Who needs a bar? Couples master art of cocktails

The lights are dim, the mood subdued and romantic.

It's the ideal setting for teaching couples how to make a soulful connection through cocktails at STK in The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. Last week, it was the finer points of gin. On tonight's syllabus: tequila.

Can a liquor nicknamed "to-kill-ya" be an elixir of love? We'll see.

Guests, some wearing dresses and sequined tops, others in T-shirts and shorts, begin filling seats near the bar moments before the weekly 5:30 p.m. class kicks off. They eye the glass of clear liquid that sits in front of every place setting, some wondering aloud, "What do we do with this?"

They don't have to wait long for instructor Marc Suciu, of Southern Wine and Spirits, to tell them. Once the seats are filled with husbands, wives, fathers, daughters, friends and STK employees, Suciu instructs them to take their shot.

Tequila, he says, is supposed to be the party starter. And this party has started.

A few grimace at their drinks; tequila shots can be rough. But those grimaces are soon replaced with pleasantly surprised expressions. Top-shelf tequila tends to go down smooth and easy.

As Suciu began an hourlong talk about the finer points of tequila, something was noticeably absent in the air: amour. Yes, there were plenty of couples in attendance but several seemed more attentive to the tuna tartare and drink ingredients than to their dates.

The original idea for the class, Suciu said, was to have couples come together and strengthen their bonds of love through liquor. But on the first class in early July, the concept evolved. Apparently, people wanted to learn how to be better home bartenders than mates.

"I wondered if it was OK if I come by myself," said Jordan Mitchell, an STK cocktail waitress.

She was relieved that singles were welcome, as she wanted a few tips on how to make drinks instead of just serving them. Still, it pays to be paired up. The class fee is $50 for couples, $30 for individuals.

So, as the guests munched miniburgers, onion tarts and tuna tartare rolls, Suciu gave a thorough lesson on how tequila is made, graded and consumed. He showed them how to muddle fruit and mix two drinks.

The point of the class, he told his students, was to learn easy but impressive drinks to make for entertaining at home. First up was a twist on the Paloma. Usually made with tequila and Squirt, Suciu made his with tequila and grapefruit juice served in a glass garnished with slices of fresh grapefruit. The second cocktail was a super-fruit margarita.

"The great thing about these cocktails is that they can be pre-batched," Suciu said as he wielded his knife on the fruit. "What do you think, guys? You like it?"

"Delicious," one man said. He pulled the garnish out of his glass and ate it.

The format was ideal for Victoria Enriquez, 30, who works in the party pit at the Golden Gate casino.

She and her best friend, Sarah Tadmor, 25, a local bartender, thought the class would be a great way to learn how to be better entertainers at home.

"We're bringing house parties back, that's why we're getting these ideas," Enriquez said.

Tadmor added, "Why go to a bar? The minimum you're going to spend is $100. We want to bring back relationships at home. My mom did it every day."

Shadow Weatherholt, 34, who works with Enriquez at Golden Gate casino, used to bartend. The concept of house parties is good, she said. But it's hard to replace a true bar experience.

"I don't know. I've had a few emotional moments at bars," Weatherholt told Tadmor.

Maybe that can be a topic to bring up at the next couples cocktails class. Suciu doesn't know when that will be, though. The monthlong series wrapped up Wednesday. But he's hoping to offer the classes seasonally. Cocktails change with the seasons, he said.

For more information, call 698-7990.

Contact reporter Sonya Padgett at spadgett@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4564. Follow @StripSonya on Twitter.