-- Common Plea Catering Common Plea Catering in the Strip District recently brought home several awards from the national trade show Catersource 2008 in Las Vegas. The company's "Whimsical Candy Table" was named "Most Innovative" buffet. The company was one of three finalists for a "CATIE" award from the International Caterers Association for a drink developed for the opening of the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum.

The caterer kindly shared the recipe, which calls for pre-dying sugar (and pina colada-flavored licorice if necessary) as well as white cranberry juice with yellow food coloring for the right motif.

-- Bob Batz Jr.

• Sugar, dyed yellow or gold with food coloring
• 3 ounces of white cranberry juice, dyed with yellow food coloring
• 1 ounce of Blavod Black Vodka
• 1 black and 1 yellow licorice stick
• Rim martini glass with gold/yellow sugar
• Pour the yellow-colored white cranberry juice into the martini glass.
• Pour the vodka into martini glass (over inverted spoon).
• Cut approximately 4 inches off licorice sticks and place them into the martini glass.