Tobago in London: Cocktail Making Masterclass

Mr R and I had a fantastic time on our first visit to the Caribbean island of Tobago. We have both felt a strong desire to make a trip there again next year.  There is so much more for us to discover - we don't feel we even scratched the surface!

Mr R and I were invited to a cocktail masterclass hosted by Nalini the owner of the hotel - Le Grand Courlan - we stayed in on the island. She was in London for a visit and organised a get together for a few friends and people who had been at Le Grand Courlan or its sister hotel, Grafton Beach Resort.

We met up at a venue in East London and despite the intense city heat we proceeded to have a really great evening.  We drank a lovely cocktail and were offered some fantastic nibbles while we waited for everyone to arrive.

First of all we split into teams of three to cocktail making stations fully equipped with everything we would need for the evening..

Our bar tender and teacher for the evening showed us how to make two really great cocktails and then we had to make them in our teams.  Of course we also drank them too!

We made the 'Paloma' - created by Don Jaview Delgado Corona; owner and head bartender of La Capilla in Tequila, Mexico. The recipe we used was an updated version by TT Liquor (our host for the evening) to include El Jimador Tequila, apricot liqueur, lime, pink grapefruit juice and sugar syrup.

The Elderflower Julep was another quick and easy cocktail made with gin, elderflower cordial, apple juice, wedge of lemon and mint leaves. The Julep is based around the Middle Eastern custom of infusing mint and sugars into soft spirits.

After the first two cocktails we had a break and were served some authentic Tobago food.  It was nice to sit and chat with other people who loved the island as much as we had come to.

Two more cocktails to make in our groups, first the Grafton Sunset made with tequila, Amaretto, Grenadine syrup and orange juice.

Followed by the spectacular TT Zombie! Originally created in the mid 1930s but now slightly tweeked the TT Liqueur way! After mixing rum, apricot brandy, pink grapefruit juice, orange juice, grenadine you set put an inverted lime half in your glass, fill with overproof rum and light. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon for a volcanic, fiery eruption ...

... and then the competition!  Each group had to devise a cocktail and come up with a great name for it, make it and present it to the group.  Our instructor was to be the judge.

Well guess what! My team won the cocktail invention with our brand new cocktail which we named the Tobago Teaser - a subtle little concoction designed to tease you into visiting Tobago for yourself!!

To make our cocktail follow the instructions:-

Into your cocktail shaker add:
2 shots of rum
1 shot of Passoa (Passion Fruit Liqueur)
1 shot Chambourd (Raspberry Liqueur)
Juice of 1/2 lime
Ginger Beer
Top up shaker with ice

Shake, strain and pour into a chilled martini glass.
Garnish with a thin slice of pink grapefruit and mint sprig threaded onto two mini skewers and ballenced on the rim of the glass.

I hope you enjoy making the cocktail but here's a thought - why not visit Tobago and Le Grand Courlan Resort and who knows you may be able to order one at the bar!

I was a guest and not required to write a positive report.  All opinions are my own and all photographs as well. No photographs may be reproduced in any form without my written permission.