Honestly, though, I know WHY I was having that specific stress dream last night. . .

[xiphias]

The stress dream I mentioned in my last post had some important factors that let me know exactly what I'm stressing about. I was tending bar, but being asked to handle a creative cooking/recipe creation and execution task which I'd never done before. And also, lemons and lemon peel.

See, I just entered into a cocktail competition that will be held on Lis's birthday, in New York City. It's sponsored by a cognac marketing and promotion agency in France, so I've created a cognac-based cocktail that I'm entering.

I'm terrified, of course. This is the first time I've entered a cocktail competition, and this is the sort of thing that the best of the best go for.

I know that I'm going to be knocked out in the first round, because that's what HAPPENS your first time entering a contest. And that's okay -- your first time competing in ANYTHING, you're there to get used to the process of competing, more than really trying to win.

I'm calling the cocktail the C Sharp. Cognac, calvados, and Domane de Canton ginger liqueur, shaken and strained into a cocktail glass, garnished with a generous slice of lemon peel.

It's really quite good. I don't know that it's competition quality, but it has a few factors that I really like. Beside the taste, which works reasonably well, it's all French ingredients, and it's pretty darned simple to make, involving no unusual ingredients or equipment.

Since this is a contest to promote cognac, I'm hoping that the fact that this is something that any bartender can make is a selling point.

Comments

[whuffle.livejournal.com]

Sounds tasty to me and yes, I can see exactly why you'd be having that stress dream. Especially since your description included some elements of those TV kitchen reality shows where they're frantic and unexpected and stressful and that sounds a lot like the experience you'd expect at your first time competing in something this big.

[chanaleh.livejournal.com]

Yum! I want one!

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

You really do. I had the great good fortune of trying a couple of versions. Yum.

[seventorches.livejournal.com]

Ditto. Sounds TASTY!

[rosefox]

Need crash space in NYC?

[paper-crystals.livejournal.com]

When is Lis's birthday? Or to be more specific when will you be in NYC?

[goljerp]

Any chance of seeing you folks in NYC when you're here?

[teddywolf.livejournal.com]

Sometimes the winner of a competition is not the drink that is the most popular after. Just saying. Trust your drink, and trust yourself.
I hope you have a fun time in NYC, and I also hope you exceed your expectations.

[sethg]

Iron Bartender! Duuuude! :-)

[rebmommy.livejournal.com]

a cocktail competition - sounds like fun - wish I could drink alcohol - I'm still waiting for you to create a good-tasting, non-alcoholic gin - after all, Mother's Day is coming up - oh, wait... well, how about giving me a gift for your anniversary, or Lis' birthday...

[hobbitblue.livejournal.com]

Sounds tasty.. and half the fun of these things is the experience of taking part (plus even if you do get knocked out in the first round you've got a head start on next year cos you'll be more comfortable with how things work).

[bluepapercup]

Hey, that sounds delicious.

Good luck!