Cocktail Showdown | November 11th, 2015
__250-wide.jpg)
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.
__250-wide.jpg)
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.
__250-wide.jpg)
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.
December 4th 2023
April 5th 2023
April 10th 2019
March 27th 2019
March 20th 2019
__293px-wide.jpg)
__293px-wide.jpg)
By Winona LaDukewinona@winonaladuke.com The business of Indian Hating is a lucrative one. It’s historically been designed to dehumanize Native people so that it’s easier to take their land. ‘Kill the Indian, save the man,”…
By Winona LaDukewinona@winonaladuke.comThere’s not really a word for reconciliation, it's said in our language. There’s a word for making it right. To talk about reconciliation in terms of the relationship between Indigenous…
Saturday, December 7, 3-8 p.m.Cows & Co Creamery, 7321 1st St. NE, Carrington NDA European Christmas market meets good ol’ fashioned North Dakota fun during this holiday celebration. Enjoy food, merriment, hot drinks, cozy…
By Jim Fugliejimfuglie920@gmail.com Okay, so last month I promised you a woman President of the United States. So much for my predictability quotient. Lesson 1: Never promise something you can’t control. And nobody, not even…
By Ed Raymondfargogadfly@gmail.comWith What is Happening in the World, Why not Artificial Intelligence? Since Lucy fell out of a tree and walked about four million years ago, she has been evolving to humans we call Homo sapiens. We…
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 Gionrickgion@gmail.com In this land of hotdish and ham, the knoephla soup of German-Russian heritage seems to reign supreme. In my opinion though, the French have the superior soup. With a cheesy top layer, toasted baguette…
__300x100.jpg)
By John Showalterjohn.d.showalter@gmail.com Local band Zero Place has been making quite a name for itself locally and regionally in the last few years. Despite getting its start during a time it seemed the whole world was coming to…
By Greg Carlsongregcarlson1@gmail.com Writer-director Nicole Riegel’s sophomore feature “Dandelion” is now playing in theaters following a world premiere at South by Southwest in March. The movie stars KiKi Layne as the…
By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comIn 1974, the Jamestown Arts Center started as a small space above a downtown drugstore. It has grown to host multiple classrooms, a gallery, performance studio, ceramic studio and outdoor art park.…
By John Showalterjohn.d.showalter@gmail.comHigh Plains Reader had the opportunity to interview two mysterious new game show hosts named Milt and Bradley Barker about an upcoming event they will be putting on at Brewhalla. What…
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 Josette Ciceronunapologeticallyanxiousme@gmail.com What does it mean to truly live in a community —or should I say, among community? It’s a question I have been wrestling with since I moved to Fargo-Moorhead in February 2022.…
Rynn WillgohsJanuary 25, 1972-October 8, 2024 Rynn Azerial Willgohs, age 52, of Vantaa, Finland, died by suicide on October 8, 2024. Rynn became her true-self March 31, 2020. She immediately became a vocal and involved activist…
By Faye Seidlerfayeseidler@gmail.com My name is Faye Seidler and I’m a suicide prevention advocate and a champion of hope. I think it is fair to say that we’ve been living through difficult times and it may be especially…