Modern Mixology at the Swan and Dolphin Food and Wine Classic

During the Epcot Food and Wine Festival guests can also enjoy the Swan and Dolphin Food and Wine Classic. It takes place over two days and offers guests a chance to try food and wine from their restaurants. In addition, guests for a small fee also can attend their seminars. Last year we tried the Modern Mixology seminar, hosted by Lindsay Skillman.

For the seminar, infusions, gels, foams, spherification and temperature were all demonstrated. You learned how to use these techniques to host a great cocktail party. Even some of the recipes were included in the course.

At Modern Mixology attendees learn various ways to make creative cocktails. Lindsay Skillman, General Manager Kimonos and Lobby Lounge hosts the event annually. Linsday also hosts the Niche Imports Mixology at the Festival Center during the Epcot Food and Wine Festival. If you’ve never taking a Mixology course that she’s instructed, you need to! She’s very knowledgeable, has very innovative ways to create cocktails (her cocktails are great!), she’s happy to answer any questions and is so enthusiastic about Mixology. Lindsay makes the courses so much fun!

The first cocktail that we tried was Bazooka Joe Martini. It was really good and can be ordered at Swan and Dolphin. In case you are wondering, yes it is made with Bazooka Joe.

Bazooka Joe Martini

Bazooka Joe flavored Vodka
Infuse 25 pieces of Bazooka Joe bubble gum with 1 bottle of Russian Standard Vodka.
Let sit for 5 days.
Strain out the bubble gum.

In a Mixing Glass
1 ounce infused vodka
.75 ounce simple syrup
.50 lemon juice
Egg white from one egg

1. Add ice, shake hard and strain into a martini glass
2. Lay the comic strip on top

The root beer float for those 21 and up demonstrated the use of foam and how to create it. Here is how you create it. For the alcohol base, add 1/4 sheet of gel per 8 oz alcohol and using a whipping siphon, charge it once. For the liquid base, add one gel sheet per 8 oz liquid, then charge once. For the cream, charge once.

One of the coolest things that was made was the grown-up version of Dippin’ Dots. Any attendee who wanted to make their own was invited to come up and take part in the process. It was so much fun! All you did was take a drink, like a Mudslide or White Russian and very slowly pour it into liquid nitrogen so it could create drops.

Another cool thing that was demonstrated was how to torch crystals for cocktail garnishes. Lindsay used sugar crystal on orange slices and using a kitchen torched, crystallized them. What a great was to create a garnish!

At the end of the Modern Mixology class attendees could make their own cocktails with the Grey Goose L’Orange they received. There were juices and various bitters that you could use in your cocktails. If you wanted to you could even try your hand at one of the techniques she showed.

This class was so much fun and very informative. It’s definitely one that I’d take again.

Have you been to one of the seminars offered at the Swan and Dolphin Food and Wine Classic? We’d love to hear about your experience!