Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/611718
122 / the tasting panel / december 2015 Nick Gajewski, who started bartending eight years ago in the small town of Antigo, Wisconsin, blew the crowd away at the Masters of Moonshine competition with his towering Bloody Mary cocktail topped with not one, but two breakfast sliders. "My inspiration for coming up with new drinks is creating something that will go with food," Gajewski notes. "And when I first tasted Blue Flame, I thought that the sweetness of the moonshine was a great complement for the tomato and spiciness of a Bloody Mary." His homemade Bloody Mary mix—comprised of tomato juice, A.1. Steak Sauce, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, spices and horseradish— has the perfect amount of spice. Bloody Marys and brunch are obvious companions, so Gajewski took his drink a step further by adding two breakfast sliders as garnish. But these aren't Egg McMuffins; the sliders are made with locally-sourced ingredients, like Wampler's Apple Pie sausage and famed Benton's bacon. "Benton's products have a very strong, smoky flavor that goes well with Bloody Marys," Gajewski explains. "I imagined this as the kind of drink that you can go out to the bar on a Sunday afternoon to watch a football game, and when you're hungry for brunch and want a Blood Mary, you can order this and get both!" Gajewski confesses that brunch drinks are a personal favorite of his to craft, whether it's the aforementioned Bloody Marys, or blood orange and Champagne Mimosas that can be served with local favorite fried chicken and waffles. Using Blue Flame in his cocktail wasn't a challenge for Gajewski, who stated, "I live in Tennessee, so I know real moonshine. And Blue Flame is the most traditional tasting moonshine (that's legal!) that I've tasted so far." He suggests embracing the high alcohol content of the spirit, and using it in a Martini for those who enjoy the strong flavor, or mixing with fresh fruit and muddled mint leaves for those who want something sweeter. Sean Griffin, the Chicago finalist, started off in the back of house at the age of 15, cooking and washing dishes in restaurants. It seemed like Griffin was destined for the food side of the restaurant industry after a stint in cook- ing school. However, once he landed a job as manager at Washington, D.C.'s Sixth Engine, a restaurant with a focus on its cocktail program, his interests shifted to mixology. It was Griffin's first foray in the world of cocktails, and, as Griffin remembers, "I spent a lot of time with Sixth Engine's bartenders, learning about cocktails, how to mix ingredients, and different methods of mixology." Griffin is now the Beverage Director at Barcocina in Chicago and still gets behind the bar one night a week, a posi- tion that to Griffin feels like a perfect fit. "I have some Irish in me, so I'm not shy about drinking," he confessed with EVENT RECAP Sean Griffin, Barcocina in Chicago, IL. Nick Gajewski, Swingin' Doors Saloon in Nashville, TN Backwoods Brunch ◗ 1½ oz. Ole Smoky Blue Flame Moonshine ◗ 8½ oz. homemade spicy Bloody Mary mix ◗ Glass rimmed with chili lemon lime salt ◗ Garnish with two skewers (see below) First skewer: pickle, jalapeño, onion, mushroom, green olive, spicy green bean and Brussels sprout Second skewer: breakfast sliders with Wampler's Apple Pie sausage, egg, Benton's bacon and cheese