delicate but subtly different aroma with hints of orange blossom. Extrapolating from the flower, I decided to aim for a very light, summery sour, and so went with Hendrick’s gin (our lovely sponsor), added a bit of infused calamus root to accent the freshness of the cucumber, and a little pear eau de vie to round it out. Since Queen Anne’s Lace is actually a feral carrot, it seemed natural to fill in with a celery note, and the Bitter Truth celery bitters struck the right chord. [Sidenote: if anyone else is inspired to use Queen Anne's Lace in cocktails or cooking, just make sure you're not confusing it with the deadly poison hemlock, of Socrates fame...Queen Anne's Lace has a hairy stem, smells like carrots, and usually has a single nearly-black floret in the middle of the umbel.]

Place of Employment: Danno’s American Pub; St. Louis, MO

Years Experience Bartending: 1.5 (Professional Work)

Cocktail: “Gateway to the Zest”

Ingredients & Measurements:
2oz Hendrick’s Gin
1oz Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
1/2oz Simple Syrup
2 dashes Fernet Branca
3 large Blackberries
3-4 two inch long cuttings of Lemongrass
small portion of Absinthe

Glassware & Garnish:
Cocktail Glass. Garnished with one fresh blackberry, sprig of mint, and a small peal of lemon.

Directions:
Add 3 large blackberries, 3 to 4 two-inch cuttings of lemongrass, 1 oz of fresh lemon juice, and 1/2 oz of simple syrup to a mixing glass. Muddle until blackberries are fully macerated. Add spirits (2oz Hendrick’s Gin and 2 dashes Fernet Branca) to the mixing glass. In a pre-chilled cocktail glass add a wash of Absinthe to coat the glass; remove excess. Shake ingredients in a Boston shaker and double strain through a fine strainer into glass. Garnish with a blackberry on the side of the glass and a sprig of mint. Float a small lemon peal on the top of drink.

Inspiration:
My good friend Carissa Wilkerson brought me a delicious homemade jam she created at Eckert’s Farm (http://www.eckerts.com/). It was a mint/lemon infused blackberry jam. I enjoyed it so much i thought i’d be great addition to a cocktail but the actual jam itself was too sweet and thick to blend well with a drink. I decided break down the flavor profiles in the jam into their core components and build a drink around it. My drink is a blend of botanical flavors, lemon/citrus, and dark fruits. Its a great summer cocktail that doesn’t compromise by using store bought fruit juices, soft drinks, or any shortcuts to achieving a sweet refreshing taste.

Place of Employment: The Piano Room; Kansas City, MO

Years Experience Bartending: 10

Cocktail: “Sloe and Fiddichy”

Ingredients & Measurements:
1.5 oz Glenfiddich Single Malt Scotch
.5 oz sloe gin
4 dashes of bitters
2 wedges of lemon
1 maraschino cherry
1 tsp sugar

Glassware & Garnish:
martini glass
lemon twist

Directions:
Muddle bitters, lemon wedges (sans peel), cherry, and sugar in a bar shaker. Add 1.5 oz Glenfiddich and .5 oz sloe gin. Add ice and stir. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with a twist of lemon. Enjoy!

Inspiration:
I am currently working at the Piano Room in Waldo, where the clientele ranges in age from 21-90 yrs old, with some regulars who have been coming to this bar over 30 yrs. I serve more scotch on the rocks than I serve flavored vodka drinks. We carry typical dive bar selections, mostly catering to the over 50 clientele, retirees, die hard regulars, and some of the most loyal patrons you could ask for. I think a really delicious cocktail can be made out regular, every day bar materials, and I wanted my cocktail to be something special that Piano Room patrons can order anytime they sit at my bar. The “Sloe & Fiddichy” is a nod to all scotch and old fashioned drinkers who prefer to sip slowly, be finicky, and enjoy!!!

Place of Employment: JP Wine Bar; Kansas City, MO

Years Experience Bartending: 7

Cocktail: “Bobby Burnside”

Ingredients & Measurements:
~1/2 orange slice
~3-4 dashes Xocolatl Mole Bitters
~2 1/2 oz Whipper Snapper Whiskey
~1/4 oz Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
~1/4 oz Frangelico

Glassware & Garnish:
Frangelico Washed Neat Glass
Flamed Orange Zest

Directions:
Chill neat glass with Frangelico, set aside.
In mixing glass, muddle orange slice with Mole bitters
Add Whiskey, Luxardo, and ice.
Stir.
Empty chilled neat glass ensuring that glass is thouroughly saturated with Frangelico.
Strain Whiskey mixture into chilled glass.
Garnish with flamed orange zest.

Inspiration:

Place of Employment: Firefly Lounge; Kansas City, MO

Years Experience Bartending: 7

Cocktail: “9 to 5″

Ingredients & Measurements:
1 1/2 oz Hendricks Gin
1/2 oz Yellow Chartreuse
pinch of saffron
splash of lemon juice
2 drops orange blossom water
soda
tonic

Glassware & Garnish:
Tall Rocks Glass
Garnish- Orange blossom scented rock candy stirrer

Directions:
Pulverize the saffron. Add all ingredients (except soda and tonic) to a mixing glass with ice. Tumble gently. Double strain into a tall rocks glass over ice. Garnish with a rock candy stirrer.

