The Polymath Gets Her Groove Back, Part Ten

I’ve always been one of those people to scoff at the art in the museum that is just a big canvas painted black. After all, how hard is that? Then again, I’ve never actually tried to make a large canvas perfectly, evenly, black, so maybe it’s not as simple as it appears.

I’m a good cook, often a great cook; I write my own recipes and tweak other people’s all the time. I figured how hard could it be to win some contests?

Then I entered about 30 different contests dozens of times and didn’t win bupkes, not even honorable mention or an e-mail to thank me for my participation.

Oh well.

Onto the next project.

That’s the best thing about being a polymath, after all, if you try something and don’t succeed, there’s a bunch of other stuff you’ll be genius at, so you don’t have to pout for long, and never have any regrets.

Then I got an e-mail.

Mionetto Prosecco cocktail entries now ready for voting! Click here to tell us your favorite!

Hmmmph. Mionetto. One of my favorite proseccos, and I had entered their cocktail contest with what I thought was a pretty killer martini *, one I had actually made and tasted! I wonder who beat me out? I click.

SWEET FANCY MOSES!

They have not chosen the top contenders, as I assumed they would, they have posted all 300+ submissions and are asking for online voting. The top three online vote-getters get a free trip for two to NY and make their drink for a panel of judges, third prize $500, second prize $1000, first prize FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS!

This bitch is still in the game.

I check to see how my little cocktail is doing.

Zero votes.

The leader has nearly 700 votes. There are a couple of people in the 500s, a few in the 300s and a few in the 100s.

Craperooni.

I vote for myself.

I feel better. I feel empowered. This I can do. Polymaths, after all, are very popular people, being so multi-dimensional and talented and all, so I have a good group of supporters. I send out an e-mail. I post a link on Facebook. I put it on MySpace. I tell everyone I know to tell everyone they know, and sit back and wait for the shampoo-commercial-effect to hit the airwaves.

NEXT: The Polymath Puts Up A Fight

* Mionetini

INGREDIENTS:
1 oz Mionetto Brut or other prosecco
1 oz premium vodka
1 oz Elderflower Liqueur (St. Germain, available at www.thecellaronline.com)
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
1/2 oz pineapple juice

Optional:
For rim of glass:
1 T lemon juice
1 T sugar in the raw
1 t grains of paradise, ground (African pepper available at www.thespicehouse.com)

For Float:
1 T Mionetto Brut or other prosecco

PREPARATION:
Fill shaker with ice, and shake all ingredients well.
Dip rim of martini glass in lemon juice and then in the combined sugar and grains of paradise.
Strain cocktail into glass and float 1 T Mionetto Brut on the top for extra fizz.