As I sit here in the prestigious Lowes Hotel in New Orleans waiting for the Ladies of LUPEC lunch, I patiently wait to see if I am one of the only males in this seminar. I wouldn’t mind because I am surrounded by some of the most beautiful and inspirational ladies ever! As I sip the New Orleans classic, the Sazerac, I find myself wondering if this seminar will change the views I have regarding women behind the bar. Now don’t get me wrong, I love a girl that can make a great cocktail but, in my home town of Toronto, Canada, we are used to the stereotypical gorgeous girl who is well-endowed but can only come up with a rum and Coke when asked for a cocktail.
Tag Archives: bar
Ladies Who Lunch with the Ladies of LUPEC
SuperFlair 2011
The sixth annual SuperFlair flair bartending competition was held in Windsor Ontario, from May 22-24 2011. SuperFlair has been one of the biggest flair bartending competitions in Canada for many years, and this year was no exception. As part of the FBA Pro Tour, there was over $11,000 in cash and prizes up for grabs. With such a large prize pool, SuperFlair always attracts the best flair bartenders from around the world. Past winners have included world champions such as Danilo Oribe from Uruguay, and Christian and Rodrigo Delpech from Argentina.
Barback âthe backbone of a great bartenderâ
A running back in football breaks a tackle and runs the whole field for a glorious touchdown run, but no one reflects on the vital block thrown by the fullback that made it all possible.
A lawyer makes a break in a big case and becomes an instant legal star, but who thinks about the members of their team who did all of the vital legwork behind the scenes to make the big break happen?
Falernummmmmmm…
Falernum – really the name seems to just roll off the tongue right? Emphasis on the num part here or should we say the âyumâ part because here at BartenderOne there is nothing better than a bit of quality homemade Falernum in your Caribbean style cocktails.
Flair Bartender Profile – Tom Dyer
BARTENDER PROFILE: TOM DYER
Age: 26 Years Old
Nationality: England:
Lives: LONDON (England)
Bartending: 8 Years
Flairing: 7 Years
Tom Dyer is one of the worldâs best and most innovative flair bartenders.
-
Meta
What is the Importance of Ice
Ice isâŚ. An Integral Component of Every cocktail, under the general definition of a cocktail being âan alcoholic beverage which includes: Sugar, Bitters and Water (Ice)â. Whether it is being used to chill a cocktail, mix ingredients together, for dilution and water content or simply just to take up space in a glass â Ice is just as important as the drink itself.
 Bartending classes teach, about how much Ice a bartender should use in each cocktail being made, both in cocktails with a mixer for example a Whiskey Sour or even something as simple as a Rum and Coke and in âspirit- forwardâ cocktails such as a Negroni or a Manhattan. These applications are concerned with ice in the final product, but what about drinks that are served with no ice?
Question: What does âNeatâ mean?
Answer: NO ICE!!! A drink served neat, would be a shot of liquor that has had no contact with Ice. Itâs gone straight from the bottle to the glass.
So what does âStraight-Upâ mean? Ever had a Cosmopolitan or a Vodka Martini with Ice in it? I doubt it. Now think about thisâŚ..Have you ever seen a bartender shake or stir a drink, then strain the drink into a glass with no ice? This cocktail would be called a âStraight-Upâ cocktail.
So to simplify, both âStraight-Upâ and âNeatâ drinks are served without Ice. The difference is that âStraight-Upâ cocktails have had contact with ice at some point leading up to being served.
As mentioned earlier, Ice can be used to take up space in a glass. “Why wouldn’t I just use a smaller glass?” I can hear you all asking. Have you ever had a Mojito served straight-up or in a short glass with no Ice? Crushed Ice is used in the classic Mojito recipe, because not only does it keep the drink ‘Ice” cold, it takes up space in the glass allowing the drink to contain less liquid, but still appear to be a tall, grande, gesture from your favourite bartender.
Egg whites are becoming a commonly used ingredient in a whole range of different libations. Just like pineapple juice, the egg whites will emulsify under heavy shaking or whisking creating a foam. The Ice used in the shaker tin almost acts as a whisk and helps the process of emulsification during shaking, in such cocktails as the Whiskey Sour or the Gin Fizz.
Question: How important is ‘Dilution’?
Answer:Â In many cases, it is very important.
Many cocktail recipes include a shake or a stir, these are for both mixing the drink, making it cold and dilution.
Look out soon for the up-and-coming ‘Build, Shake, Stir’ blog.
Also, take a look at our molecular mixology program which will give you the lowdown on both liquid Nitrogen and Dry-Ice