Inspiration:
It is a simple gin based drink with saffron, chartreuse and some other flavors to highlight the gin. This year I went for simplicity and balance of flavor. I have a history of complicated cocktails, so I really just wanted to make a beautiful cocktail that really highlighted the gin.

Place of Employment: The Wunderbar at Grunauer Restaurant; Kansas City, MO

Years Experience Bartending: 3 yrs

Cocktail: “The Refined Austrian Cocktail”

Ingredients & Measurements:
1 1/4 oz Monopolowa Austrian Gin
1 1/4 oz Austrian Brandy
3/4 oz Aromatized Lillet Rouge w/Vanilla and Cardamom
2 barspoons of Edel Kirsch liqueur
3-4 dashes of homemade aromatic bitters

Glassware & Garnish:
Lowball or old fashioned glass
Garnished with Grilled Orange

Directions:
Pour all ingredients in mixing glass over cracked ice and stir 25-30 times (or until properly diluted). Strain into lowball over large ice cube.

Inspiration:

Place of Employment: McCormick and Schmick’s; Kansas City, MO

Years Experience Bartending: < 1 year

Cocktail: “Socialite”

Ingredients & Measurements:
1 oz Meyer Lemon Juice
1 oz 10 Cane Rum
.5 oz Lillet Blanc
.5 oz simple syrup
2 Dashes Fee Brother’s Lemon Bitters
2 Dashes Fee Brother’s Orange Bitters

Glassware & Garnish:
Martini Shell.
Mandarin Lavender Foam.
Meyer Lemon Peel.
Blackcurrant Licor 43 Cordial ‘Caviar’.

Directions:
Combine Meyer Lemon, 10 Cane Rum, Lillet Blanc, simple, and dashes of bitters. Shake well, strain, and serve up in a chilled martini shell. Top with Mandarin Lavender foam. Shave a slice of Meyer lemon peel and warm with flame. Squeeze gently, flaming the zest. Float the Meyer lemon Peel on top of foam and add a small spoon full of Cordial ‘Caviar’ to the floating peel.

Inspiration:
My closest lady friends were the muses of my cocktail; we’re all social drinkers and can’t get enough of good, intelligent cocktails. With so many finely concocted cocktails hitting the scene, I can’t help but notice, in a predominantly masculine industry, cocktails crafted by a man with the female palette in mind are missing a woman’s touch. With that in mind, I set out to make a clever cocktail utilizing quality ingredients with a feminine aspect to be enjoyed by guys and gals alike. The result of which was a floral Meyer lemon sipper. Thanks to a little mandarin lavender foam the cocktail, like any fine lady, not only tastes good but also smells good. I finished the drink off with a spoonful of black currant cordial caviar atop a Meyer lemon peel and a Socialite was born!

Place of Employment: Franco Restaurant; St. Louis, MO

Years Experience Bartending: 7

Cocktail: “Silver & Sand”

Ingredients & Measurements:
1 oz Balvenie 12 year infused with Lemon and Ginger
1 oz Cherry Heering
1oz Fresh Lemon Juice
1 oz Lillet Rouge
Lemon Bitters
1 Egg White

Glassware & Garnish:
Coupe
Lemon Twist Garnish

Directions:
Dry shake all ingredients for 10 seconds
Add ice and vigorously shake for 20 seconds

Fine strain into cocktail glass and garnish with a lemon twist

Inspiration:
I have had an obsession with the Blood & Sand for a few years now and have compiled a list of variations with a few other mixologists locally. I wanted to put a version on my summer menu when I took over as F&B director of a small restaurant here in St. Louis. Ginger and Lemon seemed perfect for the Balvenie 12 year and subbing Lillet Rouge was a no brainer as its one of my favorite mixers. Adding the egg white and lemon bitters was an afterthought that really rounds out the drink and keeps it nice and dry with all the flavors still permeating at the same time.

Place of Employment: Benton’s Prime; Kansas City, MO

Years Experience Bartending: 4

Cocktail: “El Remolino”

Ingredients & Measurements:
1.5 oz Ancho & Cinnamon infused Milagro Blanco Tequila
.75 oz Licor 43
1.0 oz Agave and Rice Milk syrup
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 egg white
A few dashes of chcolate bitters.

Glassware & Garnish:
Cocktail glass

Directions:
Combine first four ingredients in mixing glass and shake vigorously without ice until ingredients are imulsified. Add ice to shaker. Shake and strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with chocolate bitters.

Inspiration:
El Remolino is inspired by a meal I had at a Mexican Restaurant. The combination of Chicken Mole and the traditional Mexican soft drink Horchata come together in a swirl of flavors of tequila, smoke, vanilla, cinnamon and chocolate with just a hint of spicy.

