The competition was fierce, but someone had to come out the victor.
Our annual Helado Borracho competition took place this past August 24, and our competitors kept things as creative as ever as they created Kinsman-filled ice cream desserts.
From Bohanan’s porter float with Kinsman ice cream and brittle, to Hoppy Monk’s Day & Night ice cream (a riff on our top-selling cocktail), to The Jerk Shack’s complex rum cake a la mode, this year’s Helado Borracho had chefs bringing out the big guns. New to the fray, Fontaine’s Diner kept it chill with an ice cream sandwich that combined fennel and Kinsman-soaked apricots. Liberty Bar wowed once more with a ginger-laced Kinsman ice cream.
But the winner of the night was Jason Garcia of Il Forno. Our neighbor might have had a leg up with his exposure to our flavors, but he won over the night’s judges (KSAT’s David Elder, San Antonio Express-News’ Paul Stephen, San Antonio Cocktail Conference’s Cathy Siegel, and the San Antonio Current’s Ron Bechtol and Lea Thompson) fair and square.
Jason’s ricotta olive oil popsicle with Kinsman-infused apricot puree paired with arugula brought out delicious layers of savory and balanced sweet along with peppery notes and earned him the Helado Borracho title.
“I've always enjoyed boozy popsicles and felt that they are a great summer treat. They are similar to a frozen drink, but with texture. Using Kinsman was great because apricot pairs well with so many things. Also, the apricot flavor is apparent without being sweet,” Jason said.
People’s Choice winner Grace Rivera, pastry sous chef at Clementine, won attendees over with her mango cheesecake Kinsman ice cream paired with an ice cream cone macaron.
The night helped serve as a fundraiser for Contemporary Art Month, which helps promote San Antonio artists.
“The trophy is recognition of our hard work. But nothing replaces the day to day interaction with people that walk in and share their lives with us. We've met so many people over the years…welcomed them to the neighborhood, said goodbye to those that have moved away, and watched children grow up. We look forward to growing with the neighborhood along with Dorćol,” Jason said.
