TOTC2011: Nonstop to Tokyo

As I mentioned previously, my favorite thing at Tales of the Cocktail this year was the Nonstop to Tokyo. It was by luck, and the kindness of my friend Nathan Luchansky, that I was even able to attend - the event was completely sold out at least two months ahead of time and Nathan gave me a ticket.

Here are some pictures from the event, as well as some details to give a sense of why it was great.

Departing NOLA
Starting out, we headed into a suite and were given a boarding pass for our trip to Tokyo. The event was sponsored by Suntory , and featured a variety of their whiskys (they don't use the "e") as well as a few other spirits that they handle in Japan. My friend Neyah White, now an ambassador for Suntory, but formerly head barkeep of one of my favorite places in San Francisco, was there as our tour guide.

On entry, we were given access to two side rooms - one where a cocktail with Hibiki 12 was being served, and one where we could sample a variety of Japanese whiskys and play a little putt-putt golf.

One of the spirits we were invited to taste was called "Chita." Not available in the US on it's own, it is used as part of the blend in the Hibiki whiskey. It's a really interesting, delicious spirit - made from 100% Japan-grown corn, and aged in used bourbon barrels. It tastes like a fine aged rum and was quite sippable.

The Main Event
After while, we were invited into the main room of the suite, where there was small bar with seven or eight seats. Hidetsugu Ueno from Bar High Five in Tokyo greeted us, and presented us with a menu of cocktail options. And then, essentially, he made us cocktails and told us a bit about cocktail culture and cocktail making in Japan.

Some of the highlights:

• He cracked ice by hand, using a three-pronged ice crusher
• He carved an ice block into a diamond-shaped cube for one of the cocktails
• One of the cocktails was served at room temperature in a tulip glass, with undiluted honey in the bottom, so that the drinker could adjust sweetness to taste by swirling the glass.
• The techniques he used, and the fluidity of his motions, were beautiful to watch.
  

A couple of trivia bits I learned:

• Both Midori and Southern Comfort are very popular in Japan.
  
• It is common to use knives completely up - the knife he used on the ice block was used for other things in the past, but the blade has shrunk over time and now it is only good for carving ice.
  

Thiswas a truly unique experience, and a wonderful introduction to the cocktail culture in Japan. And, I got to try a couple of new whiskys and get a couple of good ideas for cocktails, too.

Thanks again to Nathan for finding me and giving me the ticket!

TOTC: Day 2 Hijinks

Another great day at Tales, filled with lots of great conversations, drinks and good times. Here are a few highlights from day two:

• My friend Nathan Lutchansky absolutely made my Tales by offering me a ticket to the Nonstop to Tokyo event. After a false start, we were able to sit at a tiny bar and enjoy wonderful drinks and conversation with master Hidetsugu Ueno from Japan. We tried some wonderful spirits from Japan not available here, as well. It was fantastic, and I'll write a more detailed post about it shortly. Thanks Nathan!!
  

• Great company, conversation and punches at the Spirited Dinner I attended with a good friend at Bourbon House (delicious drinks and entertainment by Bridget Albert and Jeffrey Morgenthaler). I wasn't planning to go to an official dinner, but my friend graciously secured a seat for me. It was the most fun I've had at a Spirited Dinner, despite the weirdos at our table (more on that below).

• I learned a few things from the seminars. Like, for example, that it was illegal for women to work behind the bar in Chicago until March 1970. Yes, you read that right, 1970.

And just one lowlight:

• Some guys showed up to the spirited dinner already three sheets to the wind, and one of them was especially obnoxious. To the point where it was required to say to him "how old are you? are you 8? because you're acting like it right now." They left, but not before popping some balloons and making them whistle, and having one more go at harassing the single girls at the table. Amateur (and immature, etc.).

It's raining in NOLA today, so it's especially sticky out. Good thing I get to stay in the Monteleone most of the day!

TOTC: The First 24 Hours

After arriving in NOLA yesterday, I hit the ground running in the parties, drinks and good time departments. Perhaps a bit more than I should have, in retrospect, given that it's early on in my TOTC tenure.

