Bartending Workshop with Shatbhi Basu. An evening with famed bartender. Café Royale, Colaba, August 14th, 2010

YFLO, The Yong FICCI Ladies organization organized a bartending session with India’s acclaimed female bartender Shatbhi Basu, founder of India’s first professional bartending institute Stir Academy. Shatbhi gave YFLO Members a small insight into the exciting world of cocktails and more with her concoctions for some fabulous mixes. Those included various types of Cosmopolitan’s, Mojito’s, Bloody Mary and her own version the Chatka Mary(with salt and mirchi on the glass rim) and many more. She also guided on the appropriate stemware, culinary pairings as well as occasions to best serve her delicious coolers. She also taught the perfect non-alcoholic substitutes for non drinkers. The two hour long workshop saw the enthusiastic women clear their myths about bartending. By making every member, mix their own cocktail , Shatbhi ensured that one does not have to be a specialist to make their own drink and it can be easy, fun and homemade! According to Shatbhi “The best cocktail is the one you like and not the one the bartender makes. Unless you do not like it, it’s simply not a good drink.” The workshop ended with a long Q&A session with the audience. Ms Saloni Doshi(Chairperson) gave away a beautiful memento as token of gratitude. In all, the workshop was successful in shattering the preconceived notion about bartending and the women left in high spirits.