(Agen Food) – Milan, 13 May. – With the cocktail “Alloway”, Esmeralda Castrogiovannibartender at Sips, the prestigious drinkery house in Barcelona, is the Best Global ITALICUS Bar Artist of the ART OF ITALICUS Aperitif Challenge 2024, the contest created by ITALICUS Rosolio di Bergamotto to celebrate art and creativity in mixology. Now in its sixth edition, the competition this year involved bartenders from 13 countries at an international level.
“Alloway”, a cocktail inspired by pop art
Esmeralda Castrogiovanni, 27, surprised the jury with her cocktail inspired by the English artist Lawrence Reginald Alloway, pioneer of pop art. “With ‘Alloway’ I wanted to provocatively make people reflect on the concept of art and what it represents for each of us – comments the winner – To do so I was inspired by what pop art represented in the 1950s, an artistic movement that revolutionized the world of art, making it accessible to ordinary people and no longer just to a few”.
Served in a glass bottle, as if it were a simple glass of water, the creativity that led to the creation of “Alloway” is all to be discovered and interpreted: a drink that redefines what art can represent according to one’s perception and imagination. To make it you need ITALICUS Bergamot Rosolio (40ml), white bitter (20 ml) and apple soda (45 ml); all garnished with an edible napkin made of apple jam and caramel.
“Having won this prestigious title – adds Esmeralda – represents a very important achievement for me, which will help me grow further on both a professional and personal level”.
The new Best Global ITALICUS Bar Artist 2024 has been awarded a mentorship program with Julio Cabrera, international icon in mixology and owner of Cafe La Trova in Miami, one of the most renowned venues in the World’s 50 Best Bars ranking of 2023.
Slovenia and Switzerland on the other steps of the podium
Also on the podium, in second place, was the Slovenian Jan Križaj, bartender at Kavarna Moderna in Ljubljana, competing with the “Frozen” cocktail: a drink inspired by the power of the art of photography in “freezing” moments of life, stories , feelings and memories. To create his drink, Križaj was inspired by Harry Craddock, a famous English bartender of the early twentieth century, and by the famous period photo which immortalizes him while he fits a shaker containing a White Lady (one of his most famous cocktails) into a wall of the Savoy’s hotel American bar in London. “Frozen” is prepared with ITALICUS Bergamot Rosolio (45 ml), Dry Vermouth (10 ml), Pesto & tomato cordial (45 ml) and a garnish of Grana Padano with tomato powder.
Finally, behind Križaj was the Swiss Stephanie Wullschleger from Herz Bar in Basel. His “Lucha Libre” is inspired by the Mexican wrestling from which it takes its name, a style of wrestling based more on the athletic gesture than on physical strength: an entertainment show in which the protagonists express all their creativity and imagination, just like – suggests the Swiss bartender – it also happens among bartenders. “Lucha Libre” was born as a thirst-quenching aperitif and is prepared with ITALICUS Bergamot Rosolio (40 ml), kiwi and chilli cordial (40 ml) and soda (70 ml) with red kiwi garnish. The beautiful citric notes of bergamot in ITALICUS contrast with the spicy green of Jalapeño, a Mexican chili pepper. Kiwi brings tropical sweetness and pungent acidity to the aromatic profile; a pinch of salt then adds a touch of balance.
Bartenders from all over the world are competing
The final challenge, which was held in Rome on Sunday 12 May at The Court cocktail bar (on the eve of the Roma Bar Show), was attended by bartenders from Hong Kong, Sweden, UK, Slovenia, USA, Spain, Greece, Hungary, Switzerland , France, Italy, Norway and Denmark. The jury, made up of the creator Giuseppe Gallo, Paloma Difford, managing director of Difford’s Guide, and Julio Cabrera of Cafe La Trova in Miami, awarded the aperitif drinks that were most inspired by different art forms, such as sculpture, design, photography, music, literature, dance, theatre, street art and sport.
“Art of ITALICUS Aperitif Challenge – comments Giuseppe Gallo – is a program that helps us discover and get to know emerging talents in our industry year after year. The competition is proposed as a creative platform through which bartenders have the opportunity to best express their artistic sensitivity and imagination without barriers and limits. This year we had the honor of experiencing a competition with young bartenders of the highest level in terms of technique and style – concludes Gallo – We are very happy to have so many talents who wish to participate in the contest with the aim of improving and growing professionally” .
