Cocktail Class: At Home

Add a sense of occasion as you shake up your own beautiful beverage with our Cocktail Class: At Home. One of many guides in out ‘At Home’ series showing you how to enjoy the more luxurious things in life from the comfort of your very own abode, this particular guide is dedicated to showing you how to mix up a medley of tasty alcoholic treats for you to enjoy at any time, all from the comfort of your own kitchen.

Just like the cocktails you may experience on one of our own luxury train trips, our cocktails are designed to offer a serious amount of taste per sip and a very drinkable beverage indeed. Ideal for when one has some time on their hands or feels like mixing things up a little, our Cocktail Class: At Home guide will have you stirring the spirits in no time at all. As well as the ‘I’d like another please’ taste these cocktails will produce, they’re all incredibly easy to make; there’s no point in dipping one’s toe into the art of cocktail making if you have to start measuring to the millimetre or you need a specialist syrup one simple does not keep in their cupboard. These cocktails are all about taste without too much effort.
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Fear not, you don’t need fancy mixers, just a willingness to give it a go and to savour a small taste of what it would be like aboard a train such as the Belmond Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.

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The Highball

Possibly the easiest cocktail to make, the Highball is a classic from the 1920’s and extremely drinkable (hence the ideal highball style glass one uses to enjoy this beverage). Incredibly simple with no syrups or garnishes, a very enjoyable drink that can be made quickly and enjoyed slowly. Originally founded in the late 1800s, the Highball became particularly popular during Prohibition and continues to be a favourite aboard the bars of our luxury trains.

Ingredients:

• 2 shots/50ml of your favourite Whiskey
• Soda water
• Ice

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Method:

• Fill a highball glass with ice
• Add two shots of whiskey
• Top off with soda water

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The Dubonnet

A soothing aromatic and dry drink, using Dubonnet, a French fortified red wine. Dubonnet was used in the 1920s to cover the flavour of the substandard gins of the time, however it is now a timeless classic that offers something very different to your usual glamorous drinks. One may not be likely to have Dubonnet in the cupboard, however a dry red wine can be used to substitute. A cocktail shaker is ideal for this recipe, although when one is at home, one must use what one has in the kitchen! Feel free to mix in your own creative ways.

Ingredients:

• 2 shots/50ml of Dubonnet (or a dry red wine)
• 2 shots/50ml of your favourite gin
• 15ml (a couple of squirts) of lemon juice
• A twist of lemon to garnish (if one is really going to town)

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Method:

• Fill your mixer with the ice
• Add the gin, Dubonnet and lemon
• Shake and strain into a martini glass
• Add that twist of lemon if you desire

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The White Lady

The original recipe for the White Lady was tweaked after not being everyone’s ‘go-to’ cocktail. Replacing crème de menthe with gin made the White Lady an instant hit and one that continued to be popular right through to the 1930s. An egg white can be added if one wishes, but our recipe keeps things simple and away from any potential mess.

Ingredients:

• 2 shots/50ml of your favourite Gin
• 25ml triple sec or orange liqueur
• 25ml lemon juice

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Method:

• Fill your mixer with the ice
• Add your gin, triple sec and lemon juice
• Shake and strain into a martini glass

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The Bee’s Knees

We all know the expression ‘the bee’s knees’ means the best, and this cocktail is no exception. Following the popular phrase from the 1920’s, the Bees Knees cocktail was  popular during for being forgiving when using any sort of gin one could get their hands on. The sometimes substandard taste was then masked with honey and lemon, hence the bee-themed name. A rather sweet but very smooth cocktail, the Bee’s Knees is truly that.

Ingredients:

• 2 shots/50ml of your favourite Gin
• 20ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 15ml honey
• A lemon wedge

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Method:

• Fill your mixer with the ice
• Add your Gin, lemon juice and honey
• Shake and strain into a cocktail glass
• Serve with a wedge of lemon

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The Mary Pickford

A colourful classic named after the popular 1920s actress, Mary Pickford. With pineapple juice and rum, it offered something fruity, which at the time was a large departure from other cocktails of the era that were sometimes quite heavy or dry. It’s our most complicated cocktail of the class, but completely worth it for the colour, and of course the taste. One glass may lead to another and another.

Ingredients:

Ice
1 shot/30ml white rum
1 shot/30ml pineapple juice
1 teaspoon grenadine
5 drops maraschino liqueur
Maraschino cherry for decoration

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Method:

• Fill your mixer with the ice
• Add your Gin, lemon juice and honey
• Shake and strain into a cocktail glass
• Serve with a wedge of lemon

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These are just some of the 1920s era cocktails you’ll find aboard some of our luxury trains, all offering an authentic taste of the Golden Age of travel and a perfect accompaniment to your journey. Of course, if you have a favourite beverage, cocktail or otherwise, our specialist trained bar staff are able to bring your favourite drink to life. With a well stocked bar car full of various spirits, beers and wines of varying vintages, the bar staff aboard the train are there to ensure you are completely satisfied with every sip.

If our cocktail class has inspired you to take the journey of a lifetime, you can take a look at our latest luxury train journey offers, or contact our complimentary concierge and speak to them about finding your ideal journey. Whether it’s a day trip around the United Kingdom or a sleeper journey through Europe, with a wide range of journeys available from some of the world’s most famous train operators, finding your ideal journey has never been easier with luxurytraintickets.com.