Hartford’s Chango Rosa, in cooperation with Connecticut Distributors, Inc. (CDI), hosted a “Booze Box” blindfolded cocktail competition featuring Olmeca Altos Tequila on January 28. Local bartenders paired up, with one bartender blindfolded as their teammate first walked them through a “Birdbox”-themed obstacle course to choose their ingredients, and then led them through making a cocktail blindfolded. Teams were judged based on timing and taste. The team of Jerome Daigneult of Marlborough Tavern and Mary Quinn of Bistro on Main took the win, with team Aaron Stepka and Dustin Amore, both of The Cook & The Bear, in second.
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- Olmeca Altos Plata Tequila, Olmeca Altos Reposado Tequila and Olmeca Altos Añejo Tequila.
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- Contestants used Hartford Flavor Company’s Wild Moon Chai Spice, Cointreau and Wild Moon Cucumber in cocktail creations.
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- Cocktails created by blindfolded bartenders during the Booze Box challenge.
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- Dustin Amore and Aaron Stepka, both of The Cook & The Bear, placed behind first-place winning team Mary Quinn, Bistro on Main and Jerome Daigneult, Marlborough Tavern.
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- Team competitors Clarissa LoNero, Little River Restoratives and Stephanie Anderson, The Beamhouse.
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- Team competitors Chelsea Solkowski and Jamie Oakes, Millwright’s.
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- Runners-up Aaron Stepka and Dustin Amore, both of The Cook & The Bear.
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- Team competitors Anastasia Rossi and Jaime Arnold, both of Tisane Euro-Asian Cafe.
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- Contestants Stacey Pabst, Account Development Specialist, CDI and Nadine Gengras, Portfolio and Account Development Manager, CDI.
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- A cocktail created during the Booze Box competition.
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- Stephanie Cohen and MeKayla Roy, both of Zohara Mediterranean Kitchen.
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- Contestants Corrine Ferrante, ON20 and Amanda Monty.