Place of Employment: 4 Olives Wine Bar; Manhattan, KS

Years Experience Bartending: 4

Cocktail: “Tale of Two Fridas”

Ingredients & Measurements:
4 Large melon balls Watermelon (totalling 2 oz)
3 Mint Leaves
2 oz Milagro Blanco Tequila
.25 Madhava Amber Agave Nectar
splash lime juice (less than .25)
pinch of fleur del sel

splash St. George Absinthe (less than .25)

Glassware & Garnish:
Martini Glass

Cucumber skin laced watermelon ball on a bamboo cocktail pick

Directions:
1. Ice down the martini glass
2. Gently muddle the watermelon and mint leaves in a shaker glass
3. Add tequila, agave nectar, lime juice and fleur del sel
4. Remove ice from martini glass and rinse with St. George Absinthe
(line and out)
5. Shake with ice and double strain into the martini glass
6. Garnish with a cucumber skin laced melon ball on a bamboo pick

Inspiration:
The “Tale of Two Fridas” for Frida Kahlo. A Mexican painter famous for her self portraits, most notably “The Two Fridas”. She was the celebrated spirit of Mexico, known for her pride in folk art tradition. There was however another side of Frida Kahlo, a cursed life that began at just 6 years old.

Tequila is one of my favorite spirits. Despite its amazing versatility, I’ve noticed over the years that the average consumer tends to only identify it with either the shot, the margarita or the tequila sunrise. My aim was to create a market fresh cocktail that would raise a few eyebrows and encourage fellow imbibers to rediscover its
unique mixing potential. The direction of the cocktail was formulated based on the tequila itself. Milagro Silver possesses a crisp, clean nature with light notes of pear, citrus and eucalyptus. These characteristics inspired me to investigate a potential
relationship with culinary combinations found in refreshing aqua frescas and summertime amuse bouches. For the second half of this cocktail’s evolution I look forward to seeing you in the tasting room. Cheers!

Place of Employment: Cafe Trio; Kansas City, MO

Years Experience Bartending: 3

Cocktail: “Copa Jalisco”

Ingredients & Measurements:
2 oz. Milagro Blanco Tequila
10 approx. 3/4″ pineapple cubes
1 oz. Homemade pepper-lime cordial syrup
1/2 an egg white
Splash of water
Dash Rhubarb Bitters

Glassware & Garnish:
Chilled Coupe garnished with a kaffir lime leaf

Directions:
in a mixing glass, muddle the pineapple cubes in the cordial syrup. fill glass with ice and add tequila and egg whites. top glass with water and shake well. Double strain ingredients into a chilled coupe glass and top with a dash of rhubarb bitters. garnish with a kaffir lime leaf.

to make the cordial syrup:

reduce one cup of fresh squeezed lime juice with one cup of amber agave nectar, twenty-five partially cracked rose peppercorns, the zest of three limes and three kaffir lime leaves on very low heat for one hour. cool immediately and strain well through coffee filters.

Inspiration:
What I wanted to do was create a cocktail based on tequila that I could sell not only to tequila lovers, but to people who tend to shy away from the powerful spirit.

I like to make the base spirit the central attraction of the drink, and then add ingredients to compliment that spirit, so I started with 2 oz. of Milagro Blanco Tequila. To compliment this tequila, which is produced from blue agave in the highlands of Jalisco state in Mexico, I decided to make a cordial syrup from reduced lime juice for tartness and amber agave syrup for sweetness and to accent the agave that lingers on the palate from this tequila. To compliment the tequila’s bold aromatics and peppery notes, I added a couple kaffir lime leaves and some rose peppercorns to the reduction.

Once I had the cordial syrup, I needed to finish the drink with a complimentary fruit or juice of some sort. I tried to think of what would taste great with tart lime, spicy pepper and tequila, and then I thought of El Patron’s rooftop patio, where one of my favorite meals is a pitcher of Margarita’s and a plate of al pastor tacos, which are tacos made with pork that has been marinated in pineapple. So, I muddled up some pineapple with the cordial syrup, added the tequila, added some egg white for texture and body and shook it up. I served it neat with a dash of rhubarb bitters and it tasted good enough for my girlfriend and I to get pretty drunk that night.

As for the name, Copa Jalisco, I simply named it after the tequila producing state of Jalisco, and threw the word Copa in front of it because I still have soccer fever from the World Cup.

Place of Employment: bluestem restaurant; Kansas City, MO

Years Experience Bartending: 6

Cocktail: “the light of day”

Ingredients & Measurements:
basil infused dolin vermouth blanc 1 oz
chartreuse yellow 3/4 oz
milagro blanco tequila 3/4 oz
fresh squeezed lemon juice 1/4 oz
fee brothers grapefruit bitters 1 dash
sodavie soda water 1 oz

Glassware & Garnish:
highball glass, lemonade ice cube

Directions:
stir all ingredients and strain into highball, garnish with lemonade cube, top with sodavie

Inspiration:
the light of day: blanco tequila, basil infused vermouth blanc, yellow chartreuse, lemongrass grapefruit soda vie, saffron lemonade ice cube.