One of my favorite annual cocktail contests to keep an eye on is the Finlandia Vodka Cup. The reason is that it always brings out a talented bunch of bartenders who show off their latest creations using a seemingly 'tasteless' base. The other aspect of this one that I enjoy is that almost all of the recipes are attainable by the average person: with the exception of one in this year's line up, all of the U.S. finalists' recipes are something that any cocktail lover can create at home or in their own bar and the array of flavors are fun to explore.
Todd Thrasher's Nothing Left to Lose
As I was compiling the list of 14 recipes that will go onto the next stage of the Finlandia Cup, I couldn't help but notice how down to earth the drinks are. Yes, on occasion there is the ingredient that demands a bit of explanation or sleuthing to find, but it is compilations such as this that alert us to a previously untasted mixer or a long forgotten favorite. Take the bay leaf soda with roasted lemon that is used in Todd Thrasher's Nothing Left to Lose, or the spiced mead reduction in Jake Bliven's Harvest Moon. Both are ingredients I've used in the past in similar forms, but somehow they slipped my mind over the years. The reminder of them has my mind swimming with new ideas for drinks where these can be employed. This is the fun of the collaborative cocktail experience: one person's idea sparks more.
Though the judging of this year's cup is now out of the public's hands, check out the U.S. finalists - there's something there for most any taste, occasion, and season - and stay tuned because I'm going to keep an eye on this one to see what comes out of the international competition in Finland this February.
Finlandia Vodka Cup Cocktail Competition U.S. Finalist Recipes...
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