Here were some highlights from Wednesday:

• Running into many friends from many places, many of whom I haven't seen in quite awhile. This was honestly my favorite part.
  
• Sipping Lagavulin 16 at the Diageo "Behind the Distillery Doors" panel. The event started late, and wasn't quite what I expected. However, I very much enjoyed the Scotch and learned a few things about how other spirits makers handle issues, and how they search for innovations.
• Wonderful cocktails and dinner at Sylvain with a good friend. Several writer friends recommended it, and they were absolutely correct. Go there. Now.
• The drinks at the Old Absinthe House have improved, from the looks of it. I still had a beer, but I actually considered getting a cocktail.
  

And a few lowlights:

• The Pimm's Cup at the Napoleon House was not as good as I remembered. Tasted like bad sour mix, actually. Did not even finish it, even.
• The elevators at the Monteleone are even slower than I remembered. More people in them this time around.

All in all, a great first 24 hours. Now, off to a seminar!

Planning for Tales of the Cocktail 2011

It's a bit crazy for many folks in the spirits/cocktail/bar business, as we are preparing for our pilgrimage to New Orleans for Tales of the Cocktail. It will be a week of great cocktails, great food and great times with incredible people. And also, hot and humid weather, crowded elevators, and upset stomachs. What's not to like?

Here are a few things I'm really excited about, as well as a few things I'm not so sure about. I'll report back on both, once I see how they turn out.

Hopes are High

• 6 Rums You'll Probably Never Taste Again - with a title like that, who could say no? Ed Hamilton over at Ministry of Rum is running this one, and expectations are high.
• Ladies Choice - Women Behind Bars - being a lady, and a member of the Ladies United for the Preservation of Endangered Cocktails, I am looking forward to learning more about my sisters in drink.
• Around the World by (Brass) Rail - this one is led by David Wondrich, so you know it'll be great. And, we're talking about those intrepid pioneers who took the American cocktail around the globe.
  

Jury's Out

• H2O Cocktails - meaning cocktails made with water. Water that you infuse with stuff. I am a bit dubious about this one, but open minded and interested to see what they're doing. Is this going to be cool, or is it going to be like the "low-cal" rum and vodka that came out awhile back, where they just lowered the alcohol content?
• From Grain to Bottle - the detailed description sounds great, but there is no indication of who will be speaking. The moderator is a brand ambassador from a (very) large liquor company, but he's never been a distiller.
  
• Spirited Dinners - some of them look fantastic (most of those are sold out), but there is one that is only vodka drinks, and one that has drinks only made with a certain whiskey flavored liqueur. My experience with them in past years has been good but not great, so this year I'm treating myself to a nice meal out with whatever I choose to eat & drink instead.

What are you excited about at Tales this year? Think I'm wrong about any of these?

We shall see...

Jenever Juniper

Thank you Donovan for the title (sort of). Darn it, now I'm hearing that song in my head.

What with the Chicago launch of Bols Genever this week and my attendance at the Low Country Libations seminar at Tales of the Cocktail last month, I've had a lot of genever lately. It's high time I wrote something about this most interesting spirit.

First, a brief background and introduction:

• Pronunciation and Spelling: They tell me it's pronounced "Jen-eee-vur" in English, "Yeh-nay-vur" in Dutch.You can spell it genever, jenever, jeniever, or even Hollands Gin if you like.
  

• General History: Genever is the precursor to traditional dry gin (which was the English's attempt at copying genever). It has been made in the Benelux region (Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, as well as parts of France and Germany) for centuries - the first recorded mention of the word is from 1623 in The Duke of Milan by Philip Massinger. Like so many spirits, it started as a medicinal tonic, but gradually became more popular for it's flavor.

• US History - in the 1860's, genever was very popular in the US - it was 5 to 6 times more prevalent than English dry gin, and made several appearances in cocktail books from that time. Hence why we're seeing it now again - it's an essential part of exploring this country's cocktail history.

• Production: Genever is traditionally made with a malt wine base. Typical grains used include corn, rye, barley and wheat. The grain is fermented, and then distilled, into something that resembles unaged (white) whiskey. It is then infused with herbs and/or flavored with herb distillates/flavorings to give it some herb notes, and might be distilled again. The only required herb is juniper, and it does not have to be discernible in the spirit.

