Marie Brizard Cocktail Competition Winners

It is official, the two United States winners of this year's Marie Brizard Cocktail Competition have been announced. From the east coast we have Don Lee of PDT in New York City and from the west coast the winner is Jackie Patterson from Zinnia in San Fransisco. Both had spectacular cocktails to show off to the judges and now they're off to the international competition in France. Below you'll find a recipe from each and you can find all of the entries here.

On another note, many of you voted and the hospitality winners from this year are Tony Perez of G in Philadelphia and Sierra Zimei of the Four Seasons Hotel in San Francisco. Congratulations to all the finalists for 2008, all of your drinks are quite impressive.

Péche Julep
from Don Lee

• 3/4 oz MARIE BRIZARD Péche du verger (Peach)
• 2 oz Rittenhouse Rye whiskey
• 1/4 tsp brown sugar
• Garnish: mint sprig

Build all ingredients in julep cup or rocks glass. Swizzle with crashed ice and garnish with mint sprig.

The Baby Doll
from Jackie Patterson

• 1/2 oz MARIE BRIZARD CRÈME DE MENTHE, BLANCHE
• 2 oz white rhum agricole
• 1/2 oz simple syrup
• 3 chunks of yellow doll melon
• 3 chunks of lemon cucumber
• 3/4 oz key lime juice
• Soda water
• Garnish: lime peel and a mint sprig

Muddle the fruits with simple syrup. Add Marie Brizard Crème de Menthe, Blanche and rhum agricole to shake with ice. Fine-strain into a rocks and key lime wheel filled Collins glass. Top with a splash of soda water and garnish with a lime peel and a mint sprig.