It’s a Cocktail-Off!

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 21 — Cocktail aficionados around the
country eagerly await the inaugural Square Off cocktail competition
co-hosted by CHOW.com and Om Organics this fall. On September 25th from
5:30pm to 7:30pm at the Ferry Building in San Francisco, two of the
nation’s foremost cocktailians will vie to create the most delicious
culinary cocktail from seasonal, organic ingredients. After the bustle of
CUESA’s famed Tuesday Farmer’s Market, one avid amateur mixologist and one
top professional bartender will square off in a contest of individual
mixing talent and vision — and a tribute to the country’s flourishing
interest in sustainability and organic culinary drinks culture.

CHOW has selected Square One(R) Organic Vodka as the featured spirit
for its Square Off. It invites amateur and professional liquid chefs to
submit their recipes on CHOW.com using Square One and other organic
ingredients. A stellar panel of judges from the spirits world will single
out the most mouthwatering concoctions. The two contenders will then come
to San Francisco for a showdown before a fervent public audience and an
expert committee of food and wine authorities.
The contestants’ first challenge will be to create an original recipe
for a pitcher cocktail using Square One(R) Organic Vodka and at least 75%
organic ingredients. They will send in this recipe to CHOW.com and the two
chosen cocktails will be served at the event and judged by both the panel
and the gathered audience in a People’s Choice category. At the Square Off
finals, the contestants will face two further challenges: develop one
cocktail using ingredients culled from the Farmers Market at the Ferry
Building that day, and another based on a mystery seasonal, organic
ingredient. The judges’ verdicts on these three drinks will determine the
winner.
The Square Off’s five-person judging panel will include Jacques
Bezuindenhout of San Francisco’s renowned Harry Denton’s Starlight Room,
Jane Goldman of Chow, Natalie Bovis-Nelsen of The Liquid Muse blog, and one
lucky consumer will be chosen locally. As part of an ongoing effort to
forge ties with likeminded companies within the eco community, the
competition will also bring together an exciting mix of innovators from the
green space and beyond. Ticket proceeds from the final event will benefit
the non-profit groups Om Organics and CUESA and their mission to promote
organic and local foods. Additional sponsors include Imbibe Magazine
[www.imbibemagazine.com], Ideal Bite [www.idealbite.com], Bacar Restaurant
San Francisco [www.bacarsf.com], and Pro Designs Pro Bar Set
[www.ultimatebarchef.com/product/PD-PBS].
For more information, please visit: http://www.chow.com/squareoff. To receive
updates about the contest, please drop us a line at squareoff@chow.com.
For press information on Square One(R) Organic Vodka, visit
http://www.charlescomm.com/clients/square_one.html or call Kimberly Charles
or Kayu Lam at 415-701-9463.

SOURCE Square One(R) Organic Vodka