SKYY Spirits News

 

 

SF Chefs. Food. Wine., the premiere interactive urban food and wine weekend experience set in the epicenter of culinary innovation, is set to kick off with a real kick.  Six of the Bay Area’s finest bartenders made it through the qualifying round for the SF Chefs. Food. Wine’s ”Skyy‘s the Limit” Cocktail Competition last night after their Campari cocktails beat out the competition. Whether due to the versatility of Campari or the local talent of San Francisco’s finest, there was not a bad cocktail to be found in the mix — competition was fierce. Judges included industry veteran Steven Oliver, Danny Ronen, creator of the BIT for Tasting Panel, and Joey Altman, celebrated chef and host of Bay Café as well as the headline entertainment for SF Chefs. Food. Wine. Urban BBQ with his Back Burner Blues Band.

After sipping all the cocktails the judges came up with the top six who will compete live in the tent at SF Chefs. Food. Wine. August 6 and 7, 2009. The two top mixologists from these two judgings will go head to head on the final day of SF Chefs. Food. Wine. to receive the title of Best Cocktail of SF Chefs. Food. Wine. 2009. Each of the rounds in the tent will include a secret ingredient to be unveiled live to the contestants, so the challenge is even greater.

Cocktails will really take center stage at SF Chefs. Food. Wine. at classes, the main tent and especially the Opening Reception featuring some of the greatest “Bar Stars” and the Saturday Night Urban BBQ on Union Square. The concert will highlight nine of San Francisco’s best cocktail bars, all under one roof! Sample from 15 Romolo, Bar Agricole, Bourbon and Branch, Cantina, Conduit, Elixir, NOPA, Rye and Smuggler’s Cove. Get a taste of San Francisco spirit! Straight, Stirred or Shaken!
http://www.sfchefsfoodwine.com

SKYY Campari Cocktail Winners Moving on to the TENT at SF Chefs. Food. Wine. along with their winning recipes:

SEMI FINALISTS

 

Joel Baker, Bourbon & Branch

Lucia Bosé

1.50 oz. Gin

.75 oz. Campari

.75 oz. Strawberry Gomme Syrup

.5 oz. Lemon

.5 oz. Still Rosé Wine

2 dashes rose water

Combine ingredients in mixing glass.  Shake and fine strain into a wine glass over fresh ice.  Garnish with an orange horse collar

 

Nick Varacalli

Oscar’s O.J.

1 oz. Skyy Vodka

.5 oz. Sweet Vermouth

.5 oz. Campari

.25 oz. Cointreau

1 oz. Fresh Orange Juice

2 Dashes Angostura Orange Bitters

Shake everything and strain into martini (cocktail) glass. Garnish with a flamed orange peel dropped into drink.

 

Carlo Splendorini, Gitane Restaurant & Bar

The Black Ginger Dutchman

1.25 Damrak Gin

.75 oz Campari

.25 oz Canton Ginger liqueur

.5 oz Ginger syrup (simple syrup and ginger)

.5  oz Fresh lemon juice

1 T Blackberry puree

Bundaberg Ginger Beer

Garnish with fresh black berry

Shake all ingredients, strain into collins glass on the rocks, top with Bundaberg Ginger Beer

 

Brandon Skaggs, Cortez Restaurant & Bar

Farmer’s Crush

1 oz Campari

.25 oz X-Rated Fusion Liqueur

Prosecco

1 whole mission fig

6 blueberries

1 oz fresh orange juice

1 oz fresh lemon juice

1 lemon verbena simple syrup

 Build all ingredients into a mixing glass and muddle together.

Add ice and shake hard.  Double strain into an ice filled collins glass.

Stir in a pinch of lemon verbena and top with prosecco.

Garnish with a sprig of verbena.

 

Borys Saciuk

Zapatista

1 1/2 oz. Cabo Wabo Reposado Tequila

3/4 oz. Campari

3/4 oz. fresh grapefruit juice

1/4 oz. fresh lemon juice

1 bar spoon Partida agave nectar

fresh egg white

2-3 turns long Indonesian peppercorn from pepper mill Long, wide peel of grapefruit

Beginning with agave and Indonesian pepper, combine all ingredients in a mixing glass.

Add ice and shake vigorously. Double-strain over ice in a 10 oz. tall glass.

Garnish with long peel of grapefruit

 

Scott Baird, Romolo 15

The Spaghetti Western

1 1/4 oz Russell’s Reserve Rye

½ oz Campari

1/2 lemon

1/3 oz agave nectar

Pinch sea salt

6 to 8 sweet 100 tomatoes

1 1/2 oz Mexican lager beer

Muddle tomatoes, add ingredients, shake hard, double strain into collins glass, add ice, top with beer, garnish with lemon ribbon rolled up and stuck on toothpick with 2 tomatoes.

 

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Even though they didn’t make it onto the next round, these will be served during the semi final rounds in the tents.

 

Josh Harris

Pippi Longstocking

1 oz Flor de Cana 7 year

.5 oz Campari

.5 oz Velvet Falernum

.5 oz fresh lemon juice

.5 oz egg white

1.5 oz Bundaberg ginger beer

2 dashes Angostura bitters.

Glass: Collins

Garnish: Rosemary Sprig

Bartender Instructions: In a mixing glass, combine all the ingredients except the ginger beer.  Shake vigorously.  Fill Collins gblass with ice and pour the ginger beer into the glass.  Place in the straw and rosemary sprig down the side of the glass.  Then double strain the mixture in tin, over the fresh ice on top of the ginger beer.  Served layered.  —-Consumer can then integrate the ginger beer with rest of the cocktail using the straw.

 

Victoria D’Amato Krystlhawk

Summer in the City

1.5 oz. Skyy Pineapple

.5 oz. Campari

1 oz Mango Nectar

1 oz. Passion fruit Nectar

.5 oz fresh Lemon Juice

1/8th teaspoon Smoked Paprika

3 oz Soda (Pelligrino)

In a chilled mixing glass, add all ingredients except for the Soda.

Add ice, shake well, about 20 shakes, strain over ice in a 12 oz. Collins glass.

Fill with Soda, mix gently.

Garnish: Paprika pepper slice (if available) lemon peel & mango cubes

1 straw