Okay...it was really Bill Norris in the Chronicle, but he was gracious enough to direct people looking for his award-winning Bee Sting to our site. Thanks!

Shake it like you mean it, Bill! The professional at work while his glasses chilled (we're not sure, but we think he was the only contestant to chill glasses--a nice touch in the heat of July)

For those of you not familiar with this story, Bill is our local cocktail hero (and FINO bartender) who won the Cocktail World Cup regional finals last month in Austin, and who will be on the team that represents this region at the Cocktail World Cup in New Zealand.

The Bee Sting looks as good as it tastes...

The Bee Sting
2 oz 42 Below Honey Vodka
3/4 oz Meyer lemon juice
1/4 oz cracked peppercorn syrup
Shake and strain into chilled cocktail glass rinsed with 100% Blue Agave Blanco Tequila--preferable something peppery. Garnish with fresh ground pepper and a flamed lemon peel.

To make the syrup:
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
3/4 cups whole black peppercorns, lightly crushed (you can put them in a ziplock bag and whack it a few times with your hand on the counter.)

In a sauce pan, bring sugar and water to boil, stirring until all sugar is dissolved. Lower heat, add pepper and simmer, covered, for fifteen minutes. Remove from heat and allow to stand for another fifteen minutes. Strain out solids using a fine mesh strainer and allow to cool before using. For more pepper flavor let it stand a further ten minutes before straining.

If Meyer Lemons are unavailable, Combine the juice of one orange with the juice of ten lemons.

You can find more info about Bill, and a couple of his recipes, in this story by the Chronicle's Wes Marshall