Don Q: Flor de Encanto

Don Q annually hosts a cocktail competition in conjunction with the USBG, and this is my first year participating (I joined too late to participate last year).  Our competition is on Sunday, and so I thought I'd share my entry.  Don Q rum is from Puerto Rico, and they ask competitors to showcase the spirit of the island in their cocktail in some way.  The state flower of Puerto Rico is a type of hibiscus, so I used that as my base idea.  Once I nailed down the recipe, I was lost on a name.  I thought a great idea might be to look into some of the folklore, and I came across the legend of Guanina--a star-crossed lovers sort of story.  I decided on "The Enchanted Flower" (also fitting, as the nickname of Puerto Rico is "Isle of Enchantment").  Then, seeing as how I work with a girl from Puerto Rico, she helped me translate the name.  The dash of cinnamon is a nod to the Spanish history linked with the island, as the Spanish were (of course) quite into the spice trade.

Flor de Encanto

Glass:  Large cocktail

Garnish: Dash of ground cinnamon

Method:  Shake and Strain

Ingredients

1.5 oz Don Q Gold rum

.25 oz Fruitlab Organic Hibiscus liqueur

1.5 oz Fresh Orange juice

.25 oz Fresh Lime juice

.75 oz Simple Syrup (1:1 ratio)

Shake with ice and strain into a large cocktail glass.  Garnish with a dash of cinnamon over top and enjoy! 


And, as a little bonus, some photos from the competition:

 

Campari: Stars In Our Eyes

This past Monday I helped put together the Campari/USBG Cincinnati regional event for their national Best Campari Aperitivo competition.  I also created the passing cocktail.  The passing cocktails don't generally need to follow the competition rules, so mine involved homemade ingredients while the competitors' did not.

Aperitivos are are liquors/liqueurs/cocktails designed to stimulate the appetite and get your tastebuds working.  To break my cocktail down, Campari is an aperitivo liqueur, anise is a spice that is known to be an appetite stimulant, and prosecco is commonly a first-ordered drink before dinner.  I tried to make this as textbook aperitivo as possible.  I also tried to make it as light as possible, and not use the full ounce of Campari that the competitors were using, as I didn't want to overwhelm anybody's palates before the main show.

I thought the name thoroughly appropriate, as the phrase generally refers to beginnings of many kinds (relationships, business endeavors, etc.), and the use of garnish, and the cocktail's style as a "beginning" before a meal...very multifaceted meaning.

Stars in Our Eyes
Glass:  Champagne Flute
Garnish:  Long twist of blood orange and Star Anise
Method: Shake and Double Strain

Ingredients:
.5 oz Campari
.25 oz Fresh blood orange juice (I used Moro blood oranges)
.5 oz Anise simple syrup (2 parts sugar, 1 part water, 1 tsp anise seeds)
1/4 tsp Anise seeds

Shake well with ice, double strain into champagne flute, and top with 3-4oz of Brut Prosecco. Garnish with long blood orange twist and star anise.

Contest entry: Basilador

So...the USBG was having a contest for Ohio members to create a recipe for Tequilador Blanco or Tequilador Reposado to be distributed in little recipe booklets with the tequilas.  I haven't heard anything since the deadline (which wasn't too long ago, so I don't know when results are going to happen Edit:  Basilador was picked!  The recipes will have a QR code with them so that people can go to a video of each cocktail being made (embedded in this entry below!).  I'll be going to Cleveland at some point in December to be filmed making it so I'm not sure how mine came out.  I love the drink, and I've gotten some nice feedback on it.  The name may be a little misleading, as there's not an overwhelming basil flavor to it, but it seemed cute and clever and better than anything else I could think of at the time...ha 

Basilador
Glass:  Large cocktail
Method: Muddle, Shake and Strain
Garnish: Grape spiral/basil sprig


Ingredients:
5 each green grapes
3 each Basil leaves
1.5 oz Tequilador Blanco tequila
.5 oz Cointreau
1.5 oz Simple syrup
2 oz Fresh lime juice


Muddle grapes and basil leaves with a little simple syrup.  Add remaining ingredients and shake with ice.  Strain into a large cocktail glass and garnish.


To make garnish:
I wish I had a video camera for this one.  Take a green grape and use a paring knife to cut the grape into a spiral.  Wrap spiral around basil sprig, and use a fruit pick to secure.

And now, my awkward first time in front of a camera making a cocktail: