Ask the Barkeeper!

[Louis De Sousa]

And how about uniforms? Did you have your own personal uniform? How many sets? And was it washed for you every day or did you have to do that yourself?

Our uniforms were handed in to be washed this could be done ever day at no cost.As a Restaurant Barkeeper on my last years all i had as uniform was my 3 waist coats.The 3 black trousers, 10+white shirts and dozen socks were my own.I payed to have them washed.

[Louis De Sousa]

Thought of bringing this topic back up :)Feel free for questions.

[Lynda Bradford]

Good to have this topic brought to our attention again.  I love having a cocktail before dinner and I am inclined to try different ones, although I usually go back to my favourites - Cosmopolitan or Manhattan.

I have noticed in recent years that when asking for the same cocktail there is a big difference in the taste in various cocktail bars on the ship.  This was particularly noticeable on the Queen Elizabeth last year, where I ended up going to the cocktail bar that made the best cocktails rather than the one with the best view that I would have preferred to go to. 

My question is:

Were you given an instruction book with the recipe for cocktails or was it a learn on the job experience?

[Louis De Sousa]

 

My question is:

Were you given an instruction book with the recipe for cocktails or was it a learn on the job experience?

Lynda there is about 50-70 cocktails that are know Worldwide and these a Barkeeper should know of by hard.Then as you move on working in different places more cocktails will be learned.I always had my own cocktail book wherever I went.

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

My favourites are Kamikaze and Singapore Sling.

How come they can taste so vastly different, depending on place and barkeeper?  Can each barkeeper vary them as he/she prefers? How much can they be varied before they need to be given a different name? 

[June Ingram]

Frozen Mudslide is awesome.  Drinks were better on Westerdam than on Divina.  Wines were good on both, obviously, but other drinks were not very potent on Divina.  They were potent on Westerdam !! - 

[Louis De Sousa]

My favourites are Kamikaze and Singapore Sling.

How come they can taste so vastly different, depending on place and barkeeper?  Can each barkeeper vary them as he/she prefers? How much can they be varied before they need to be given a different name? 

 Cocktail will taste different as each barkeeper gives a twist to the original (that will always remain our secret)
A cocktail will change name as soon a new spirit is added.

[Louis De Sousa]

Frozen Mudslide is awesome.  Drinks were better on Westerdam than on Divina.  Wines were good on both, obviously, but other drinks were not very potent on Divina.  They were potent on Westerdam !! - 

June I for one always made my cocktails depending on the passenger/guest for you as an example I would make the Frozen Mudslide with a touch more of bailyes for a younger person I would add more on the vodka

[Lynda Bradford]

Louis, next year the forum will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the launch of QE2.

If you were asked to make a cocktail for her special year what ingredients would you use so as to reflect the celebration, QE2's vintage and her Scottish heritage and what would be your reason for your choice?

[Louis De Sousa]

Louis, next year the forum will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the launch of QE2.

If you were asked to make a cocktail for her special year what ingredients would you use so as to reflect the celebration, QE2's vintage and her Scottish heritage and what would be your reason for your choice?

Never thought about that but I could create something,what should we call it QE2 50?

[cunardqueen]

Surely it should be Whisky based..if nothing else... Not that l would open this just yet....and yet...

[Lynda Bradford]

Surely it should be Whisky based..if nothing else... Not that l would open this just yet....and yet...

Sounds like we have the beginnings of a special cocktail!

[Lynda Bradford]

Never thought about that but I could create something,what should we call it QE2 50?

It would be wonderful if we could sit in the Crystal Bar and order a "QE2 50" 

Any other suggestions for the name of this special cocktail to celebrate QE2's 50 years also appreciated.

[June Ingram]

QE2 50 sounds awesome !! 

[Isabelle Prondzynski]

QE2 50 is great! We just need to know how to pronounce it :

QEtwo-fifty?
QEtwo-five-oh?

Presumably not QEtwo-five-zero?

The idea of QEtwo-five-oh kind of amuses me, it could be like a little code, as no one other than ourselves would know what is meant  ...