Jeff Houck

The Tampa Tribune’s food writer since 2005, Jeff Houck covers the way people live through their food. He also hosts the Table Conversations food podcast and believes that everything crunchy is good.

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Blackberry + Bombay Sapphire = Blacksphire [Shannon Massie Bravely Goes To Vegas To Represent Tampa]

Posted Aug 28, 2010 by Jeff Houck

Updated Aug 28, 2010 at 08:00 AM

Shannon Massie has been working in restaurants since she was 16. She’s been tending bar since she was 18.

Now 23 and the lead bar trainer at Ocean Prime restaurant in Tampa since its opening in 2009, she’s been named Bombay Sapphire & GQ Magazine’s Most Inspired Bartender for the northern and central Florida division.

Massie is flying to Las Vegas this weekend to compete with other top bartenders Sunday through Wednesday at the annual United States Bartenders’ Guild Bartenders Summit.

The contest is part of a promotion for Bombay Sapphire to find bartenders with unique gin-inspired cocktails. To get the trip to Vegas, Massie beat out 25 bartenders Aug. 10 at Timpano Chop House in Tampa.

Her concoction, a Blackphire Martini, features a mixture of fresh blackberries, St. Germain Elderflower and lime. She drops in some dry ice for dramatic effect.

She told me on Thursday that she’s practiced the drink at least 100 times to get it right.

“Women love this drink,” she said. “It’s a drink that even people who don’t care for gin really enjoy.”

Massie’s drink will be featured on Ocean Prime’s Tampa cocktail menu. 

BLACKPHIRE MARTINI

1 1/2 ounces Bombay Sapphire
1 ounces Pine fin
1/2 ounce Blackberry Monin Syrup
3/4 ounce lime juice
1/2 ounce St. Germain Elderflower

Shake and Strain into a cocktail glass with dry ice and two fresh blackberries.

Here’s video of Shannon making the drink:

Building A Blackphire Martini from Jeff Houck on Vimeo.