Moretti's bartender's 'Tropical Heat' named Best Martini in the Burbs

Adam Wanaski, a bartender at Moretti's Ristorante in Hoffman Estates, loves the beach, and with the lousy winter weather we've been having he wanted to remind people "summer is around, even in the wintertime."

Wanaski's "Tropical Heat" took top honors at Monday's annual Daily Herald's Best Martini in the Burbs contest.

His concoction of Absolut Lime, strawberry puree, pineapple juice and a dash of cayenne brought a dose of fruity heat to the competition.

Christian Schmidling of Chicago Prime Italian in Schaumburg won crowd favorite for his Dolce Caramella Cafe, a mix of espresso, caramel and vanilla vodka.

Wanaski, 38, grew up in Schaumburg and has been a bartender for 13 years, the last three and a half at Moretti's.

This was his first entry into the Daily Herald contest. But, he says, it won't be his last.

He wowed the crowd with his fancy moves, pouring his presentation cocktail into a glass that stood on his forehead.

"I've been in a lot of flair competitions," he said. "But winning this is just amazing."

For his efforts, Wanaski left with $500, a plaque to put behind the bar and bragging rights.