For those that haven’t heard, Speed Rack is making it’s inaugural trip to Canada. Founded in 2011, Speed Rack is a cocktail competition by women for women. 100% of the proceeds of their events go to breast cancer research, education and and prevention.
On May 2nd, eighteen of Canada’s top female bartenders will descend on Vancouver for the very first Speed Rack Canada to compete for the coveted title of Speed Rack champion. In celebration of this momentous occasion, we have asked some of the competitors to submit a recipe for a Pink Drink (or if you prefer ‘pank drank’). Without further ado, please allow me to introduce a few of your 2015 Speed Rack Canada finalists.
The Bartender: Anne Wood- Boulevard Kitchen and Oyster Bar, Vancouver, BC
The Cocktail: La Femme Fatale
1.0 oz. Serrano Infused Los Siete Misterios Mezcal*
1.0 oz. Cocchi Rossa
1.0 oz. fresh squeezed blood orange juice
0.5 oz. fresh squeezed lime juice
0.5 oz. lavender earl grey tea and ginger syrup*
3 dashed Dale DeGroff’s Pimento Bitters
1.0 oz. of sparkling water
Blood orange spiral
Combine all ingredients minus soda in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake for 15 seconds. Double strain over fresh ice in a highball. Top with soda, garnish with blood orange spiral.
For the Serrano Infused Los Siete Misterios Mezcal:
Wash and cut 4 serrano chilli peppers in quarters lengthways. Place in a sealable container and add 1 750 ml bottle of mezcal. Let sit for 12 hours. Strain peppers out and bottle mezcal.
For the Lavender Earl Grey Tea and Ginger Syrup:
Using 2 bags of tealeaves Lavender Earl Grey Tea, and 8 dollar size ginger coins, add 1 cup of boiling water and 1 cup of turbinado sugar. Stir until dissolved. Let rest for 2 hours and strain the ingredients and bottle syrup.
The Bartender: Annie Cottrell- The Acorn, Vancouver, BC
The Cocktail: Mirabai
1oz Bombay Sapphire Gin
1oz Cocchi Rosa Apertivo
3/4oz Lemon Juice
1/2oz Simple Syrup (2:1)
3/4oz Egg White
4 Sprigs of lemon thyme
2 Dashes of Peychauds Bitters
Add all ingredients together in a tin, dry shake, add ice and shake once again. Fine strain into a chilled coupette. Garnish with a sprig of lemon thyme.
The Bartender: Kaitlyn Stewart- Boulevard Kitchen and Oyster Bar, Vancouver, BC
The Cocktail: Ch ch ch Cherry Bomb
2oz Serano infused Siesta Misterios Mezcal
.50oz Countreau
1.5oz Organic Tart cherry juice
1.5oz Fresh lime juice
.50oz Cherry Blossom syrup
Dash Rose Water
Rim with Hymalayn Rock salt/ cherry pop rocks. Pour all the delicious ingredients into shaker.
Shake it like a Polaroid picture. Pour into rimmed glass over fresh rocks. Garnish with a sour cherry and a cloud of cotton candy.
The Bartender: Katie Ingram- UVA Wine and Cocktail Bar, Vancouver, BC
The Cocktail: Tickle Me Pink
1.5 oz Cazadores Reposado
0.5 oz Campari
0.5 oz Giffard Fleur de Sureau Sauvage
0.5 oz Lemon Juice
2 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
Combine all ingredients into a cheater tin, fill with ice and shake. Double
strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish the cocktail with the zest of a lemon twist. Serve, and enjoy!
The Bartender: Kelsey Ramage- The Oakwood Canadian Bistro, Vancouver, BC
The Cocktail: Death in the Spring
1 1/4 oz. Siete Misterios Mezcal
1 1/4 oz. Strawberry Liqueur (Absolut base- see recipe below)
Dash Peychaud’s bitters
Pinch Citric Acid
Spray Rose Water
Combine all ingredients, except rose water, in a mixing glass. Stir until chilled and strain into a coupe. Finish with a spray of rose water and garnish with a miniature rosebud.
For the Strawberry Liqueur:
Combine 500mL Absolut Vodka with 1c of strawberries(diced) in a whip canister. Charge, shake and leave overnight. Strain out strawberries and add 4 oz. simple syrup to remaining liquid. Add another 1c. of diced strawberries, combine in the whip canister, charge, shake and leave overnight again. Strain out strawberries and use liquid as Strawberry Liqueur.
The Bartender: Kylie Bartlett- Blacktail, Vancouver, BC
The Cocktail: Rhubarb Sour
Empiric Gin
Rhubarb Puree
Lime
Eggwhite
2 dashes of Bittered Sling Moondog Bitters
Combine all ingredients in a shaker. Dry shake and then shake over ice. Double strain into a chilled tumbler. Garnish with dehydrated rhubarb.
The Bartender: Sabrine Dhaliwal- West Restaurant, Vancouver, BC
The Cocktail: Cepia
1.5 oz Cazadores Blanco
0.75 oz Raspberry syrup ( Perfect Puree & Giffard Raspberry)
0.5 oz Lemon
0.25 oz Lime
2 dashes Bittered Sling Moondog Bitters
Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker, add ice. Shake hard, strain into chilled coupe, garnish with lemon zest.
