Tag Archives: bartending school

Forgotten Classic Cocktails: The Gimlet!

By BartenderOne | Published: December 8, 2010

The Gimlet aka Gene Snyder on the rocks.

Once as popular as the Martini or Manhattan the mighty Gimlet is often overlooked by modern cocktailians. On several occasions I have even received a Martini with cocktail onions(Gibson) upon ordering a Gimlet. Two simple ingredients combine to make something much more. A juniper-citrus aroma, through the sweet and sour mid palate, and a long lingering finish. Hard to beat for a serious slake. If you have the means please make your own lime cordial, it really makes a difference. Recipes follow. Gimlet 1 / Scurvy 0

Posted in Mixology, Proper Service, Raising the Bar | Also tagged Bartender, Bartender One, Bartender Training, Bartenderone, Bartending, Bartending School Toronto, Cocktails, Forgotten Cocktails, Fresh Cocktails, Gimlet, Learn to Bartend, Mixologist, Mixology, toronto bartending school, Toronto Bartending Schools | Comments closed

TFL 4…Flair in the City

By BartenderOne | Published: December 8, 2010

The Toronto Flair League’s biggest competition to date was clearly TFL#3 as competitors from across the world got together to take part in the event.

Following TFL#3, the promoters got together and decided that there needed to be some changes to the direction that the league was headed in.

There have been many different up-start flair bartending groups or organizations over the years, and they all had one thing in common. The FBA, or Flair Bartending Association, which is the governing body in the world of flair bartending. This meant that each organization could host competitions, and could ask the FBA to judge, as they are currently the standard for how all of the major flair bartending competitions are judged.

Posted in Flair Bartending, Proper Service, Raising the Bar | Also tagged Bartender, Bartender One, Bartender Training, Bartenderone, Bartending, Bartending School Toronto, Cocktails, Flair Bartending, Fresh Cocktails, Gavin MacMillan, Learn to Bartend, Mixologist, Mixology, Molecular Mixology, toronto bartending school, Toronto Bartending Schools | Comments closed

My, Oh My, Oh Margarita!

By BartenderOne | Published: November 24, 2010

Strap on your mixologist shoes, because the Margarita possibilities are endless!

For some reason, the world’s most popular cocktail has never quite captured Canadian hearts. Instead, the margarita has always had a bit of a seedy reputation, the chief protagonist in stories that start “remember that time in Mexico.” But rather than take up time and space determining our national opposition to the cocktail (bar mix instead of fresh lime, maybe?), let’s play with some variations sure to temp any palate.

The original margarita is as simple as its little brother, the tequila shot (salt, tequila and a slice of lime). Classic recipes call for three parts tequila, one part Cointreau and three parts fresh lime juice, shaken hard over ice. Made like this, the cocktail is deliciously balanced, the strength of the tequila working with the sweetness of orange and sourness of the lime. But while it will no doubt go down in history as one of the classics, we are lucky to be in the middle of a cocktail revolution, allowing us to use everything and anything in our power to concoct new creations.

Posted in Proper Service, Raising the Bar | Also tagged Bartender, Bartender One, Bartender Training, Bartenderone, Bartending, Bartending School Toronto, blackberry, Cocktails, Flair Bartending, Fresh Cocktails, Learn to Bartend, Margarita, Mixologist, Mixology, Molecular Mixology, toronto bartending school | Comments closed

Mango-Mania: Creating sub-tropic masterpieces!

By BartenderOne | Published: November 18, 2010

Stay away from the Winter Blues with summer cocktails!

So I’m pretty sure that by now that we’ve all had the chance to try either a pomegranate martini one of the many other power fruit cocktails taking the country by storm. They’re good, aren’t they? Can I interest you in something even a little more luscious? If so, come with me down mango lane. For good reason, the mango is the second most popular fruit on the planet. With its versatility and availability, it has quickly climbed to the top of every mixologists daily shopping list.

Mangos are a sub-tropical fruit, requiring a long, hot period to properly ripen. More mangos are eaten fresh than any other fruit in the world. And there are over a thousand varieties of mango. The enzymes in mangos are tenderizing, similar to those found in papayas. Mangos help to lower cholesterol, aid digestion, and are rich in both vitamins A and C.

Posted in Mixology, Raising the Bar | Also tagged Bartender, Bartender Training, Bartenderone, Bartending, Bartending School Toronto, Cocktails, Fresh Cocktails, Fresh Fruit Cocktails, Learn to Bartend, Mango Cocktails, Mixologist, Mixology, Molecular Mixology, toronto bartending school | Comments closed

The Tipping Point.

By BartenderOne | Published: November 10, 2010

Great service is so hard to come by; If only we could all have giant forks.

I’m ticked off. You might even say I’m at the tipping point. I’m fed up with receiving mediocre drinks and dealing with snotty bartenders who think they deserve to get tipped for service that is average at best.

Each year, I’m lucky to be able to go some place warm for the first week of January to unwind, recharge and set goals for the year. I usually look for a destination that has a namesake cocktail; last year I got to work with some amazing bartenders in Fiji. While I taught them a little bit about mixology, they schooled me how to make the perfect blue lagoon while standing in the Blue Lagoon in the Yasawa Islands.

Shortly thereafter I travelled to Miami in search of the best made mojito outside of Havana, Cuba. The offering up and down the Miami Beach strip was, quite frankly, pathetic. Most bartenders used mint syrup instead of fresh mint, lime and sugar. They also treated our party like an interruption rather than the reason for their employment. In Miami, I was told to “wait a moment” because the bartender was watching television. Then he not only charged me an 18 per cent automatic gratuity on the single mojito I purchased but had the gall to ask for an additional tip.

