Yesterday, 27 of Toronto’s finest mixologists competed for a place in the MadewithLove competition, to be held in March in the qualification rounds at the Marché restaurant in the financial district.  These cocktail-creating geniuses, which include Joe Howell of the Spoke Club, Simon Hooper (Nyood) and the Harbord Room’s Veronica Saye will have to go through a challenge.  While the 2012 competition a race through the Marché, this year was more drinks-related.  This year, competitors are to create a drink (within a 10 minute time frame) representing one of five of this city’s neighbourhoods and what it means to them.  Neighbourhoods are: College Street, Chinatown, Liberty Village, Cabbage Town and High Park – a very interesting selection and definitely not necessarily my choices.  Where were Yorkville and the Financial District and why is everything (except High Park) south of Bloor?  Would have loved to see, say, Forest Hill, Summerhill or Yonge and Eglinton.  Sometimes, you have to wonder who and how came up with the neighbourhood ideas.  Was it random?

Levon Hill makes The Heartbeet

Year of the Dragon, made by Joe Howell of The Spoke Club

Some drinks had pretty colours, such as Levon Hill’s Heartbeet (inspired by College Street) and Fabio Beninin’s “College Treat” while others had a more “traditional” brownish shade.  The most interesting drink was perhaps one called Year of the Dragon, inspired by Chinatown.  Call it grown-up fusion if you will as it is made with the very British Hendrick’s Gin and jasmine tea as a base.  Points definitely go out to the creator for originality as rather than a standard glass, the drink was presented to the judges in a teapot.  Another interesting drink was inspired by the Liberty Village area of the city.  Called the Russell Motorcar Midshift, it was created by Taylor Corgin from Origin.  The drink was inspired by women who worked in the area in the factories during the First World War.  A refreshing, sweet drink that was presented in a thermos, it has Hendrick’s gin, orange marmalade and a white jasmine and citrus tea and wildflower honey.

While waiting for the contestants to create and present their drinks, attendees, many of which were friends or media, mingled and nibbled on appetizers courtesy of the restaurant, with vegetarian pizzas, calamari and chicken tenders.  There was also a platter of cheesecake and brownies at the end.  Though the food was off towards the side, hungry attendees wanting something to nibble on did find it.

Though there was a lot of waiting around, the event as a whole was fairly interesting.  It’s amazing to see how people can come up with such creative drinks with just a few basic ingredients.  A full list of people going to the finals in March can be found here.