The Piranhas Mix Up Some Drinks With Bite

Collaboration is a wonderful and powerful tool.  Granted, it can sometimes go wrong, like with the band “Traveling Wilburys.” I mean, with all those legendary names did anyone really like that band?  Really?  Most of the time, however, collaboration blends different people with different ideas to create something better than what might have been possible individually.  And, when that collaborative energy is channeled into creating a cocktail, it’s even better.

Last Friday, I was invited to collaborate on a cocktail for the Moraga Ranch Swim Club’s upcoming Hoedown fundraising dinner.  Michelle Dow, chair of the Bar Committee for the event, gathered eight of us together to mix up a fun party drink for what she hopes will be 200 guests.  Volunteer, novice bartenders will staff the bar, so the drink needs to be quick and easy, preferably pre-mixed.  The last thing anyone wants to do at a fundraiser is wait in line.

Last year, I suggested a themed cocktail colored blue with Curacao.  On top of Vodka and lemon aide, I tried an old bartender trick used by some theme restaurants, which is to add a dash of Grenadine syrup into the blue drink to create a blood-red cloud in the cup. It was a fun effect and the name “Piranha Bite” fit with the club’s mascot.  This year’s committee liked the theme, but wanted something a little less sweet.

The committee assembled and with a good spread of booze went to work mixing in the vein of free association.  A few attempts when horribly wrong, with one in particular turning a shade of green usually only seen in stagnate ponds, although it didn’t taste as good as pond water.  Let’s call that a “Traveling Wilburys” on the rocks.  One of the committee members broke out his own tried-and-true recipe combining lemon aide, peach iced tea, and Vodka, which created a very summer-friendly drink.  In an attempt to mix up something less sweet than last year’s entry, but still keeping things fun and festive, I shook up a traditional Margarita (Tequila, lime juice, triple sec) and added a ¼ oz of Curacao to bring the blue.  The committee liked the blue Margarita and the Grenadine trick will still deliver the “Piranha Bite” effect.

So, the collaboration brought about two very tasty drinks that will satisfy a broad spectrum of tastes and hopefully turn out to be a solid money maker for the club.  Both cocktails can be put together using ingredients purchased in larger quantities, which will keep costs down and make them quick and easy for novice bartenders to server to a large crowd.  When managed properly and consumed responsibly, cocktails can not only provide social lubrication that enlivens a party, they can also help raise funds for worthy causes.

It’s always a good idea to remember what committee has learned over time -- that when entertaining a crowd, large or small, you can minimize the headaches and the bill by keeping things simple.  Check out more tasty, easy-to-mix recipes and time-saving party tips at www.30-SecondBartender.com.  You can also keep up with the latest booze news on Facebook.  Live the Party!

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