• In short, genever is all about the grain distillate, with hints of herbs (maybe), whereas dry gin is all about the herbs alone.
  

Oude vs. Jonge
These are the two main categories of genevers. The words mean "old" and "young" but the terms don't relate to the age of the spirit. Instead, they relate to the production process and makeup of the spirit.

• Oude - the base spirit must be at least 15% malt wine, it must be at least 70° proof (35% alcohol), and can have no more than 20 grams per liter of sugar (the best have none). Aging is optional, but if you do it you must age it for at least one year. Most genevers are aged in used American whiskey barrels.
  

• Jonge - base must be no more than 15% malt wine, it must be at least 70° proof (35% alcohol), and can have no more than 10 grams per liter of sugar (the best have none). Jonge is often very light in flavor, some have described is as essentially vodka (highly refined distilled grain) with a tiny bit of malt flavor.

Genever in Chicago
There are a few products labeled "genever" available in Chicago now, and one that is coming very, very soon.

• Bols Genever - I attended a launch party for this one this week here in Chicago, and came home with a bottle autographed by their distiller. It should start showing up very soon in these parts - it's been in SF and NYC for almost a year now. They say it's lighter in flavor than the original genevers (and former versions of itself - they say this current recipe dates to 1820). It still has lots of character, with rich malty/yeasty flavors.

• Boomsma Oude and Jonge Genevers - I've only had the Oude, and not since I've tried so many others. I need to revisit this one.

• Anchor Genevieve - this one has rich, strong malty notes with hints of herbs. It is higher in proof than the others I've tried, and definitely makes itself known in cocktails.
  

• Zuidam Genever - more herbal than some of the others, this one has hints of malt with a variety of herb notes. I haven't had this one in awhile either, so I'll have to revisit.
  

Genevers Not Available in the US
This is a much, much longer list. Here are a few of the great ones I got to try that you can't get here:

• Oude Schiedam - (pronounced Skee-dam). 100% malt wine base - made with 2/3 barley, 1/3 rye, distilled twice and infused with only one herb - juniper. Bottled at 80 proof. This was the most authentic genever we tried, true to the old tradition of genever production made with 100% malt wine, not blended. It was incredibly malty and rich.
  

• Rutte & Zn Oude Simon - 70 proof, and a blend of malt wine and neutral grain spirit. It was softer and lighter, and more herbal than the Oude Schiedam.
  

• Rutte Paradyswijn - this is reportedly the most expensive genever in Holland, it is aged in Bordeaux casks for 8 years. Eminently sippable, it has soft malt, floral and fruit notes. Delicious.

Other Lowlands Beverages

• Old Schiedam Liqueur - Mandarijnen Moutwijn Likeur - At the Tales seminar, we also tasted this fantastic liqueur. Made with a malt wine base blended with neutral spirit, it has rich fruit flavors (from hand-grated mandarin oranges) blended with hints of malt. Apparently this has been discontinued and is quite rare now - I was delighted to get a taste.

• Els La Vera - a malt wine liqueur infused with herbs. The dominant flavor is grand worwmood (Els = alsem = artemisia absinthium), so it reminded me a great deal of Jeppson's Malort. Apparently, "Els" is a style of spirit and this "La Vera" was but one version of it.

Tales of the Cocktail - Days 3 and 4

On Thursday night, after the spirited dinners, most of the Chicago contingent got together for a toast outside the Old Absinthe House. Like last year, it was one of my favorite nights - we had a great time, just hanging out and talking with everyone.



Some Highlights from Days 3 and 4 Sessions

• Low Country Libations - I had the opportunity to taste some really interesting aged genevers from the Low Country, namely Belgium, Luxembourg and Holland, and learn more about the spirit. We also tried some whiskey, and some wine, made in the region.
  

• Sugar: The Science of Sweet - we tried a variety of types of sweeteners, talked about a few more, and got a scientific explanation of them as well. It was fascinating. I hope to play around with some additional options in the near future.
  