Posted in Mixology, Proper Service, Raising the Bar | Also tagged Bartender, Bartender One, Bartender Training, Bartenderone, Bartending, Bartending School Toronto, Cocktails, Fresh Cocktails, garnish, Gavin MacMillan, Learn to Bartend, Mixologist, Mixology, Molecular Mixology, toronto bartending school, Toronto Bartending Schools | Comments closed

The Classics Reborn – Have you noticed a trend forming in the ever-changing world of cocktails?

By BartenderOne | Published: November 4, 2010

Yes, being innovative in the cocktail world is great, but you must know how to make a quality classic!

The last couple of years have seen countless changes behind the bar. In fact, if you can dream it, you’ll probably see it at a bar near you, where bar chefs continually redefine “thinking outside the box.” Flavoured spirits, infusions, dry ice, flamed garnishes, muddled drinks and the inclusion of herbs and fresh fruit are all testament to this. With the world now at our fingertips, it isn’t hard for your establishment be on the forefront of the next big thing, the next beverage revolution.

Here’s the kicker. Refined versions (or re-defined versions) of old school cocktails are in. Signature drinks such as Cosmopolitans and Sidecars are back with a vengeance, revamped for a taste that is familiar, yet new. Ingredients like pomegranate and green tea, for example, are adding a whole new level of flavour and sophistication to the traditional martini.

Posted in Mixology, Proper Service, Raising the Bar | Also tagged Bartender, Bartender One, Bartender Training, Bartenderone, Bartending, Bartending School Toronto, Cocktails, Flair Bartending, Fresh Cocktails, garnish, Gavin MacMillan, Learn to Bartend, Mixologist, Mixology, Molecular Mixology, toronto bartending school, Toronto Bartending Schools | Comments closed

Reintroducing Quality Cocktails – A Fresh Look at Profits Behind the Bar

By BartenderOne | Published: October 19, 2010

Get creative! - Humans have come thus far through evolution, cocktails should be right up there with us!

Seventy-five years ago, during the Great Depression, Americans cheered and raised a glass to the repeal of prohibition. Largely viewed as a huge flop — considering that as soon as Congress banned the sale and service of alcohol, consumption rose to record levels (though just how much it increased is tough to judge as “gangsters” didn’t find it prudent to report their sales to the government) — there are lessons to be learned from the “noble experiment,” which can be applied to the recession we face today.

Posted in Mixology, Proper Service, Raising the Bar | Also tagged Bartender, Bartender Training, Bartenderone, Bartending, Bartending School Toronto, Cocktails, Flair Bartending, Fresh Cocktails, garnish, Learn to Bartend, Mixologist, Mixology, Money Drinks, toronto bartending school, Toronto Bartending Schools | Comments closed

Does Passion Equal Profit?

By BartenderOne | Published: September 29, 2010

Mojito

A little bit of love can go a long way. Care about your drinks! Customers WILL notice, and so will the bank.

Most managers in the hospitality industry have experienced a diamond in the rough. By this I mean a staff member who just seems to get service, and has that “X factor” we can never seem to put our finger on. Having thought about it a fair amount, I have come to the conclusion that the aforementioned “X factor” is passion. And while many of our staff members are admittedly on a career stopover, I believe that you can ignite this passion. How? By simply articulating the “What’s In It for Me?”

Posted in Mixology, Raising the Bar | Also tagged Bartender, Bartender One, Bartender Training, Bartenderone, Bartending, Bartending Competition, Bartending School Toronto, Cocktails, Fresh Cocktails, Mixologist, Mixology, Money Drinks, toronto bartending school, Toronto Bartending Schools | Comments closed

Can you afford to train… Can you afford not to?

By BartenderOne | Published: August 25, 2010

It's like sending someone to race a car who doesn't know how to drive.... Lacking bartender training is absolutely detrimental to a business !

Do you have unexplained losses in liquor or wine, in draught beer… in all three? If your restaurant is like most hospitality concepts, chances are your current bartender training is based on generations of bartenders who may not have been fully trained themselves. Most restaurants open with meticulous operational guidelines for how drinks are prepared, with detailed recipe lists that must be strictly adhered to along with opening and closing procedures, weekly checklists for cleanliness and follow up procedures. Does this sound familiar? Maybe it’s a distant memory…

What usually follows can be likened to a game of broken telephone, where each generation of bartenders passes on an adapted interpretation of your original training message. In the hospitality industry where employee turnover rates are commonly 50%-66% per year, it doesn’t take long before your original training standards are barely recognizable.

Posted in Mixology, Proper Service, Raising the Bar | Also tagged Bartender, Bartender One, Bartender Training, Bartenderone, Bartending School Toronto, Cocktails, Learn to Bartend, Mixologist, Mixology, toronto bartending school, Toronto Bartending Schools | Comments closed

Irregular Service Ethics.

By BartenderOne | Published: August 19, 2010

Yes, PLEASE.

Remember every time Norm walked into the bar on Cheers, the entire bar would call out in unison “NORM!” It didn’t matter who was behind the bar, they knew what he drank, and it was ready and waiting for him as he assumed his position at the end of the bar. Norm embodied the “regular,” the men and women who frequent your establishment regularly. They are the ones who more often than not, tip well, and don’t ask for any special kind of service. In many cases they are the types who spend thousands a year in your establishment. They are the cornerstones of your business, you certainly can’t afford to lose them, so the question clearly is how do you keep them and how do you get more of them?

Posted in Mixology, Proper Service, Raising the Bar | Also tagged Bar Chef, Bartender, Bartender One, Bartender Training, Bartenderone, Bartending School Toronto, Clients, Gavin MacMillan, Good Service, Mixologist, Regular Customers, Rob Montgomery | Comments closed