Michelle Howard, of Plainwell, invented a new cocktail so creative and tasty, it’ll be placed on upcoming beverage menus at 66 Michigan Applebee locations.
The second annual Neighborhood Bartender Mixology Competition was an event designed to showcase the skill set of nearly 400 Applebee bartenders.
Howard’s “Grand Larceny Shakedown” won a statewide competition for the use of bourbon.
“It’s an adult version of a shake,” she said. “It’s made with Larceny Bourbon, ice cream, peaches, caramels and pecans on top.”
Howard was one of 14 bartenders from TEAM Schostak Family Restaurants, a Livonia-based family-owned restaurant group, who competed at the Detroit Applebee’s to showcase the skills of 400 bartenders from across the state. TEAM Schostak owns the 66 restaurants the Grand Larceny Shakedown will be featured in. Howard also won a cash prize.
There were three competitions as part of this event: a local, regional and statewide competition.
Each competition featured six different categories to compete in: a Pearl Vodka Cocktail; a Cointreau Rickey, using fresh lime juice, favorite base spirit and club soda; a Valentine Cocktail, using Valentine White Blossom Vodka and Liberator Gin; a Beso Del Sol Sangria, using Beso Del Sol starter mix; Larceny Bourbon, using bourbon; and Red Bull Non Alcoholic.
The bartending and recipes were scored on taste, creativity, drink name, ability to execute making the drink, and the crowd’s response.
Howard, a 2000 Plainwell High School graduate, said she has bartended at several other locations before moving back to Plainwell more than two years ago. Recently moving into management at the Applebee’s on M-89 in Plainwell, she said it was a fun competition that made her feel like she was part of a family and had a participating voice in the company.
When Howard is not at work, she likes to travel, write, and chase around her 5-year-old daughter.
“She was at all my competitions and was my number one cheerleader,” she said.
Even though the Grand Larceny Shakedown is not on the menu quite yet, Howard said, “Come in and try my drink!”
Virginia Ransbottom can be contacted at vransbottom@allegannews.com or at (269) 673-5534.
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