We all decided we'd had such a good time at the first appetizer & 1oz drink-off that we hosted a second one, on the 28th of May at Malloreigh's lovely new residence in Mt Pleasant. We also decided to try and start a little earlier (so that we could maybe finish eating before 11pm), and thus got to enjoy a bit of glorious sunlight at the start of our evening. We all got nicely sauced, largely due to the fact that most people didn't seem to realise that the shot glass held 2oz rather than the 1oz we had agreed on.
COMPETITORS AND ENTRIES
Amanda: "amber morning" homemade yam & fig cracker filled with basil-garlic aioli and a fresh basil leaf. The drink is mandarin tea with lemon and Ballantyne's scotch.
Jen: "Pearoshima" tempeh & asian pear salad with chives & green peas in a mustard & homemade mayo dressing, on a bed of pea shoots. The drink is a sake bomb with Sir Perry cider.
Malloreigh: "soju or truth" sticky rice risotto balls with shiitake mushrooms and a crust of panko crumbs, served with a sesame citrus sauce. The drink is soju, sake, and ginger purée with orange rind. (recipe here)
Sarah: "boozin' on the Bosphorus" Turkish-style spicy lentil-brown rice kebabs with a mint yogurt sauce, homemade feta, and a melon slice. The drink is raki (Turkish anise liqueur) with pomegranate juice & bitters.
Yaara: "shitfaced picnic" fried tofu sandwich with caramelized onions & mushrooms on kamut bread, garnished with a green olive. The drink is gin and limonata.
Bronwen: "for lemon's sake" asparagus wonton with chives, homemade kimchi, and a lemon-ginger garlic soy dipping sauce. The drink is a yuzu sake & Hendrick's gin martini with lemon.
Michael: "radler senfational brezel" mustard, vegenaise, soy & sriracha dip with pretzels. The drink is pilsner and carbonated lemonade.*
Gabi: coconut milk grilled mango and pineapple with coconut milk ice cream and (seen in below photo) flambé rum. The drink is a Coke float with coconut ice cream.
Gabi and Michael both competed for the first time. Also in attendance were Tim, Jo (sp? a friend of Amanda's), and Kaylie.
* Michael didn't expect his entry to be taken seriously because he used store-bought pretzels, but he did happen to serve up at a time when everyone was drunk and craving salty snacks. He also told us a very nice bit of history about German bicyclists and beer and pretzels.
CATEGORIES AND WINNERS
seconds: Amanda
presentation: Gabi
creativity: Malloreigh
best appetizer: Amanda/Malloreigh
best drink: Sarah
best pairing: Sarah
overall winner: Amanda/Malloreigh
best name: (unscored category) Jen