• Hollywood Cocktails - in the most entertaining session I attended, we learned about some famous cocktails from the golden age of Hollywood - who drank them, how they became popular, etc.

I'll likely be writing more about all of these topics in future posts.

Other Highlights

• Our friends Tim Lacey and Cristi DeLucca from the Drawing Room competed in the Leblon Caipirinha competition on Friday night. Unfortunately they didn't win, but they put on a good show and represented Chicago well.
  

• The Bartender's Breakfast on Saturday night followed the funeral procession for a bad drink (this year, the Red Headed Slut was buried), and it was a blast - good drinks, music, and a great crowd - it was must better orchestrated than last year (when we gave up on getting in, despite being on the list). For those who haven't attended, this one starts at midnight and goes as long as you do. I got home around 4 am.
  

Tales of the Cocktail - Days 1 and 2

We're officially in the thick of it here in NOLA for the Tales of the Cocktail. Yesterday, I went to some great industry-focused seminars - one on managing costs in a bar while maintaining quality, and another on building strong partnerships among bar/restaurant owners, brand representatives, consultants and others in the industry. They were educational, more for when I have my distillery hat on, than for when I'm writing about cocktails, so I'll keep that stuff to myself for now.

Then we had the big opening reception last night. I saw a few more Chicago friends, as well as some folks from other places, and had a great time trying the cocktails and enjoying the atmosphere. Later, I headed back over to the "Mixo House Bar" to hang out for awhile.

Today I've been to a few seminars, and have written a few posts for the Tales Blog - you can find all my posts here. There will soon be one explaining these pictures.

Tonight it's the Spirited Dinners, and I'm headed to Maximo's. I waited too long to book a seat, so I didn't get into my first two choices, but I'm excited about this one too. I'll report back soon.

Cocktail Bloggers all Around

Like many of my cocktail-minded friends, I am in New Orleans for the seventh annual Tales of the Cocktail. The official kick-off toast is but a few hours away, and this year's agenda is packed full of great seminars and events.

I came down a couple of days early to attend most of the Drink.Write 2009 event. The folks at the Cocktail & Spirit Online Writers Group did an amazing job of pulling together seminars and events for the group, and I got a lot out of it. Yesterday, we spent a couple of hours discussing garnishes, and a couple of hours on cocktail photography. I hope to improve in both those areas going forward, although you'll be the judge on that.

Here are a few pictures (and descriptions) from some of my adventures so far. Next year, you really should try to come if you're not already on the way - it's a lot of fun, the people are fantastic, the drinks are great, and the opportunities for learning and making new friends are plentiful.

CSOWG Events
These first two are from some of the CSOWG events. We had a wonderful dinner at Rambla on Monday night, sponsored by Leblon. The food and drinks were fantastic, and the company was great too. On Tuesday, we had a nice lunch at On Tuesday, we had lunch at Wolfe's restaurant, hosted by Zwack, and along the way we all had a shot of Zwack.

Zwack has an interesting history, it's the official spirit of Hungary, and they sell 6 million bottles in Hungary to the 10 million residents each year. Wow.

I was really impressed (and dismayed, since we can't really compete with all of this) at the level of sponsorship and donations the group received from the big liquor companies. It's great because it enables them to have these kinds of events, but it makes it really hard for us little guys to compete.

The Mixo House
The CSOWG have a great house with a communal bar for the group, and a kitchen. They have a variety of spirits, fruits and mixers available for their members and guests - it's really an incredible setup.

Here's Matt Robold the RumDood with his before & after pictures tasting Jeppson's Malort, which I've written about a few times. I think I might have to submit this to Malort Face on Flickr.



Sazerac Bar
On Monday night, we went to the newly reopened Sazerac Bar in the Roosevelt Hotel, and had the namesake drink. A Sazerac. Here's the legendary Chuck Taggart and his partner Wes, as well as a picture of my Sazerac. I've been following Chuck's recommendations for eating and drinking in New Orleans religiously, and it was a delight to spend a little time with him in person.

Along with the Fairmont Hotel folks, the folks at Sazerac made a big investment here too - glassware, exclusively made with Sazerac Rye, etc. It was a nice cocktail - it was about #10 that day, so can't really judge it too harshly.

