If you've never dined at Paddlefish in Disney Springs, you're not alone. I haven't either, but I can say that I've had drinks on the rooftop, learned how to make those drinks myself, tried their delicious appetizers, and made a friend while breaking out of my shell. I will dine there someday soon, but for now I'm here to tell you all about one of their special events: Mixology class. Paddlefish's upcoming special events can be found here: https://paddlefishrestaurant.com/press/press
I walked into Paddlefish and was directed to head to the 3rd floor for my class. I was 5 minutes early, but I was the last one to arrive. I was therefore greeted by name and I was immediately feeling shy. I noticed I was the only single person in the class and everyone else had come with a partner. The GREAT news is that during a mixology class, you get to have drinks and these drinks make it a lot easier to converse and make friends. I was told that each mixology class that Paddlefish hosts has a theme. In the past, I think they've held a dessert drink mixology class. The class I attended on October 16th was all Fall themed cocktails, which is super fun. Fall flavors aren't just for lattes! We made 4 drinks: Bourbon Apple Martini, Pear Cosmopolitan, Caramel Apple Mule, and a Pumpkin Port Old Fashioned.
For the first drink, I just wanted to watch the instructor make the drink. However, our class was so small with just 7 of us that we had time for each person to make each drink with the bartender's instruction if they wanted to. I realized right away from watching my classmates make the first drink that bartending is a skill and not everyone is a pro! It's totally okay to look silly and our instructor told us its normal to spill liquor and make a mess. I ended up drinking the Bourbon Apple Martini that the instructor made. I enjoyed the flavor because it was definitely fall, but I've never had bourbon and it's definitely a little more biting than I'm used to.
The Pear Cosmopolitan was next and sounded way more up my alley drink wise, so I volunteered to step up and make it. I learned all the technical names for the measuring tools bartenders use. Turns out "a shot" isn't the only form of bar measurement. I learned how to measure the Grey Goose and why we put a certain amount of ice in the shaker. I even learned how to ensure that glass seals inside the shaker properly while you're shaking it to stop spillage. I loved this drink because the pear flavor went well with the splash of cranberry juice it called for.
I'd like to mention that this class is 3 hours long and you are very well taken care of during it. We had an instructor and a server who was constantly filling our water glasses, as well as bringing bread and appetizers to the table. These are all great things to make sure you're able to keep some of your wits about you while you're enjoying multiple adult libations. My favorite appetizers were the spinach and artichoke dip with house made chips and the fried green tomatoes. I had never tried these food items in my life and I'm pretty sure I won't want to try them anywhere else after Paddlefish set the bar. The fried green tomatoes were especially amazing topped with queso fresco and remoulade.
The third drink (Caramel Apple Mule) was my second favorite drink from the day. The apple juice, vodka, caramel syrup, and ginger beer were just so good together. This is a drink I'm confident I can make at home since I didn't need any fancy fruit or anything as a topper. I had never had any sort of mule beverage before and I felt fancy having one of the copper cups.
The final drink was the Pumpkin Port Old Fashioned. The friend that I made in the class ended up joining me behind the bar to make this one. We both made our own at the same time with the instruction of Captain Handsome (our bartender). This is a Whiskey based drink with bitters, Port and pumpkin syrup. I'm not usually a whiskey drinker and the bitters and Port made this a very potent beverage. I accidentally put too much pumpkin syrup in mine (novice bartender, y'all), but I was glad I did. I tasted the pumpkin loud and clear, which I was thankful for.
Captain Handsome kept us laughing and entertained the entire time. At the end of the class, he showed us his signature drink which involved espresso and chocolate. It's not on the menu, but I will be looking for him next time I stop by so I can order it. It was delicious and each of us took a few sips. I felt especially proud of the drinks I made and thoroughly enjoyed learning something new. Have you ever taken a mixology class?
xx Ashley
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