Bartenders receiving their awards

ST JOHN, USVI: After hours of dicing, sauteing, and pan searing on June 28, the U.S. Virgin Islands Culinary Team whipped up creative dishes and drinks earning gold, silver, and bronze medals for the territory restaurant industry at the annual "Taste of the Caribbean."

The event was sponsored by the Caribbean Hotel Association during the annual Caribbean Hotel Industry Conference (CHIC).

The team led by Balongo Bay's (St. Thomas) Executive Chef Ric Ade; included Chefs Rodney Rightenburg and Andrew Powers of Caneel Bay (St. John), and Leslie Gumbs of Theo's Personal Catering, (St. Thomas), Pastry Artist, Dennis Gribbin of the Cultured Pearl (St. Croix), and Bartender Steve Potter of Craig and Sally's, (St. Thomas).

Judged by a prestigious panel of culinary experts, the USVI team won a bronze medal for the best creative use of Angostura bitters and for their Angostura Tomato Jam early on in the competition. Bartender Steve Potter received both gold and bronze medals for the most creative Vodka drink, and for his Jamocka Jumbie.

Available resources state the original recipe for Angostura bitters was developed in 1824 by German Dr. Johann Gottlieb Benjamin Siegert, a Surgeon General in Simon Bolivar's army in Venezuela.

This category of the competition was based on the most creative and innovative use of a mystery basket of Caribbean ingredients. Bartenders also had a mystery basket to concoct vodka, rum and non-alcoholic drinks. The term "mystery basket" is used when contest participants have no prior knowledge of the ingredients they will be working with.

Seasoned competitor and team captain Ade said, " the quality of the competition keeps going up and up", and "The spirit and camaraderie among the competing teams was amazing."

The remaining team entries were; pates old and new (featuring curried chicken gallentine, gingered carrot reduction, and classic West Indian pork pate made with cheddar cheese crust atop Angostura Tomato Jam), bacon and plantain wrapped grouper (sweet potato flan, pineapple mango chutney, grouper Rangoon, spaghetti squash and island root vegetable hash, molasses BBQ glaze), and a bushwacker truffle for dessert.

Drinks included Jomocha Jumbie (vodka), Sinless Sangria (non-alcoholic) and Green flash (rum).