Nation's Most Inspired Bartender Search

[KatieLoeb]

Is anyone else participating this year? The Philly division finals are next Wednesday evening. My entry is:

Pink Sapphire Swizzle

2 oz. Bombay Sapphire gin

.5 oz. Thai basil simple syrup

.5 oz. Homemade Ginger Beer

.75 oz. Taylor's Velvet Falernum

.75 oz. fresh lime juice

2 dashes Orange bitters

2 dash Angostura bitters

.5 oz. Pom Wonderful pomegranate juice

Garnish: 4 dashes Angostura bitters, Sprig Thai Basil, disk Orange peel

Pack a tall glass with crushed ice. Add Sapphire, Thai basil syrup, ginger beer, Falernum, lime juice, orange bitters, Angostura bitters and pomegranate juice. Swizzle with bar spoon or swizzle stick until outside of glass is frozen and frosty and drink is thoroughly combined. Top with more crushed ice. Garnish with a float of the Angostura bitters, a spanked sprig of Thai Basil and spray surface of the drink with orange oils from the orange zest. Drink with a straw.

There's more information about the contest and recipes from last year's entries Bombay Sapphire GQ Most Inspired Bartender Search. If I win the Philly division I get to go on to Las Vegas for the national finals against all the other regional winners. The first place winner gets a full page ad for their cocktail and their place of employ in GQ Magazine. That would be a wonderful thing for a freshly minted restaurant to get that type of national coverage. I'm hoping to do my employers and my city proud.

If anyone wants to vote for me and help me make it to Vegas for the finals (oh pretty please, I've never been!) you can vote by texting GQ 4014 to 88704.

I'll take a picture of the drink at work so you can all see how pretty it looks in the glass. Tastes mighty yummy too - cool and refreshing for a hot August day. It seemed wise to make a cool drink for a contest at this hot and muggy time of year. I certainly hope the judges see it that way.

Edited August 7, 2009 by KatieLoeb (log)