Don't carry tales; Tales will carry you!

Carousel Bar's 1840 Sazerac made with Cognac 1840 by Pierre Ferrand

The 2011 Tales of the Cocktail is under full swing and it brims with promise that this will be the best series of events ever presented under the auspices of the New Orleans Culinary and Cultural Preservation Society (NOCCPS). Today's highlights will be the recognition of Sazerac Seal of Approval winners at 2:00 p.m. in front of the Monteleone Hotel, which serves as the base for Tales of the Cocktails seminars and presentations. On Friday president Alexandre Gabriel of Pierre Ferrand will unveil his company's latest distillation, Cognac 1840. It is at Gabriel's direction that this cognac will enjoy favor in the city known for creating the Sazerac, the official cocktail of New Orleans and regarded as one of the oldest cocktails in America. When the Sazerac was first concocted by pharamcist Antoine Amedée Peychaud, it was described as a digestif and was made with a specific cognac, Sazerac-de-la-Forge. Cognac 1840 recreates the formulation of cognacs as they existed back in the days when Peychaud was promoting his creation and droves of customers were flocking to pharmacies and coffee houses to down this potent potable. This Friday the bottles will flow with the kickoff of what could be a return to the original formulation of the Sazerac that will feature Cognac 1840. The Monteleone Hotel's famous Carousel Bar has already been given a headstart on promoting the new spirit. They are offering an "1840 Sazerac" (see photo above) made with Cognac 1840, Vieux Pontarlier Absinthe and the obligatory Peychaud's Bitters. The cocktail is definitely smoother than the standard Sazerac most commonly prepared with rye whiskey and works well with the simple syrup added to sweeten it. The color is a perfect light red with hints of gold and is served with a lemon zest. It may well be that this new entry into the local drinking scene could change drinking habits in a way where everything old is new again.

Religious spirits

The Mad Hatter at the Beefeater opening at TOC

Many of us may know of the unusual connection between religious orders and the distillation process. Perhaps the best known of these is a product originally made by an abbey in Normandy that bears the name of their order, Benedictine. The Benedictine monks who made their herbal liqueur are not alone in the annals of history. Several other religious groups, like the Carthusians who first made Chartreuse liqueur, have also become famous for their impact on a handful of important libations. No less an authority than Southern Wine and Spirits' own Allen Katz, a Jewish former Baltimore resident, who now lives and works in New York, is ready to reveal all. Katz will be the star at one of the last seminars of the Tales of the Cocktail today, as the incredible series of events put on by the New Orleans Culinary and Cultural Preservation Society begins to wind down for 2010. Perhaps it is appropriate that such a seminar being given with beer expert Garrett Oliver of the Brooklyn Brewery is held on a Sunday, the typical day of worship for members of the Christian faith. For Katz, though, his first connections to spirits and drinking in general came about through exposure to Friday night Kiddush and Saturday morning Kiddush which accompanied the conclusion of Jewish prayer services or the beginning of the Sabbath meal. Katz recalled his parents did like an occasional drink. "My impression is that they showed great trust in me and my sister and allowed us to grow up to have respect fro alcohol, but not a fear." So how does a nice Jewish boy get to know so much about Christian - and in particular - Catholic influences on the liquor industry? "I have been exposed to many Catholic orders as they have a monastic tradition of distilling (and brewing)," he explained. "Because of my role as an educator, I am often invited to visit distilleries (and)...have had the opportunity to visit monasteries that still produce their own alcohol for liqueurs or other prodcts as an economic and historic engine." What that means is that he gets to imbibe often as a means of developing..er...uh...a more educated palate. Katz has overseen the growth of Southern Wine and Spirits of New York, which is today the single largest distributor of wines and spirits in the country. It was only natural that the company moved from Florida to New York during its more recent period of growth, even though the name may not be entirely correct in understanding its position vis-à-vis the Mason Dixon line. The fact is Katz's Jewish heritage started him down the road toward becoming a mover and shaker and an expert in the spirits industry. Religiously speaking, we should consider that today's seminar will prove there is more than one way to say "L'chaim."

Sazerac Ambassador and Secret Sippers

Mr. and Mrs. Cocktail flank the Sazerac Ambassador

Ann Tuennerman likes to be called Mrs. Cocktail and no one in New Orleans deserves the title more than she. As the titular head of the annual international Tales of the Cocktail conference that honors mixology industry members, movers and shakers and all things associated with potent potables during this time each year in New Orleans, she has become the most recognized official with the New Orleans Culinary and Cultural Preservation Society that puts the event on. It goes to say that if there is a Mrs. Cocktail, then a Mr. Cocktail must be by her side. Husband Paul is more than happy to fill that bill as both a supporting figure and a hard working member of the NOCCP. If there is one drink that identifies New Orleans as a city, much like the Singapore Sling identifies Singapore City or the Cuba Libre identifies Havana, then that drink must be the Sazerac, the official cocktail of the city as recognized by no less than the Louisiana State Legislature. The Sazerac was invented here early in the Nineteenth Century and by many peoples' accounts it is the first cocktail of note in America. Although a few researchers have unearthed other references to drinks in newspapers of the day that predate pharmacist Antoine Amédee Peychaud's famous concoction (made with his family's secret bitters formula), it certainly was the foremost drink of its time. So-called coffee houses sprang up in what is now the French Quarter well before the Civil War to offer their own versions of the cocktail in an environment where they were offered strictly for medicinal purposes. The Sazerac brand today is controlled by Republic Distillery, but the history of the name is as New Orleans as a poboy or a beignet. Throughout the past year, the Tales of the Cocktail staff assembled a group of Secret Sippers to ascertain in their opinion who offered the most consistent and tasty Sazerac cocktail in New Orleans. Like any product that identifies a particular venue, it was important to Ann, Paul and her NOCCP staff that those that carried the tradition of making a very good Sazerac be honored. In all the Secret Sippers visited numerous locations around town making their assessments. In the end at least three Secret Sippers visited the several top locations on three occasions before decrying them worthy of the title of the Sazerac Seal of Approval. In the end Bar Tonique, the Carousel Bar (in the Monteleone Hotel), Irvin Maybield's Jazz Playhouse, the Sazerac Bar (in the Roosevelt Hotel), DBA, French 75, Cure and Bar Uncommon were all selected to receive recognition as the very first Sazerac Seal of Approval Award winners. Each received an impressive glass trophy emblazoned with their name and the title of the award. Also in the previous years of the Tales of the Cocktail, a Sazerac Ambassador has been named from within the mixology industry as a mover and shaker or as a celebrity bartender. This year the title of Sazerac Ambassador went to Wendy Waren, the vice-president of the Louisiana Restaurant Association, a longtime supporter of the NOCCP and its very important work promoting the cocktail and liquid living in general. All awards took place at the steps of the Monteleone Hotel, which has served as the headquarters for this very interesting series of lectures and tastings each year.