Secrets of Benedictine
Last night, I went to an event hosted by the folks at Benedictine, called "Secrets of Benedictine." I was hoping to learn a bit more about it, but that wasn't the focus of the event - it was a big cocktail party with Benedictine-based cocktails. There were moving "statues," lots of guys in robes, and some cocktails and snacks to try. They also had stations where you could have your fortune told and be awarded a glass reflecting your social status (I was a "knight" and got a silver goblet), which you then had filed in the alchemy room.

Blogging Tales of the Cocktail

I'm participating in the group blog for all things Tales of the Cocktail again this year, and my first post, about Mixologists and their Toys, is up on the blog. Be sure to keep an eye on the group blog for the lowdown on this year's festivities!

And for anyone who doesn't know, Tales is happening in New Orleans from July 8 - 12, and all the cool cocktail aficionados are going to be there. Won't you join us?

Note: photo is from New York Times

Check out Chicago Mixologists

Cocktail competition season is in high gear, and I wanted to report some of the achievements of the fine mixologists in Chicago. The photos are from the cocktail competition held last night for Right Gin, in their private loft here in Chicago.

• Charles Joly, of the Drawing Room, won last night's competition, and will be going to San Francisco later this year. He also won $500, for his twist on a classic Julep using Right Gin and a little absinthe. Congrats Charles!
  

• DJ Love from Le Bar at the Sofitel, who won the Illinois WCC finals last month, won the silver in the national competition last week. Well done DJ!
  

• Adam Seger from Nacional 27, was just announced as a finalist in the Buddy are Your Bitters Better? competition at Tales of the Cocktail this year. Congrats Adam!
  

• Tim Lacey and Cristi DeLucca from the Drawing Room made it to the finals of the USBG Caipirinha Competition to be held at Tales. Good luck Tim and Cristi!
  

• Kyle McHugh from Drinks Over Dearborn and Mike Ryan from The Violet Hour were selected as cocktail apprentices for this year's Tales of the Cocktail. Congrats Kyle and Mike!

I have undoubtedly forgotten to mention something, please chime in on the comment section if you know of one!

Monteleone Cocktail Entry

As I mentioned a few days ago, the Hotel Monteleone is hosting a contest to develop a new signature Monteleone Cocktail. I've spent some time the last week or so playing with recipes, and I came up with one that I really like. I tried to think of something that was reminiscent of classic New Orleans cocktails and themes, but also unique.

I didn't want it to be too trendy or faddish, lest it go out of style or an ingredient be no longer available, so I tried to stick to fairly standard ingredients with a twist.

Monteleone Cocktail (Sonja's Version)
2 1/2 oz Cognac or Brandy
3/4 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Honey
1/4 oz Absinthe
Stir all ingredients without ice first, to dissolve honey and intermix with other ingredients. Add ice, shake well, and strain into chilled coupe glass. Garnish with flamed orange peel.

Ingredient notes:

• I used very basic brandy, but also tried it with some others and some basic-level cognacs. As long as the brandy is well-balanced and smooth, it seems to work well.
• The honey is very important - it should be fairly standard honey, nothing too fancy or flavorful. I did try a lavender honey, and it was an interesting variation, but I liked standard clover honey best.
• I used our absinthe, but I think it would work with others that are more widely available, as long as it has a traditional flavor profile and is not overwhelmingly bitter.

Cheers to the Hotel Monteleone and the contest winner, I look forward to having one of the winning drinks at Tales of the Cocktail in July!

Tales of the Cocktail and Monteleone Contest

I'm behind on my blogging again, and am going to get caught up soon! In the meantime, I wanted to remind everyone to make plans now to attend Tales of the Cocktail this year - July 8-12, 2009 in New Orleans.

The venue for Tales, Hotel Monteleone, is also celebrating a big anniversary and running a cocktail contest. The Hotel Monteleone is celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Carousel Bar (loads a .pdf) on May 21, 2009. From 1949 until about the late 60’s or 70’s there was a drink on the specialty drink menu called the Monteleone Cocktail.

