This year's competition showcased remarkable talent in the School of Hospitality and Tourism Management, with students presenting unique mocktail creations that captured the essence of the theme. The event awarded the top performers an impressive $3,500 in cash prizes.
Alisher Atakhanov, a Food and Beverage Management student, claimed the top prize of $2,000 with The Gingerbread Chalet, a standout beverage that impressed the judges.
Event Planning student Alicia Sabatini secured second place with her Holiday Ginger Nogg Hug, taking home $1,000, while Eitan Shalmon from the Tourism and Hospitality Management program rounded out the winners with the third-place prize of $500 for their creation, A Whole Latke Love.
Students were challenged to develop drinks that embodied the magic and spirit of the Canadian winter, demonstrating their creativity, culinary skills, and understanding of flavour combinations.
Congratulations to the winners and all the participants who showcased exceptional mixology skills in this delightful competition!
The Gingerbread Chalet - First Place
Created by Alisher Alakhanov
Ingredients
- 2 oz non-alcoholic cider (sweet apple cider)
- 1.5 oz Lemon juice
- 1 oz Simple syrup infused with ginger, cloves and cinnamon*
- Ice
Garnish
- Sprig of rosemary
- Pinch of powdered sugar
- Mini gingerbread house (prepared in advance)
*Infused simple syrup:
- 1 cup of water
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 10 whole cloves
Method
Instruction for the preparation of the infused simple syrup:
- Combine water, sugar, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and ginger in a small saucepan.
- Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let cool completely. Strain out the spices and transfer the syrup to the jar.
Instructions for the preparation of the mocktail:
- Chill rocks glass by putting ice in the glass
- In a shaker, combine apple cider, lemon juice, and the spiced simple syrup.
- Add ice to the shaker and shake vigorously for 15 seconds.
- Remove the melted ice from the glass
- Fill a chilled glass with fresh ice
- Strain the mixture into the glass
- Put a mini gingerbread house on the rim of the glass
- Put a sprig of rosemary on top of the drink and sprinkle it with powdered sugar to create the snow effect
Holiday Ginger Nogg Hug - Second Place
Created by Alicia Sabatini
Ingredients
For base:
- Southern Comfort Traditional Egg Nogg
- Molasses
- Ground ginger
- Ground cinnamon
- Nutmeg
For 'Rum':
- 30 oz water
- ½ cup molasses
- 1 star anise
- 1 cinnamon Stick
- 15 whole black peppercorns
- 10 allspice
- 10 cloves
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
- ½ tsp orange zest
For 'Kahlua':
- 1 cup water
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar
- 4 teaspoons GOLD Espresso Premium Instant Coffee
Garnish:
- Ginger snap cookies
- Fresh whipped cream
- Nutmeg
Method
Rum:
- In a medium saucepan combine water and molasses, heat over medium heat, stirring until combined and boiling
- Add in the anise, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and peppercorns. Continue boiling for 3 minutes, then down the heat to a very low simmer. Stir in the red pepper flakes, cover the pan loosely, and set it aside to infuse for at least an hour.
- Pour liquid through a fine mesh strainer. Add vanilla and orange zest. Restrain through mesh. Stir to combine.
Kahula:
- In saucepan over medium-high, add the water, espresso powder, and brown sugar. Stir together until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a slow boil then remove from heat and let cool completely before mixing
Eggnog:
- Add the eggnog, molasses, ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl. Whisk together thoroughly until combined
Garnish:
- Crush ginger snaps into powder
- Honey for garnish bounder
- Fresh whip cream
- Ground Nutmeg
For the Holiday Hugg
- Crush Ginger snap cookies with mortar and pestle.
- Dip half of the glassware into honey and rim with crushed ginger snap cookie
- Measure wet ingredients:
- 1 oz “Kahula”
- .75 oz “Rum”
- 2.5 oz Eggnog Base
- Pour ingredients into a shaker, use fresh out-of-the-freezer ice cubes and shake for 10 seconds; immediately strain into a coup glass. One small dollop of whipped cream and shave nutmeg over the whipped cream
A Whole Latke Love - Third Place
Created by Eitan Shalmon
Ingredients
- President’s Choice Fresh Unsweetened Apple Cider (2.2 litre bottle)
- 35% whipping cream (500ml)
- 3 Chai tea bags (or Chai simple syrup)
- Bottle of vanilla extract
- Small package of icing sugar
- Silver decorative sugar
- 8 cinnamon sticks, melted chocolate and peeled almonds, for garnish
Method
- Steep three chai tea bags in 2 cups of lightly simmering simple syrup for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.
- Combine 1 cup of apple cider with 1 oz of the chai simple syrup in a shaker. Add ice cubes to chill and stir.
- Strain and pour into an 8 oz Irish Coffee glass rimmed with silver decorative sugar
- Combine 3 oz of whipping cream in a clean shaker with one teaspoon of powdered sugar and ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract.
- Vigorously shake until the cream thickens into a rich foam
- Using the back of a spoon, slowly pour the cream mixture on top of the cider to layer the cream on top of the cider
- In a saucepan, melt 25g of milk chocolate over low heat
- Coat the top of a cinnamon stick with melted chocolate, and attach a whole peeled almond to the still-warm chocolate to resemble a shamash candle.
- Garnish the drink with the candle.
- Enjoy your Whole Latke Love!
