Splendido Restaurant have partnered with El Dorado Rum and Woodman Wines and Spirits to present three Saturday afternoons in June dedicated to Summertime Cocktails and Canapés.

Good Food Revolution were there to witness the very first of these fantastic sessions and report upon the proceedings.

Sommelier and Co-Owner of Splendido Carlo Catallo certainly knows his stuff when it comes to rum, and so who better to lead an educational session on the world of rum, and more specifically the award-winning rums of El Dorado, Guyana.

After a detailed introduction regarding the history of rum Catallo then took our small group through a tasting of five El Dorado rums, from the 5 Year Old to the 21 year old… accompanied by some delightful fries and mayonnaise.

This was followed by a tutorial in how to make three of Spendido’s signature El Dorado cocktails: The Demerara Sunset, The Georgetown Storm, and a take upon the classic Daiquiri, with each participant rewarded with a glass of each concoction before the end of the segment.

The group were then encouraged to bring their drinks downstairs as we were led into Splendido’s subterranean production kitchen to meet Chef Victor Barry.

Chef Barry proceeded to take us through an up-close and personal cooking class where he prepared three Summer dishes before our eyes.

The first was a stunning chilled Pea and Lobster soup. This was followed by Barbecue Duck Wings with Maple Syrup, Soy, and Peanuts. Finally Chef Barry showed us the secrets behind his ultra fresh Scallop Ceviche. All in the group were then given a sample of each of the delicious dishes. All agreed that this Cocktail and Canapés class was a great success.

This fascinating session ran from noon until 3pm and it really was a splendid way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Oh… And did I mention the extremely generous loot bag that we were handed on the way out of the door? I won’t tell you exactly what one will find within, but I’ll go as far as telling you that it’s almost worth the price of admission alone!

Just in time for the summer entertaining season it’s a pleasure to invite you to a series of Cocktail & Canapé classes at Splendido. This summer treat your guests with handcrafted cocktails and seasonally fresh, tasty morsels from your own kitchen.

Featuring the award-winning El Dorado Rum, Splendido’s Chef Victor Barry, together with GM and rum connoisseur Carlo Catallo, will guide you through a pleasant afternoon of cocktails and cooking. With their passion for food & frivolity, rum & fun, it will be entertaining and educational.

Saturday, June 23 & 30
12:00 noon – 3 p.m.

$100 per person, per session (+ taxes)
For details or to book visit splendido.ca or call 416.929.7788

Edinburgh-born/Toronto-based Sommelier, consultant, writer, judge, and educator Jamie Drummond is the Director of Programs/Editor of Good Food Revolution… and he gives Spendido’s El Dorado classes the highest of recommendations.