We’re pleased and honored to have a guest post today by Emily Cavalier of Mouth of the Border. Aside from being a sherpa of New York’s myriad ethnic neighborhoods and their food, Emily is also a cocktailian extraordinaire. She’s just returned from Tales of the Cocktail, an annual event for bartenders and cocktail enthusiasts, in steamy New Orleans.
Tales of the Cocktail just wrapped up in New Orleans this past Sunday. Tales is a five-day conference for everyone in the bar and cocktail industry from bartenders to beverage writers and liquor brands both big and small. Simply put, it’s five days of steady drinking and debauchery of every kind you could imagine. Between the rich, irresistible Southern food to the back-to-back events manned (and wo-manned) by the country’s top bartenders, there isn’t a moment you’d want to miss.
Here are some highlights:
World's Largest Kopstootje Toast @ Tales of the Cocktail 2011. Photo credit: Drink PR
The event’s Opening Toast (pictured above) is a raucous occasion where you’re sure to spot all of the friends you likely haven’t seen much since the year before. This year, over 400 party-goers gathered to set the world record for the World’s Largest “Kopstootje” Toast on the steps of the historic Monteleone Hotel. (Kopstootje means “little head butt” in Dutch, and it’s a shot of Bols Genever paired with a beer.)
With so many things going on, it’s rare to stay for an entire event during Tales. One happening I made an exception for was the Purity H2O Bloody Mary brunch. Purity Vodka just recently debuted and it surprised me by being a vodka I actually want to taste. We made our own Bloody Marys by pressure-infusing the vodka with whatever fresh vegetables, meats, cheeses and spices we wanted. I made a crazy concoction with a shrimp, Tabasco, fresh parsley and peppercorns and lots of fresh cherry tomatoes. The result was a smooth, red-tinted vodka cocktail that was definitely the most “pure” Bloody Mary I’d ever had.
Bloodys have traditionally been enjoyed as a “cure to what ails ya,” and another cure-all and local favorite is the muffaletta sandwich, originally created at New Orleans’ Central Grocery. This towering Dagwood is an orgy of mortadella, ham, provolone and Central Grocery’s famous olive salad. The spread’s vinegar helps cut through the fat and is key in giving all the sandwiches’ cured meats and cheeses a little oomph. Be sure to pick up a jar or three while you’re in town.
Photo Credit: wallyg on Flickr. Central Grocery Company - Italian Olive Salad
A visit to the French Quarter would be nothing without a beignet (French donut) and the best beignets I’ve had are at the famous Cafe du Monde, piping hot and covered in powdered sugar. You can buy their boxed beignet mix in shops all over the city, and you should because you’ll be missing them when you get home.
Beignet Mix from the famous Cafe Du Monde. Photo credit: Emily Cavalier
My favorite cocktail of the entire trip was a custom cocktail created for Tales’ Bar Room Brawl, a big annual competition that pits different cities and bars against each other for best cocktail.
This cocktail comes from the uber-talented team at Teardrop Lounge, one of my favorite places to spend time when I’m in Portland, OR. Even if I’d never been there or if you blindfolded me and make me pick a favorite that night, I still would have chosen this one. For a little taste of Tales you can enjoy at home, here’s the recipe, courtesy of Teardrop Lounge.
Latin Quarter
Teardrop Lounge (Portland, OR)
Ingredients
2 oz Hennessy VSOP
3/4 oz Dolin Dry vermouth
1/2 oz maraschino liqueur
1/4 housemade Amer Picon (Brand name Amer Picon is only sold in Europe, but you can make a facsimile with this recipe from Jamie Boudreau)
Directions
Stir in a rocks glass. Serve up with a lemon twist.
Cheers!
Emily Cavalier is the founder of Mouth of the Border, an online community for lovers of ethnic food and culture in New York City. She’s also the hostess, founder and resident cocktail geek at Midnight Brunch supper club. In addition to food and beverage writing, Emily consults on event and digital media strategy with food and media brands like Conde Nast, The Vendy Awards and Google.
