Author Profile for Jen Russo

Posts by Jen Russo

• 08/24/11 Manny Hinojosa hosts the Corzo Throwdown at Trump Waikiki

  Corzo Throwdown judges hard at work. Photo By Ryan Matsumoto People have been drinking agave for eons beginning with the ancestors’ witches brew called pulque to the more refined modern tequilas. The traditional ways of harvesting remain the norm, as machete weilding jimadores whittle agave plants down to the pina to begin the roasting and [...]

• 08/23/11 Third Annual Don the Beachcomber Mai Tai Festival Announces Winners

  The Third Annual Bacardi Mai Tai Festival was held at the Royal Kona Resort on August 12 and 13th where thirty contenders from Maui, Oahu, Hawaii, Slovakia, Las Vegas, and Seattle vied for the $10,000 cash prize to create the best Mai Tai.  The components of the drink are fourfold: 1. rum based in spirits, [...]

• 08/01/11 The Search Begins: Tommy Bahama is looking for a Rumologist

  Do you drink more rum than Jack Sparrow? Is it your life’s mission to dress in Tommy Bahama duds and visit tropical locations discussing the finer points of mojito versus daiquiri? Does the idea of adding Rum Ambassador to your resume get you all giddy? Then this could be your ideal job, with a $50,000 [...]

• 07/28/11 USBG Bacardi Pina Colada Competition at Tales of the Cocktail Announces Winners

  By some incredible turn of events that involved the Association of Alternative Newsmedia, 3 airports and 12 hours, I landed myself at Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans with 48 hours notice. Tales is an internationally acclaimed event for bartenders, spirit brands, booze media and enthusiasts, celebrating its 9th year as the 5 day [...]

• 07/21/11 Deep-Sea Vodka Maker Shay Smith of Ocean Vodka

  Shay Smith of Ocean Vodka. Photo by Sean Hower Ocean Vodka is a family-owned Maui company, but their product isn’t distilled on the Valley Isle. This is no great secret; president Shay Smith will be the first to tell you. “Yeah we get criticized by the competition because we don’t distill the spirit here, but we [...]

• 07/06/11 Event Recap: The Maui Film Festival Taste of Wailea featured Ocean Vodka, Stella Artois

  The participating restaurants included Ruth Chris, Mala Ocean Tavern, Monkeypod (@petermerriman), Matteo’s, Gannon’s (@bevgannonmaui ), Joe’s, Bistro Molokini (@grandwailea), Four Seasons (@FSMaui ), Pita Paradise Wailea, Capische, Spago, Mulligan’s on the Blue, and Ko (@fairmontkealani).  The menu was incredible–seafood, lamb, beef, pork, pasta, salad, Greek, asian, Italian, American and desserts, if its delicious it was here. These tasting dishes were artfully plated, hearty, refined, and plentiful. [...]

• 06/08/11 The Kapalua Wine and Food Festival Celebrates the Big 3-0

  The Kapalua Wine and Food Festival celebrates 30 years on Maui with their annual celebration of great wines of the world and cuisine of Maui. That means I wasn’t even 21 at the first one! Starting in 1981, the wine world was a different place.  The wine industry has come a long way in 30 [...]

• 11/18/10 The Happening: Art and Wine Join at the Wailea Food and Wine Celebration on Maui

  Sumptuous wines of the world and art come together in one fabulous fundraiser for Hui No’eau Visual Arts Center at the 4th annual Wailea Food and Wine Celebration under this year’s theme Li’ula i Wailea “twilight at Wailea”. This wine event is really like no other on Maui, a gathering of art appreciators and wine [...]

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