Unfortunately, we have no idea what the exact recipe or ingredients were. The Hotel Monteleone is hosting an online contest to accept drink recipe nominations for a new official Monteleone Cocktail. The recipes will be judged by VIPs who will be at the Carousel anniversary celebration on May 21. There are no requirements on types of liquor or style of drink, but all drink entries must be received by May 18, so that the ingredients may be acquired and drinks prepared at the May 21 event. Participating bloggers should post their entries online, and all participants should e-mail their drink recipes, along with their name, address and phone number, to athornton@hotelmonteleone.com. The winning entry will become the new official Monteleone Cocktail, and the winner will receive four free nights at the Hotel Monteleone during Tales of the Cocktail 2009.

Get going - here's your chance to win a free stay at the Monteleone for Tales and be part of history!

Top Ten Tales Tidbits - Take Two

Here are my top five tidbits from Tales - the ordering was the hardest part, but here goes nuthin'!

#5 - Cocktails, Cocktails, Cocktails
When we weren't at the Tales sessions or other happenings at the hotel, we wandered around the area watering holes. We had some fantastic cocktails in the great bars found in the Quarter. Our favorites were probably the Napoleon House (try the Pimm's Cup), the French 75 Bar (try the French 75, or whatever Chris Hannah is making), and the Carousel Bar (try the Vieux Carré, and definitely sit at the bar).

#4 - Sarah and Evil Bob
At the Grand Soiree d'Absinthe (#10), we met Sarah and Bob. They live in New Orleans and both work in the hospitality industry. Bob is behind the stick at Johnny White's, one of a few bars in NOLA that never closes (he was on the 3 am to 9 am shift later that night), and Sarah is a GM at another area restaurant (unfortunately I can't remember the name!).

We were having a great conversation, and Sarah and Bob offered to take us around to some favorite places. So off we went. First stop: Johnny White's, where we hung out with Jamie, the very fun bartender on duty. Unfortunately, after a few beers & a shot or two, Bob (now we know why his nickname is Evil Bob) left us to go home and get some rest before his shift.

Next stop: Yo Mama's, where we had quite possibly the best hamburgers ever. Granted, we had been drinking absinthe, and then beer (and maybe a shot or two) all day, so we might've been hungry & a bit drunk, but they were fantastic. Final stop of the night: Erin Rose, another great neighborhood bar. By then, we had to call it a night, so we walked Sarah home and headed back to the hotel.

#3 - Burying the Appletini
For those who haven't heard, the Appletini is now dead & gone. We buried it, and held a proper funeral procession for it, including a band and a brief funeral service. This was fantastic - at midnight, the police stopped traffic so we could march down the street in our funeral procession, following the band and casket with our good cocktails in hand.

#2 - Chicago Camaraderie
Although our group was small (we have to get more folks from Chicago there next year, so we can hold our own against the NY and SF contingents), it was fantastic to spend some time with the Chicago crew. My funniest memory probably falls into the category of "you had to be there," based on my husband's reaction when I told him. If you're curious, ask me over a cocktail sometime - I still think its funny when I think of it (maybe its just me? nah...).

#1 - Tasting, Tasting, Tasting
Because it was such an overwhelming part of the experience, I have to put the experience of tasting so many new spirits, cocktails, and flavor ideas down as my favorite part of the Tales experience. Just of few of my favorites tastes:

• Sazerac 18 Rye - I went to Rye Nation, and we discussed and tasted 7 different ryes. The Sazerac 18 was my favorite, slightly edging out the Vintage 23. It was fun to see the range of variations within the rye category and hear a couple brand representatives talk about how they make them (and, importantly, what a minute part of their production time goes to rye - maybe we all need to start stocking up if you haven't already)
  

• Plymouth Sloe Gin - I've never had a good sloe gin, just the syrupy sweet stuff that you might see at a run-of-the-mill liquor store in the liqueur aisle. I was impressed with this one, so much so that I bought a bottle of it when I got home. Gotta love a good sloe gin fizz in the summer, and it's fun to play with in cocktails too.

