I’m back in Cornwall after a long day yesterday at Optomen studios.

I went up on the train this time arriving at the studios at pretty much 12 PM on the dot. Saw Matt Tebbut straight away at the reception and said a quick hello, he’s a nice bloke and laughed when I told him that I was back to do more cocktails! After only a short wait I went up into the studio and had a coffee whilst I waited for my bit to come up.

The plan of action was to do 3 Itallian themed cocktails, one before a break and two after. I stood behind the bar with Tana, Matt & (food writer) Diana Henry. Making the Negroni was pretty easy I was very confident talking about it as it’s one of my favourite drinks and they tasted it and loved it except for Matt who doesn’t like Campari. I did comment that it’s a bit of a marmite drink!

The advert came in and we set up for the next two drinks. I did the Amaretto Sour next which was the favourite of most people, it is a really great drink. All went pretty smoothyly again, a pretty easy one to make. Last up was the special Market Kitchen Espresso Martini which I had created especially for the show. I used vodka, Frangelico, Galliano & espresso, it differs from other espresso martinis in that it has no coffee liqueur in it but the liquereus that are in it are flavours present in espresso coffee. Unfortunately when I shook the drink the haker ‘cracked’, which doesn’t mean the glass broke it means the seal between tin and glass came loose. When this happens you have two options… 1/ keep shaking and get wet. 2/ Stop shaking before the drink is shaken enough. Being that I was on TV I went for option 2, not ideal but only a cocktail barman will realise my mess up!

Everyone was happy anyway an that’s the main thing, i’d be doing well to be 100% happy with my performance. After the Itallian cocktail item we had a break for lunch although I was due to leave even though my train wasn’t until 6PM. I had a good chat with Theo Randall previously Head Chef of The River Cafe (for 15years!) but he’s now set up a new Restaurant in the Hotel of No.1 Park Lane…! Thoroughly nice chap anyway and we talked a little about food, wine and cocktails.

So just as I was readying to leave I was asked if i’d like to do more cocktails in the afternoon to fill up a gap which had become available. I of course declined… joking! Yeh, I did it. We came up with two summer cocktails to replace Pimms at a bbq. After a bit of a wait everyone got changed for the next days filming and I got back behind the bar again….

The first dink that I made it one that I came up with at work a few weeks ago, Raspberry Tart. I went fine apart fomr the limes that I had been given had almost no juice in them so the cocktail came out a bit sweet but obviously you can’t tell that when watching on TV. Finally I did a Jug of Lemongrad. I’m not a particularly big fan of jugs of cocktails, they serve their purpose but there is something a bit unsophisticated about it! It was an easy drink to make though and everyone loved it, describing it as ‘lemonade for adults’!.

All in all it was another great experience meaning that i’ll have 4 shows under my belt which I am very grateful for. They told me when I left that they’ld be in touch again which is good and I really look forward to going back up there again.

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