PolishYoungstown contest seeks best vodka cocktail

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Mixologists are being sought to enter Polish-Youngstown’s second annual Vodka Cocktail Contest.

The event will begin at 7:45 p.m. Feb. 26, as part of PolishYoungstown’s Ostatki celebration in The Youngstown Club in the Commerce Building, downtown.

Contestants will be asked to create a cocktail using Polish vodka as a base. No more than five ingredients, including the garnish, can be used. Contestants must supply their own garnishes.

The cocktail must be named for something related to Poland, or anything Polish — for example, The Warsaw Uprising. An explanation for the name must be provided.

A panel of celebrity judges, including Natalie Lariccia, Tyler Clark, Clarke Johnson and Vindicator editor Todd Franko, will rate the cocktails based on name, presentation, creativity, originality and taste.

Contestants must be in attendance from 7:45 to 8:45 p.m. to participate.

Anyone can enter, but there is a $25 entry fee per person or bar.

The winner will receive a $100 dinner gift certificate, a bottle of Vesica Polish vodka and a Vesica T-shirt; and the sponsoring bar will receive free advertising on the PolishYoungstown newsletter and website in 2011.

A limited number of contestants will be accepted. Deadline for entry is Feb. 20.

For more information, call Ken Shirilla at 330-503-9874.