Power of the Palate 2021
Alright friends and whiskey drinkers, here's an opportunity to help this guy advance to the next round with just a few clicks! The 2nd Power of the Palate cocktail competition is currently happening right now. The goal is to find the best black bartender in the country! Think I can earn that title?
In 2020, I got to enter this very competition with my savory garlic cocktail, “We Don’t Have to Take Our Cloves Off". My entry was a fun twist on a Manhattan with not only baked garlic and chocolate bitters , but parmesan cheese as well. The drink helped me qualify for the bracket spot- representing Chicago for the Central region, but it wasn’t able to get me to advance. You may knock me down, but you can’t knock me out because this year I’m back in the same spot… the spot where I get to advocate of Chicago’s creativity in the bar scene.
My latest entry is called “Investment Stock”. It actually has double meaning. One meaning is that it mimics the flavors of chicken noodle soup. The other meaning is about investment but more of investing in yourself. Let me explain:
This all stemmed from my thoughts and feelings over the pandemic (that’s still happening), but more of my mindset in the first few weeks or so of the shut down. Prior to the sudden halt, I was working a ton and focused on the work itself and ignoring everything else- mainly my body’s needs. During my hustle behind the bars, I never properly ate more than two or three times a week and I had horrible sleeping patterns. I lost a lot of weight because I would curb my hunger pains at work with chugging water or just crash in bed because waiting three minutes for a Hot Pocket was too exhausting. Believe me, this isn’t unheard in the bartending community. Not having days off for weeks on out is a bragging right. But that’s is a conversation I’ll save for the future.
Now back to the initial shutdown. The first couple days, I completely collapsed. I hardly got out of bed and used this time to get all the rest I could squeeze in. Then I started eating again and at one point I was eating soup, I thought about the childhood days when I was sick and I would drink hot broth from my chicken noodle soup and I would feel better. It was like hitting reset on the body and feeling brand new by the next day.
Next, I noticed that the two weeks from work was lasting three, four, five weeks. And there was no sign of it ending. My savings wasn’t prepared for this and I wasn’t having the best luck with receiving unemployment. What was I going to do? For someone who worked all the time, I didn’t have many hobbies that didn’t involve me going outside and going around people so I felt a bit lost. Then, I found a few online classes to take and I got addicted quickly. There was a credited class being offered at Florida Atlantic University. Done. There was a special with MasterClass.com. Done. Several programs were floating around, and I took everything I could possibly do. Even if it cost money. I bought a website and started a business where I was teaching online cocktail classes. In my mind, I was taking a chance to invest in myself to be a better version of myself.
During this time, I learned more about cocktails and the history of spirits and culinary skills that I could apply to the bar world. I took the little money I had and took classes that taught me about photography, lighting, business branding, and more skills I could apply in the bar world when I went back. But I also took my resources and exercised more and focused on my mental and physical health.
The result, I feel brand new like I got over a horrible cold and it was chicken noodle soup and good sleep was the cure. Now that I am back at work I try harder to make sure that my new healthy habits stay in my daily/ weekly routine. My time management skills have improved and I am way better at saying “no” to things that will drain me or just aren’t worth it. I’m trying to be an advocate for my fellow industry workers treating themselves as they would their favorite regulars at their workplace. You can’t give anyone anything you don’t have. I can’t give you the shirt off my back if I don’t replace the shirt I already gave away. Stop running on fumes! Hit reset!
So back to my cocktail.
Investment Stock
1.5oz Maker’s Mark
1.25oz fresh carrot juice
.5oz Ancho Verde
.5oz fresh lemon juice
.75oz Rosemary Demerara (1:1)*
2-3 dashes of Scrappy’s Celery Bitters
Combine the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake for 15-20 seconds. Double strain into a rocks glass with a large ice cube. Express lemon peel over cocktail and discard. Garnish with a rosemary sprig and side serve of a warm shot of citrus soda and salted crackers.
*Rosemary Demerara: Combine one cup of water and one cup of demerara sugar in a small sauce pan. Simmer over a low heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat an add three to four large rosemary sprigs to the pan and let sit, covered to return to room temperature. Best to let sit overnight. Strain and keep refrigerated for up to a month.
The drink is savory with just the right amount of sweetness and acid to drink along or pair with any vegetable heavy dish- especially if you add the chicken that the drink is lacking (I made it so vegans can enjoy this as well). It’ll give the boast you need to tackle any work ahead of it… or just save it for tomorrow after you get your rest.
So here's my chance to move forward in the bracket competition and represent the Central region by going against some powerhouses in Cleveland, Kansas City, and Detroit! Take a second and vote for me so I can create even more food inspired cocktails in the game....
...Oh yea and I'll be closer to winning $5000 dollars!
Cheers,
Nigal Vann