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Around Town
haker maker
Paul Dale discovers that Cosmopolitans aren't just for Sex and the City girls, when he takes a boys-only cocktail class in the capital
‘ l' )ou \xant an interesting part} sometime.‘ the I .'\merican no\eli\l Rohert l'ulghum tiliipped.
‘comhine cocktails and a fresh ho\ ol‘ cra}on\ tor e\cr_\one.’ 'l‘oda} I'm doing the nut hesl thing: I‘m joining a cocktail class aimed at getting men hack into the husiness ol shaking and sipping. ll'x led h_\ Rims. the iinprohahl} handsome :ll-xlilllc‘lllltlg‘ ()\l'ord graduate \\ho manages the har at 'l‘he l.i\ing Room on lidinhul'gh's ('ieol‘gc Street. The class takes place in front ol‘. hehind and lo the side of the dark \\ood. \\;li_\t high har. \thich is equal parts .\'e\\ \‘ork long har and lau\ Scottish classicism.
We start \\ith a histor} lesson. It turns out that nohod} reall_\ knoxxx the true origin of the cocktail htit it could either haxe something to do \\ltll refreshments imhihed as part of cock-lighting traditions. or the prudent use of lel'lo\ er ale and damp sugar. 'l‘hankl‘ull} the cocktails \\e are going to make loda} hear little resemhlance to these earl} iii'iittit}|ic‘s. \xhich \\ ere generall} imhihed in the morning as a hango\ er cure.
'l‘oda} \\e m” he attempting to make three classic cocktails: a Mojilo. a (‘osmopolilan and a Basil (irande l'l‘he l.i\ ing Room‘x signature cocktail i. \Vilh Ilk‘ patience Ul' tt [it‘llllttD \c‘lttml [L‘tlc‘lk‘l‘ RU“ [ttlkx tl\ through the lime sauce/ex. the slapped minl lea\e\.
raucous shaking and high pouring ol' tlL‘lll'lHll\ tllltlllllllt‘\ ol' undiluted spirit. the students' cocktails look nothing like his. hill alter a tea \lllg'\ ol each. no one is talking aesthetics an} more.
.»\\ t‘\L‘l"\llllL‘ hegiiis lo rela\ Rli\\ chats to me ahoul his passion l'or cocktails and this neul} estahlished cocktail class. \Vilh tough new gmernment legislation on drinking estahlishments that encourage hinge drinking. our teacher is at great pains to point out that the clawes are not ahout hrokering a deal \\ith
Bacchus. lle \a} \. "l'he thing lior me and all the stall
here is to educate and entertain ahoul alcohol in a sale and respectful cnx ironment. I consider lidinhurgh to he one ol the most \\alkahle cocktail capitals in the \xiirld at the moment; the demand for good cocktails made “till the hcxt products has ne\ er heen higher in this cit} and \\e are just lr_\ ing to pla} our responsihle part h} \houihg the mechanics that go iiilo the making one.‘ It \xould appear there is a shaker re\ i\al alool.
Cocktail Masterclass, The Living Room, Edinburgh, second Tuesday of every month from 6.30pm, £25 each. 0870 44 22 805, www.thelivingroom.co.uk
To see the full cocktail recipes that Paul Dale made visit www.list.co.uk
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