Ilona Martinez Qualifies for National Cocktail Competition in New York City
Ilona Martinez, lead mixoligist at Cantina in the Grand Sierra Resort, is headed to compete to the Manhattan Cocktail Classic, a cocktail party and nation-wide cocktail competition held in New York City, May 11-15. Martinez won the ticket to compete and represent the GSR after winning Reno’s Campari Cocktail Competition with her signature cocktail creation, “Sangre Arance.”
“I’m pretty excited to be able to compete at a national level with the best of the best,” said Martinez.
At the Campari Cocktail Competition in Reno, Martinez took first as local bartenders gathered to shake up their best cocktail that was required to contain Campari Liqueur. Campari is a mixture of herbs, aromatic plants and fruit infused together to create the classic alcoholic beverage. It is used in many cocktails along with other ingredients to make a unique taste. Although the Manhattan Cocktail Classic does not require Campari to be in the cocktails, the alcoholic ingredient could be Martinez’s secret weapon when competing.
Martinez’s recipe for “Sangre Arance”:
1oz. Campari
1oz. Espolon Reposado Tequila
1oz. Dolin Blanc Vermouth
3 dashes of blood orange bitters
Stir. Strain into a chilled martini glass, garnished with flamed orange.
More information about the Manhattan Cocktail Classic can be found at: http://www.manhattancocktailclassic.com.
