Two weeks ago, BartenderOne was asked to host one of the challenges in this years City Chase Toronto.
City Chase is based on the Amazing Race concept, where teams of two, compete to complete 10 tasks (out of a list of 40) in the fastest time possible. Â The tasks are scattered all over Toronto, and contestants are given a clue sheet as to where the tasks may be located. Â Team are permitted to walk, run, or take public transit. Â Wheels such as bikes, or roller blades are not permitted, as well as any form of private transportation, such as cars, motorcycles, etc.
The winners of this race will receive new Blackberry phones, and qualify for the National finals where they will have a chance to win a 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer!
The BartenderOne challenge was simple. Â Make a Cosmopolitan with a little working flair. Â First, I instructed one of the team members how to make the cocktail, then I showed the other how to toss a rocks glass from their right hand to left behind the back, and finally how to pour a Cosmo into the glass…on their head!
Some teams caught on quickly during the training, and had little trouble executing the moves.  Other teams had great difficulty with this challenge, costing them valuable time in the race.  A few contestants even poured the cocktail  directly on their face, missing the glass entirely!  However difficult it proved to be for some teams, we did not have any teams leave without completing the task.
Whether they got it on the first or second try, or they spilled all over themselves, every contestant that stopped by appeared  to really enjoy the challenge and that’s what it’s all about.
The event was a great success, and I would definitely like to compete in the race next year.
BartenderOne was happy to be a part of this event.
To compete in upcoming City Chase events, click here to register.
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My, Oh My, Oh Margarita!
Strap on your mixologist shoes, because the Margarita possibilities are endless!
For some reason, the world’s most popular cocktail has never quite captured Canadian hearts. Instead, the margarita has always had a bit of a seedy reputation, the chief protagonist in stories that start “remember that time in Mexico.” But rather than take up time and space determining our national opposition to the cocktail (bar mix instead of fresh lime, maybe?), let’s play with some variations sure to temp any palate.
The original margarita is as simple as its little brother, the tequila shot (salt, tequila and a slice of lime). Classic recipes call for three parts tequila, one part Cointreau and three parts fresh lime juice, shaken hard over ice. Made like this, the cocktail is deliciously balanced, the strength of the tequila working with the sweetness of orange and sourness of the lime. But while it will no doubt go down in history as one of the classics, we are lucky to be in the middle of a cocktail revolution, allowing us to use everything and anything in our power to concoct new creations.
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