Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/23459
tHe GLoVeS Were off And tHe tABASCo WAS on WHen SoUtHern CALiforniA’S TOP SOUTH BAY BARTENDERS CoMPeted in A red-Hot fiGHt to MAKe tHe BeSt BLoodY MArYS All the contestants used Absolut vodka as a base for their drinks. The majority of the Bloody Marys featured (in this order) Absolut Peppar, Absolut regular and Absolut Citron. photos by Amy K. Fellows T he South Bay is a series of beach towns on L.A.’s south- west peninsula, stretching along the shores of Santa Monica Bay. They’re laid back, youth-ori- ented and in most cases, affluent. Bars and taverns are as ubiquitous as upscale restaurants, scoring extra points for views of the Pacific. Towns such as Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach and Hermosa Beach may not boast of cutting-edge mixologists, but their bar- tenders do take their careers seriously. In our search for the most talented Bloody Mary tomato You Say Troy Alarcon of North End Bar & Grill in Hermosa Beach, CA, won first place in the search for the best-tast- ing and best-looking Bloody Mary in the South Bay. beach-bar chef, we sent out a notice for our first Bloody Mary at the Beach Invitational, and the response was overwhelming. The event, held at Fat Face Fenner’s on the Pier at Hermosa Beach, became Bloody Mary headquarters for our 16 competing ‘tenders. Why Bloody Marys? Perhaps it’s the healthy ingredients of tomato, celery and other vegetable-inspired delights that the beach community values. But, according to our first-place beachtender, Troy Alarcon of North End Bar & Grill in Hermosa, “My customers say my Bloody Marys bring them back to life.” Making his ingredients from scratch, Alarcon, 37, admits that his drinks are so praiseworthy, “everyone tells me they are the best Bloodys they’ve ever had.” Secret Recipes The contestants all had one thing in common: They would not divulge recipes or ingredients. Our judges determined the winning cocktails by taste, visual and execution behind the bar. january–february 201 1 / the tasting panel / 69 CoMPetition