By Bobby Tanzilo Senior Editor/Writer Published Oct 20, 2010 at 12:58 PM

OnMilwaukee.com and Maker's Mark® have partnered for a special promotion all October called "Paint The Town Red." We selected 10 of Milwaukee's best mixologists, asked them to share their trademark bourbon recipes, and now, we're giving you a chance to vote for -- and win $50 from -- one of their respective bars. Our job during this month was fun, too: we sampled each of the cocktails and are happy to tell you all about them.

To enter to win, just click here and vote for your favorite recipe. And make sure to visit these 10 bars and try these most unique of Maker's Mark cocktails, too. You'll be glad you did!

The Dairy State

1½ parts Maker's Mark Bourbon
½ part simple syrup
Splash vanilla extract
Dash of cinnamon

Fill with whole milk. Shake like crazy and strain into fresh pint glass filled with ice. Top with dash of nutmeg.

David Kenyon came over from sister establishment Maxie's Southern Comfort to launch Blue's Egg in the old Heinemann's space at 76th and Bluemound. He decided to create a new cocktail to inaugurate the place and The Dairy State -- which has the look and feel of a milkshake -- is the result.

"We wanted something that goes with breakfast and lunch," says Kenyon, referring to the fact that Blue's Egg is only open for those meals each day.

"It's a take-off on a New Orleans favorite, the bourbon milk punch," he says. "I took out the egg white and simplified it. I use a nice Madagascar vanilla extract, which is why people don't get the same results when they try to make it at home."

So, people actually try to recreate "The Dairy State" at home?

"It has a that kind of 'I have to try it' thing going on," Kenyon says. "A lot of eaters and drinkers go for it and everybody is always pleasantly surprised. It could dethrone the Bloody Mary as a hangover drink."

I don't know about hangovers, but The Dairy State, with its dense, lush foam on top (thanks to the shaken whole milk -- Kenyon uses Sassy Cow organic milk), creamy milk base and tangy nutmeg on top, is sinfully smooth and delicious.

"It's lighter," warns Kenyon, "but still has that Maker's Mark punch to it."

Bobby Tanzilo Senior Editor/Writer

Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.

He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.

With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.

He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.

In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.

He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.