Tales of the Cocktail 2010

TOC's incredible Ann Tuennerman

©Photos Alan Smason

The annual international conference of spirits distributors, purveyors, bartenders and lovers of all manner of libations opens officially today with Ann Tuennerman and her husband Paul as the hosts for Tales of the Cocktail. Of course, Ann's crackerjack staff (including Michelle and several others) works tirelessly to ensure that all of the visitors and local media enjoy the best possible time while sampling the newest and most innovative creations to ever come down a bar. Today New Orleans is at the epicenter of the spirits universe. Numerous events like the welcome reception tonight by Beefeater's Gin will continue throughout the remainder of the week. Yesterday's initial offerings including a sushi and art showing by Japanese distiller Ty-Ku. Their magnificent sakes (white and black) were a perfect pairing for the sushi prepared by Sake Café chef Hao Gong. The Ty-Ku licquer green bottles on display actually lit up when one touched them - a nice touch to an interesting spirit that made a lovely lemonade.

Ty-Ku's unusual bottle that lights at the touch

Drambuie put on an amazing show last night in the historic Blue Room of the Roosevelt Hotel with Jeremy Davenport leading his band in joyful jazz as four different types of Drambuie concoctions were sampled. My favorites included the Southern Nail and the New York Nail, also called the Scotland Yard, which included a generous portion of muddled basil. Wow!

New York Nail with basil by Duane Fernandez, Jr.

Grey Goose Vodka's gathering at Latrobe's on Royal Street was a madhouse with numerous bartenders showing off their stuff for the Sundance cameras who are documenting the entire event.

Grey Goose Vodka's bartender Kevin Henry

The Tales of the Cocktails seminars begin now and continue through the next several days. More on TOC to follow.

So many drinks, so little time

The popular "Tales of the Cocktail" events have continued over the course of the last several days and are winding down tomorrow. This year's featured libation has been the Mint Julep, a drink associated with the Kentucky Derby and a mainstay of the Old South. Frankly, with the rise of the Mojito as a popular drink, the concept of muddling mint leaves to render a refreshing cocktail doesn't seem so quirky. A well-made Mint Julep can be quite revealing as it swirls on one's tongue. It is sweet, but not overly so. It has a bite that lingers as the bourbon it is mixed with moves towards the back of the throat. While I still prefer the rich taste of a well-made Sazerac, it's easy to see why the drink was chosen to serve as the one to feature. Two nights ago special dinners were held at select restaurants featuring sponsors of various spirits who worked with the chefs at each location to make memorable meals coupled with complementary (not complimentary, mind you) drinks. Some of the seats cost as much as $100 a piece, but the experience was one that true epicureans could boast for years to come. It's not all drinking, mind you. There are seminars on varying topics of import, especially as drinks and cocktails relate to local and historical venues and events. This year's Tales of the Cocktails seems to be bigger, more organized and better attended than previous years. It has become a mainstay of summer during a period when tourism has traditionally been slow. Thank goodness its time has come. I'll drink to that.

Going bananas

Alana Brennan with waiter Billie Hartline demonstrate Bananas Foster (Photo Alan Smason)

Ann and Paul Tuennerman's Tales of the Cocktail, completing its sixth year in New Orleans in promotion of all manner of spirits is winding down, but it has definitely made the French Quarter the place to be for the last several days. With the historic Monteleone Hotel as its headquarters, the city has been the festival's veritable oyster. Thursday night special dinners were held all across town at some of the finest restaurants with special cocktails and after dinner libations offered as part of the festival. This morning a Media Breakfast was held at world famous Brennan's Restaurant in the heart of the French Quarter with public relations hostess Bonnie Warren making everyone feel at home. U'Lavka Vodka provided the Bloody Marys for the pleasure of the diners. The highlight of the morning was a demonstration of how to make Bananas Foster with waiter Billie Hartline doing the honors along with an assist from the lovely Alana Brennan, whose family has run the restaurant for several generations. Media reps from across the country were first treated to baked apples in heavy cream and Eggs Hussard and Eggs Benedict before the dessert was passed out by the excellent wait staff. It was quite an experience to be a tourist in my home town. The meal was incredible, but the ability to connect with others and to relate to this delightful experience made it even more special.