I'm happy to announce the second joint Quickies : Morning, Noon and Night Cooking Challenge with Lazaro Cooks! Our first challenge was such a success, we had repeated requests for another Quickie challenge. Lazaro and I always aim to please, so here we are again! This time though, there will be no cooking, just mixing!

The prize will be a copy of my cookbook Quickies : Morning, Noon and Night. This is my first cookbook and I've written it with the aim of providing inspiration to anyone who's ever felt too tired or too uninspired to cook, or who has the pizza delivery number on speed dial.


 Contest Photo


I've tested and cooked every one of the 70 short, easy but sensational recipes in it countless times, over many years, so you know that they'll really work. I personally prepared and plated all the dishes in the book, which were then photographed by a professional photographer, in my apartment.

It's more than just a recipe book - there are sections for things like kitting out your kitchen, getting the most out of your kitchen tools, the quick easy way to measure baking ingredients without a scale, making fabulous coffee at home and a walk through of everything a beginner would need to know about wine and how to pair it successfully with your favourite foods. I could go on and on but if you've not seen it and are curious, why don't you take a detailed Quickies preview here instead?


The Challenge

COMPOSE a cocktail, alcoholic or non-alcoholic, of your choice. It can be your unique twist on a classic cocktail like a Martini, a Lemon Drop, a Margarita…. or a concoction of your very own creation, making its debut here ;) Use any alcohol, liqueur, mixer, juice, garnish or ingredient you wish. What we're looking for is a delicious sounding and sexy cocktail - either with a sexy name, sexy or cheeky background story, or a sexy looking presentation, or best of all, ALL THREE!!! The entry which best exemplifies sex appeal, in a glass, wins!

An example is on page 124 of Quickies: Morning, Noon & Night, "Firefly", shown below :


Photograph by Joshua Tan

I mixed Campari, lime juice, cranberry juice, a touch sugar and soda water for a zippy little quencher with the bewitching grapefruit scent of the famous Italian brand of bitters. Why did I call it "Firefly"? After I had shaken it up and strained it into a martini glass, it struck me that the colour was very much like a shade of Clinique lipstick I used to wear all the time, which was marketed as "Firefly". I haven't worn it in years, but the colour has always stuck in my mind because my husband went mad for it and once told me that if it were not for that very shade of lipstick, we might not be married today. Men ;)


Challenge Facts:

1. Neither Lazaro, nor I will be participating.
2. The winner will be unanimously chosen by Lazaro and me.
3. The challenge is open to everyone, worldwide.


Challenge Guidelines :

1. You must submit an alcoholic or non-alcoholic cocktail recipe, with a photo, as a post, on your blog.
2. Copy & Paste the Quickies cover image (contest photo shown above) onto your blog post that includes the cocktail recipe you wish to submit and  a link to both Quickies on the Dinner Table and Lazaro Cooks! .
3. If submitting an old blog post, just write a short, new post with the contest photo (Quickies Book Cover) included.
4. Email me a link to your post at  quickieschallenge@gmail.com
5. ALL ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED BY MIDNIGHT 27 September 2010 (ET).
6. On 28 September 2010 (ET) we will announce the winner & post a round-up of all the submitted cocktail recipes.


The Prize:

Winner gets a copy of Quickies: Morning, Noon, and Night


I hope you enjoy our Quickies Cocktail Challenge. Have fun and be creative – unleash the mixologist you know is hiding inside! Please tell your readers that you intend to participate; they might like to join in the merriment!

That's it for now lovely readers - I look forward to your wonderful entries!