• Noilly Prat Ambre - On Sunday morning (the fifth day of Tales), we found ourselves meandering around the lobby. We happened upon a tasting room for Noilly Prat vermouths, and decided to step inside. To be honest, it was the enticing buffet of fruit and pastries that got us in the room. Once we were there, however, we took a seat and listened to a very interesting presentation. Read on for a few notes from the NP seminar.

Truly, there are far too many to name. I got to revisit many favorites, and try many new things, and taste spirits and cocktails made in unusual ways. I'm still working through my notes and trying to build a cohesive summary for myself, so I may write more on that down the road.

In the meantime, I'll leave you with a few factoids and notes from the Noilly Prat seminar:

1. NP has recently changed the US formula for their dry vermouth - it will now be closer to the European version, which is less sweet and more herbal.
   
2. They are also introducing new packaging this year, perhaps following in the footsteps of Martini & Rossi in that regard.
   
3. They use 25 herbs in the dry, 30 herbs in the sweet and 4o herbs in the ambre.
4. The ambre is not usually available outside of their facility in France, so it was a rare treat indeed to be able to try it. It tasted like a sweeter, dessert-style wine with hints of cinnamon, rose and vanilla. Very interesting indeed.

Top Ten Tales Tidbits - Take One

Sorry for the long gap in posting, folks! Somehow I fell off the blogging wagon again, but I'm back on it now. Since it's now been a couple of weeks since I started my Tales of the Cocktail recap, I've decided to fast forward to the highlights. Here's the first half of my top ten tidbits from Tales 2008.

#10 - the Grande Soiree d'Absinthe
On the last day of Tales, a large group of absinthe enthusiasts gathered in a lovely upstairs room at Muriel's for this event sponsored by the Wormwood Society. Filled with a mix of WS members, NOLA locals, and people from around the world, this event offered the opportunity to sample a range of absinthes in a relaxed, social setting. We met some great people, tried a couple of absinthes that were new to us, and shared our Sirène with the crowd. More on what came afterward when I get to #4.

#9 - Fantastic Food
The French Quarter is filled with great restaurants (as well as a lot of tourist traps). We had great food everywhere we went, once we started following Chuck Taggart's recommendations. Some of the fantastic places we went, and that we'd recommend, include Coop's, Mr. B's, Mother's, Johnny's, and the Napoleon House. I'd also add Yo Mama's to the list, which wasn't on Chuck's list. It might've been that we were hungry and drunk, but the burgers we had there were quite possibly the best we've ever had.

#8 The Scented Trail
This session was led by Audrey Saunders and Tony Conigliaro, and focused on building and enhancing the aroma in your cocktails. We started the session with a tasting of aromatized waters and a discussion of top notes, mid notes and base notes in aroma, and strategies for developing and enhancing them. This was the best tip I got from the conference, I think - Audrey and Tony suggested that instead of infusing flavors into syrups, where the aromas are pulled to the bottom of the drink with the weight of the syrup (and masked by the sugar), consider infusing them into waters or low-alcohol spirits, and then misting your garnishes, glassware and/or drink with them right before serving. Now that I'm caught up on things again, I'm going to be trying this very soon! I don't have a vapor still like Tony, but I might be able to get close to that... more soon!

#7 The Hemingway Bartender's Companion
This was the first official session I attended, and it was a fantastic way to start the conference. The session was led by Phil Greene, a true Hemingway scholar. We tasted five (yes five) cocktails that were Hemingway's favorites at different points in his life, and heard many great stories and related passages from Hemingway's works. I just might have to start reading Hemingway again, and I definitely have to go to Captain Tony's Saloon when I'm in Key West early next year. So the count stood at five drinks before noon, in true Hemingway style.

#6 Bloggers and the Blogosphere
I had the fortune of meeting many of the bloggers I correspond with in the ether, and to participate in a group blog and interact with many of these great folks throughout the conference. It was a great opportunity to make some new friends, and put many faces with names & blogs - I look forward to more opportunities like this in the future, both at Tales and elsewhere!

Tales of the Cocktail Recap, Part Two

Rather than writing about the details of the seminars, I feel more like writing about more of our adventures in New Orleans. Drink along with me, won't you?

