Long Island bartenders compete for charity

At 10 o’clock on the Wednesday night before the recent snowstorm, when Huntington’s streets seemed unusually quiet, a band of hardy souls trickled into Hush Bistro on Gerard Street.

Inside, tables were pushed to each side of the room, and a handful of bartenders manned their own mise en place of bottles, herbs, shakers, fruit, a blowtorch (on at least one table) and tiny sample cups of Scotch whisky cocktails they had created. The small crowd began to sip and vote on them.

Though friendly bartending competitions happen sporadically around Long Island — often sponsored by spirit producers — this one had a twist: It was organized by Frank Antonetti, owner of Huntington’s The Rust & Gold, as an inaugural event in a series of competitions, and one that might pave the way to a local bartenders’ guild.

“The guild would help raise awareness, and push standards up across the board,” said Antonetti, who has worked in the hospitality industry for 15 years. Though Long Island can have a fragmented cocktail scene, Antonetti thinks there is a momentum toward local mixology — and the event highlighted that. “I wanted to showcase the creativity we’re trying to develop right now.”

Participating bartenders had about a week to play with the base spirit, a blended Scotch whisky donated by Cutty Sark. Hush donated the space.

On the night of the event, the bartenders — from Hush Bistro, Babylon’s The Brixton, Crabtree’s New York & Main in Huntington, Blackbird Kitchen & Cocktails in Wantagh and Forest Hills’ Station House — shook, stirred and decanted.

Those who paid $20 each to attend helped raise $500 for the SATO Project, a nonprofit that rescues abandoned and abused dogs in Puerto Rico.

They eventually anointed a winner: Chase Erickson of Crabtree’s, who created two drinks — including a blend of Cutty Sark, cream sherry and five-spice syrup called the Andalusian Delusion.

The next competition will be in late February or early March, said Antonetti, who hopes they will happen once a month, or at least quarterly.

Is genever on deck as a base spirit? Maybe . . .