Tales of the Cocktail is one part party, one part educational intensive. For people giving seminars, managing clients, throwing the parties, writing articles or any combination thereof, it is also one of the busiest work weeks of the year!
In 2007, I went as a “civilian," attending seminars from morning til night, tasting far too many samples, making a few new friends. I vowed to get involved the following year.
Tales 2008 had me running like a chicken without a head as I teamed with Small Screen Network to produce The Liquid Muse video podcasts and tried (without much success) to blog along the way. I attended, maybe, one seminar in the whole 5 days.
At Tales 2009, I had more on my plate than ever: a book signing; a cocktail presentation at the “Carnival;” teaching the Virgin Mixology seminar; blogging; and once again hosting the podcasts. But, I was determined to hit more seminars this year. Here's a recap of the seminars and parties I made it to – in case YOU didn’t!
Blogger Party
This event took place in an antique shop in the French Quarter. Seem like an odd place to amass a bevy of tipsy tipplers? Well, the party was sponsored by Martin Miller’s gin, and Mr. Martin Miller is a renown antique dealer, hence the fit.
While bloggers can seem a strange lot on the surface (people who stay home to drink with their computer friends via Internet rather than real life humans) bloggers are some of the most passionate people about reviving cocktail culture. They spend hours researching, writing and sharing information – for free – so that others may learn. Having started TLM as a blogger, this party was special to me, and one I wouldn’t have missed!
Benedictine Party
The Benedictine theme proved an intriguing backdrop for a cocktailian event in New Orleans. The party staff dressed in full Benedictine monk costumes and somberly greeted the guests, made drinks and stood eerily around the space. There was even a “fortune” telling of sorts, where guests received a scroll telling their social rank in Medieval times, and the corresponding glass to be filled with a potent Benedictine punch.
Big Trends
I only popped into the last few mintues of the Big Trends seminar, and all that stuck in my head from my brief visit is that blood orange and grapefruit will be popular this year. (Frankly, both already are, as far as I’m concerned… but maybe they meant more “mainstream.” Personally, I predict further growth in floral liqueurs. Watch out world – Crème Yvette is on its way!)
Tasting with Paul Pacult
This was a must for me. Having done the B.A.R. last fall, I realized how much more I need to practice blind tasting various spirits next to one another. Paul encouraged the group by saying that it’s a matter of practice rather than divine tastebuds to get good at this. His 7 Steps to Being a Great Taster:
1) Don’t Think Too Much (don’t trip yourself up by over-thinking it)
2) Follow A Format (same routine each time will help you)
3) Build A Library In Your Head (of smells, tastes)
4) Taste Blind Whenever You Can (practice makes perfect)
5) Identify A Category Through Elimination (rule out what it isn’t to get to what it is)
6) Don’t Taste More Than 10 At A Time
7) Taste As Much As You Can, Whenever You Can
Paul also suggested buying spices and practicing identifying them blindly. (Great tip!)
Beefeater Welcome Party
This was quite the extravaganza, complete with royal pomp and circumstance. One part carnival and one part elegant soiree, the event had great ambiance and even better drinks. There was a ton of food, including a full pig off the spit, and cocktails galore.
Hendrick’s Party
The Hendrick’s ambassadors do an amazing job of tying the brand to an image it wants to portray. This party promised a “peek into the peculiar” and it did not disappoint. The bar itself was made into the skirt of a giant woman – the human half sitting nearly a storey high above the party. The lovely Charlotte Voisey greeted guests wearing an outlandish dress fit for a netherworld princess and ushered them down a hall where silver ladies were tethered to the railings and a caged lass swung like a happy bird on her perch, tumbling and turning somersaults.
Diageo Cocktail CarnivalTequila Breakfast
If you’re gonna start your day with cocktails, make sure its worth it. World-class mixologist Bobby G banged out gorgeous tequila cocktails to pair with Brennan’s traditional French Quarter breakfast. A stewed apple came alongside a tequila drink with cantaloupe and dill. The eggs benedict came with a spicy cocktail… don’t hold me to the details… the first cocktail of the morning had my brain cells from the moment it said “hello.”
Building Your Brand
One of the most useful seminars I attended was a marketing one. Whether hawking a product or a service, Ted Wright of Fizz gave amazing tips for using Word-of-Mouth Marketing to advance a business. His three main tips:
1) Be Interesting to the influencers who will share your story
2) Be Relevant
3) Be Authentic (B.S. is transparent. So is sincerity.)
Hollywood Cocktails
Ok, this was purely for fun. I love movies and I love cocktails. So, voila. What more needs to be said. Cheryl Charming has led the cocktail cinema for the last several years (pairing drinks with movies) so she was a natural to be part of this panel. Simon Ford and Charlotte Voisey put some very intriguing facts together. Marcos Tello, a native Angeleno, shared information on LA’s historic bars. And, the ever-entertaining Ted Haigh acted out a whole movie before the audience, playing pretty much every role. What it had to do with cocktails, I’m still not entirely sure… but it was my favorite moment out of any seminar, period.
Virgin Mixology
Finally, on Saturday afternoon at 4:30 pm, just when everyone’s liver’s were starting to groan, my Virgin Mixology seminar was on the agenda. While nonalcoholic drinks weren’t exactly the sexiest temptation at Tales, the topic is a growing trend, and with my book “Preggatinis™” getting so much attention since its release, I was excited to talk about liquorless libations for people beyond the preggie party girls. I custom designed three virgin drinks to be served during the talk – includeing the Sassy Southern Belle – which is the “Official Nonalcoholic Cocktail” of Tales, this year. I also invited Timo Janse to be a surprise guest speaker. His book, published in Dutch, focuses on juice drinks (ie: nonalcoholic cocktails) for kids, and he brought some European perspective to the attendees.
Spirit Awards
My favorite event, hands down. Its our version of the Oscars, and it is so much fun for everyone to get dressed up and mingle, and recognize outstanding products, bars and people. This year, I had a flash of inspiration and suggested to Ann that we get a red carpet so that I could interview nominees as they entered the ballroom at Harrah’s Casino. She enthusiastically agreed, and the result is the Spirit Awards podcast, which the guys from Small Screen Network did an amazing job of shooting and editing. If you haven’t already seen it, check it out here!
After the Spirit Awards, it seems like the whole of New Orleans joins the parade from Harrahs, which then winds through the French Quarter and ends at the Bartender Breakfast at midnight. The parade is, in fact, a funeral procession for the killing off and burial of a sub-par cocktail. Last year it was the Sour Apple Martini, and this year, it was the Red Headed Slut. What a party we had in honor of the demise of that little tramp!
Francesco Lafranconi's Tasting Seminar
On Sunday, I found myself in Francesco’s fantastic seminar on tasting. Yes, I started and ended my Tales seminars working on the skill I most want to develop – tasting and blind tasting spirits. This seminar was a superb complement to Paul’s because although Francesco is covering similar content, he has a completely different approach. It makes me want to run off to Vegas to study under the maestro!
That afternoon, I boarded a plane surrounded by some of my favorite bar-folk from Los Angeles, and headed home… only to think about how Tales of the Cocktail 2010 can top this year!