Tracker Pixel for Entry

Cocktail Showdown Week 5

Cocktail Showdown | November 11th, 2015


Participating as a judge in the cocktail showdown has opened my eyes to a whole different bar experience. Since week one I have learned new bar vocab terms, techniques, flavor combinations, and have tasted exotic liqueurs I never knew existed. Needless to say drinking on the job has never been so rewarding...and educational.

Week Five of The Cocktail Showdown featured Kent Larsen’s “Barbacoa Coquito” and “The Ghost Rider” at Barbacoa. Molly Fontaine’s “Irish Italian” was featured at The Holiday Inn Spirits Lounge.

Barbacoa

Barbacoa is located at 3241 42nd St. S in Fargo. Barbacoa is one of Fargo’s newest restaurants featuring not only Mexican food but southwestern barbecue as well. Their menu features brunch items like the ever popular huevos rancheros, tacos, entrees, burgers, soups, salads, desserts, gluten free options and happy hour specials. Each cocktail on their cocktail menu is inspired by a classic cocktail as well.

The Drink: The Ghost Rider

The Creator: Kent Larsen

“The Ghost Rider” contains Chinaco blanco tequila, fresh squeezed lime juice, blood orange puree, organic agave nectar and club soda.The ingredients are then stirred to balance out the ingredients and to avoid dilution due to ice melt. The club soda is then floated to create a gradient effect and is then garnished with a ruby red grapefruit. It is a take on the tequila-based Paloma. The drink is named after the popular Marvel motorcycle-riding, flaming-skulled Marvel hero portrayed by Nicolas Cage in the 2007 movie of the same name.

The Shot: The Barbacoa Coquito

The Creator: Kent Larsen

The Barbacoa Coquito contains sweetened condensed milk, coconut milk, evaporated milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla and rum. The Coquito itself is essentially a Puerto Rican eggnog. Kent’s intent was to create “a non-eggy eggnog”, and this rum-based creamy cordial was born. Larsen did a Bacardi 151 rinse and sparked it thus creating a blue flame used to caramelize a mixture of cinnamon and sugar, creating a mini aromatic bartop spark show.

Holiday Inn Spirits Lounge

Spirits Lounge at Holiday inn is located at 3803 13th Ave. S in Fargo. Spirits Lounge has a nice open bar area complete with tables, booths, and even featured a space for live music. Onsite gaming is available and the full restaurant menu is available in the lounge. Daily drink specials are featured Monday through Friday as well as happy hour specials which include a free food bar. Stay tuned dear barflies, Spirits will be doing a full-on remodel in February.

The Drink: The Irish Italian

The Creator: Molly Fontaine

The Irish Italian is Fontaine’s interpretation of “The Big Ginger”, it contains Jameson, Limoncello, muddled lemon, lime, orange, bitters and fresh ginger, sweetened with simple syrup and ginger ale. She then used the rinds to add a bit of zest to the cocktail. The name “Irish Italian” came from Jameson (an Irish Whiskey), and the Italian liqueur Limoncello. Fontaine was inspired to throw in an Italian twist as a tribute, because she grew up in an Italian neighborhood.

RECENTLY IN

Cocktail Showdown

Tracker Pixel for Entry Bismarck Tracker Pixel for Entry FPL1 Tracker Pixel for Entry Gruff Tracker Pixel for Entry Empire Tracker Pixel for Entry Fiddle Tracker Pixel for Entry Farrms

Recently in:

By Alicia Underlee Nelsonalicia@hpr1.com Ten North Dakota communities will participate in the nationwide No Kings Day of Peaceful Action on October 18. The grassroots movement is a nonviolent protest against President Trump’s…

By Michael M. Millermichael.miller@ndsu.edu I would like to recognize some of the scholarly Germans from Russia from Canada and USA shared on the GRHC website. There are additional names not included here. If you have suggestions…

Friday, October 31, doors 8 p.m. show starts at 8:30 p.m.The Aquarium above Dempey’s, 226 N. Broadway, FargoThe annual Aquarium Halloween Cover Show is back and it is stacked. And this time there are a limited amount of presale…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com At the end of September, downtown Fargo said goodbye to another old friend; the Spirit Room closed its doors, marking the end of an era. The Spirit Room room has been a fixture downtown for the…

By Ed Raymondfargogadfly@gmail.comThat old time religion, filled with love, is no longer good enough In the first “Inherit the Wind” movie about religion and evolution starring Spencer Tracy, Fredric March, and Gene Kelly, the…

By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com Holiday wine shopping shouldn’t have to be complicated. But unfortunately it can cause unneeded anxiety due to an overabundance of choices. Don’t fret my friends, we once again have you covered…

By Rick Gion and Nichole Hensenrickgion@gmail.com The wait is finally over. Those who have visited Nichole’s Fine Pastry & Cafe lately know about the recent major additions and renovations that have taken place over the past…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com Dakotah Faye is a hip-hop artist from Minot, North Dakota, and he’s had a busy year. He’s released two albums. This summer he opened for Tech N9ne in Sturgis and will be opening for Bone…

By Greg Carlsongregcarlson1@gmail.com Now available on Amazon Prime following its world premiere last month as the opening night selection of the Toronto International Film Festival’s golden anniversary, “John Candy: I Like…

By HPR staffsubmit@hpr1.com Mark the first weekend of October on your calendar. It’s the weekend of the Studio Crawl, which takes us all on a wonderful, metro-wide tour of our talented (and often wacky) arts community. On October…

Press release“Shakespeare with a sharpened edge.” To launch its 2025 – 2026 season, Theatre NDSU is thrilled to team up with Moorhead-based organization Theatre B to perform a co-production of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and…

By Annie Prafckeannieprafcke@gmail.com AUSTIN, Texas – As a Chinese-American, connecting to my culture through food is essential, and no dish brings me back to my mother’s kitchen quite like hotdish. Yes, you heard me right –…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comNew Jamestown Brewery Serves up Local FlavorThere’s something delicious brewing out here on the prairie and it just so happens to be the newest brewery west of the Red River and east of the…

By Ellie Liveranieli.liverani.ra@gmail.com When we are sick, all we want is a cure. You go to the doctor, they give you a pill, you take it for a bit, then you are cured. It happens. But unfortunately, it is not always the case. …

By Alicia Underlee NelsonProtests against President Trump’s policies and the cuts made by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are planned across North Dakota and western Minnesota Friday, April 4 and…

By Vern Thompsonvern.thompson@rocketmail.comMoral accountability and the crisis of leadership  As a recovering person living one day at a time for the last 35 years, I have learned not to judge others because I have not walked in…