Hi.
This summer I am going to hold a contest. Its purpose is to discover the best invented cocktail which uses raw beef as a central ingredient.
Since I am sending this challenge out all over the world, entrants will have three options: they can come to our Chicago apartment this summer and make the drink on contest-day; they can trust 13 or another mixologist of their choice to follow a recipe they provide; or they can choose not to participate at all.
I discourage the third option.
Thirteen is a vegetarian, and as such has agreed to act as a completely impartial professional bartender in the case of remotely-submitted cocktail recipes.
THE RULES are as follows and are subject to later amendment. But the idea should be clear:
Raw beef must be a primary ingredient, i.e. not mere garnish or additive.
By raw beef, I mean red meat. Other beef products such as bullion, fat, horn, intestine or leather are not admissible except as additional ingredients... the drink must still contain raw beef muscle. The specific cut of beef is a flexible option.
All ingredients and materials must be reasonably available.
The basic criteria upon which the cocktails will be judged are taste, presentation and name. All cocktails must be named.
Since this is a cocktail contest, all submissions must be of reasonably high alcohol content -- Beer-burgers don't count -- and must be served in a glass. Furthermore, the drink must remain in its glass, although live beef drinks are welcome if they meet this criterion.
To assure fairness, if you do not wish to enter, you may join a judging panel instead, although the number of judges will be limited to the first seven (7) applicants (including me).
One entry per applicant.
- The prize has yet to be fully determined, but will be thematic in nature and worth your effort. This letter is really meant as an early warning, so you have ample time for concoction. I am in the process of acquiring the prize; once I have it, I will set a competition/party date.
I think that's all.
LET THE GAMES BEGIN.