Pican's Oakland Female Bartender Competition October 5th 2010 By Grand Marnier, Zennie62

Oakland's bar scene has really improved over the last five years. Where there were one or two good bars downtown ten years ago, now there's arguably six of them. You know the environment's good when there's a bartender competition.

The problem is such events have been all-male or mostly male. Not anymore. On October 5th, 2010, Pican Restaurant will play host to the first Oakland Female Bartender Competition sponsored by Grand Manier and Zennie62.com.

A Great Idea.

How the idea started goes back to a video I created of another Oakland bartender competition held at Sidebar on Lake Merritt. This one:



Where at the end of the video, I said Oakland needs an all female bartender competition. Well, Josh Perry and the good folks at Pican Restaurant at 2295 Broadway at 23rd, in Oakland CA, figured it should be done and at Pican!

One thing: the first person to say they saw this at Zennie62.com, of which this blog is part of the network, gets a bottle of Grand Manier!

Here's the rules:

This competition is open to all female bartenders that are currently working in the San Francisco Bay Area and may not be employed by a liquor company or distributor as full

time employees.

2. Please submit your recipe on the official submission form and e-mail to candacecooper@southernwine.com no later than midnight PST on Tuesday, September

28th, 2010. If an entry is incomplete, it will be automatically disqualified.

Recipes

1. The recipe submitted must be a long drink, a drink on the rocks, or served up in a cocktail glass. Ingredients must be listed in ounces and the total amount of liquid should be no more than 10 ounces. The breakdown of ingredients should be divided in respectively whole numbers (1 oz, 2 oz, etc.) and/or half and quarter numbers (½, ¼, etc.), dashes and drops being the smallest quantities.

2. The maximum number of alcoholic and non-alcoholic ingredients in the recipe shall be limited to six (6) including dashes, drops and rimmed glassware. The recipe should contain at least two (2) but not more than four (4) alcoholic ingredients.

3. Garnishes must be edible and can be placed on the rim of the glass or in the drink.

4. Recipe shall not include hot beverages (coffee, tea, etc.). Ingredients

1. Each competitor must use Grand Marnier as the base spirit.

2. Each competitor must bring all ingredients except Grand Marnier, which will be provided.

3. Exotic, self-made ingredients or the blending of multiple ingredients to be counted as one (1) ingredient shall not be allowed.

Garnishes

1. Garnishes shall consist only of edible fruits or vegetables.

2. Artificial arrangements or food-dyes shall not be allowed.

3. Condiments such as salt, sugar, pepper, nutmeg, cinnamon, and others, shall be allowed and will be counted as ingredients in the recipe.

4. Any questionable garnish must obtain the approval of the competition committee.