+ News and Press
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Cracking Cocktails are no Trouble for Cayman’s Bartenders
"The Cayman Islands Journal", November
2007
by Lindsey Turnbull.
Cayman’s bartenders were recently put to the test on
board the Double Trouble when they were invited to participate
in a cocktail mixing competition using Grand Marnier liqueur.
The culinary scene in the Cayman Islands has firmly established
itself on the map as an inventive force to be reckoned with
internationally. Standing shoulder to shoulder with Cayman’s
top chefs are a slew of innovative bartenders whose creative
concoctions would no doubt knock the socks off their London
or New York compatriots’ creations.
Wine and spirits distributor Jacques Scott
initiated a bartending competition in May of this year using
Appleton V/X rum as the spirit from which bartenders from
all across the island were asked to base a brand new cocktail.
Bartenders were invited to let their imagination run free
while bearing in mind that taste is everything.
Meghan Thibault, Sales & Marketing Representative with
Jacques Scott says, “The initial idea came about in
May when the Appleton Estate master Blender Joy Spence visited
Cayman and bartenders were invited to create a special cocktail
using Appleton V/ X rum to commemorate the visit.”
Organisers were incredibly impressed by the level of creativity
and technical expertise, with a diverse selection of cocktails
being served. Jessica Thorpe from The Next Level nightclub
created an Asian Mojito and shares her recipe: Muddle five
mint leaves with a half an ounce of chopped ginger and add
this mix to one and three quarter ounces of Appleton V/X and
white cranberry juice. Shake over ice and pour into a chilled
martini glass.
Darren Thorpe from The Ritz-Carlton went in a completely
different, yet equally delicious direction with his Rum &
Raisin Martini: Muddle 10 red seedless grapes with six raisins.
Add two ounces of vanilla- infused Appleton V/ X, a half an
ounce of De Kuyper Crème de cassis, a half an ounce
of milk, a half an ounce of heavy cream and a quarter of an
ounce of simple syrup. Add ice, shake and fine strain into
a martini glass. Serve with a garnish of red grapes on a cocktail
pick.
Meghan continues, “Following this event in May, we
invited a number of island bartenders to join us aboard ‘Double
Trouble’ for the afternoon in September. This time we
asked them to create one cocktail using Grand Marnier liqueur,
to be presented in a martini glass. They were also asked to
produce samples of this cocktail for their fellow bartenders
to taste and judge. We also wanted everyone to have fun doing
it!”
Meghan says that the company’s mission was to encourage
the bartenders who make cocktails on a daily basis to think
about a specific brand in a new way.
The bartenders were supplied with all of the necessary ingredients
for their recipes, which they submitted to Meghan in advance,
so that she could ensure that the boat’s bar was well
stocked, while bartenders were asked to supply any specialty
ingredients that they might like to include in their cocktails.
Meghan says, “We set sail at around noon and we chose
a Monday afternoon as many restaurants are closed on Monday
evenings. Thirteen bartenders participated in the event, which
was a great turn out. We first headed to Stingray City to
enjoy a few Heinekens and break the ice and then we dropped
anchor close to Rum Point and the bartenders put their creativity
to good use.”
Meghan confirms that bartenders judged one another’s
drinks based presentation, most creative use of ingredients
and of course, on taste.