Another highlight from our Spirited Dinner at Antoine's was the Café Brulôt at the end of our meal. Served from a recently flaming punchbowl in a fantastic, traditional cup, this was a new experience for me. It was a strong (from both the spirits and the coffee), hot beverage, and a great finish for our evening. After all the other cocktails, I didn't finish mine, but it wasn't any reflection on the experience. Here are a couple of photos:


At right is our host St. John Frizell's lovely wife, Linden, mixing the flaming pot of Café Brulôt. Several folks had the opportunity to play with fire on this one.

Just for fun, here are a couple of other pictures that I took at Antoine's - there's a lot of history (and a lot of stuff in general) on the walls.


People of a certain age will recognize the one on the left, and the one on the right just struck me as odd until I did some quick research.

It was a wall of photos of the past Queens of the Krewe of Proteus in the annual Mardi Gras celebration (we were in the Proteus Room at Antoine's). Most of the women were flamboyantly dressed, and then there was Ms. Willey Denis with her cats. Turns out Dr. Denis was a very accomplished academic. Guess she just happened to like this picture of herself best (or it's the only one anyone could find) since it's the one Tulane has for her also.

The Court of Two Sisters
We found ourselves at this place a couple of times during our stay. The Court of Two Sisters has a beautiful courtyard (although the fountain looks kinda funny from the back), and an interesting old bar that's fun to see.

Unfortunately, the drinks weren't as good as I had hoped, despite the representations made by our New Orleans Cocktail Tour Guide on our second visit. The drinks were OK, but everything was pre-made rather than made to order, even when it wasn't busy, and they had signs up for Island Oasis mixes on the tables.


And Don't Forget the Fabulous French 75 Bar
One of best places we visited for cocktails was the French 75 Bar at Arnaud's. Of course we had the namesake cocktail (picture at left), which is made with cognac rather than gin - a nice change I hadn't tried before. And we had a great Sazerac there too, probably one of the best we've ever had. Definitely go there the next time you're in the Crescent City!

Tales of the Cocktail Recap, Part One

We got home last night from a six-day adventure in the Crescent City for the Tales of the Cocktail. It was a week full of cocktails, great food, learning and new friends. Here is part one in a series of highlights.

Day One: Heat, Absinthe and Parties
When we arrived in New Orleans on Wednesday morning, it was actually cooler there than it was in Chicago. Unfortunately, that didn't last, and by afternoon it was sweltering out. We didn't let that stop us, and we promptly set out for a series of events and parties.

First stop - the kick-off toast for Tales, and an honorary toast to celebrate the recent designation of the Sazerac as the official cocktail of New Orleans. We got to try the official drink of Tales, the Punch 'n Judy, and have a Sazerac or two for the toast.

Then we were off to a tour of the new absinthe museum, and an absinthe tasting out in the courtyard. We got to try the new Pernod absinthe, as well as Marteau (sorry, can't find a website). It was very hot and humid, and very crowded, which somewhat limited one's ability to enjoy the tasting. Nonetheless, it was interesting to try these two, as they are two of the few we hadn't tried before.


After that, we headed off for the cocktail blogger reception (so great to meet my fellow bloggers!), and the Warhol Factory Party (see pic at right). We then grabbed a late dinner and a cocktail at a restaurant not worth mentioning, and headed to bed. We hadn't actually slept the night before, so it was nice to get some zzzs.


Day Two: Great Sessions, Spirited Dinner at Antoine's and the All-Chicago Toast
I went to some great sessions on Thursday, including The Hemingway Bartender's Companion, Artisan Spirits and The Scented Trail (about developing aromas in your cocktails). More details on those in the next post.

We also went to a pairing dinner at the legendary Antoine's - read more about Antoine's in my post here. It was a nice meal, and the drinks were good, but they didn't really go together very well.

We ended the evening hanging out with the Chicago-based Tales contingent (along with a few USBG folks). By then, most of us had already had too many cocktails for the day, so we shifted to beer. Just to give you an idea, my first session, which started at 10:30 am, involved five (yes FIVE!) cocktails.

Stay tuned for details on the best sessions, the best cocktails we had, and the best food.