Let’s face it, mid-winter is almost upon us and there is not a ground hog is sight. It is getting downright tundra cold out there and Mother Nature is sure to unleash a deep freeze. Some say one should think of a warm place like a tropical island when winter’s freeze is cutting through your bones. Others hope a St. Bernard will come dashing around the bend with a neck barrel full of warming brandy. Well I like to imagine a warm place that combines the heat and brandy; I mentally revisit my annual mid-summer pilgrimage to sizzling hot New Orleans for Tales of the Cocktail where I order a Vieux Carré cocktail upon arrival at the Carousel Bar.

Le Vieux Carré (pronounced view-kar-ray) is the French term for “Old Square” and is another name for the Crescent City’s iconic French Quarter. Walter Bergeron, the head bartender at the Hotel Monteleone’s bar, created the drink in 1938 as homage to New Orleans’ most celebrated district. The Monteleone’s hotel bar would later become the Carousel Bar with its famous rotating bar. The Monteleone, one of the French Quarter’s grand hotels, is also fittingly Tales of the Cocktail central and the Vieux Carré is still served as the house cocktail.

The Vieux Carré cocktail is a perfect example of a well-balanced mix of diverse spirits and bitters. French cognac, American rye whisky, and Italian sweet vermouth share the stage as base spirits. The monastically produced Bénédictine liqueur brings sweetness to the drink to offset the boozy trifecta. The bitters round out the mixture by cutting the sweetness and bonding the spirits.

Classic Vieux Carré
¾ oz cognac
¾ oz rye whisky
¾ oz sweet vermouth
¼ oz Bénédictine
Dash of Peychaud’s bitters
Dash of Angostura bitters
Lemon peel

Tools: Mixing glass, bar spoon, Hawthorne strainer, jigger, Swiss peeler

Method: Combine bitters and liquors in a mixing glass, add ice and stir until well chilled. Strain into a double rocks glass over ice and garnish with a lemon peel.

Still not warm enough for you? Take the recipe above and head south of the Tropic of Cancer to Guyana, the land of many waters and home of Demerara rum. In a recent night on the town, I was lucky enough to encounter a marvelous rum version of the Vieux Carré while dining at New York’s legendary Monkey Bar. The origins of the rum variation are hazy like that night but one of my fellow diners did order one at Julie Reiner’s Flatiron Lounge and was so thrilled with the libation that he began to spread the gospel. I was sold after one sip. The Rum Vieux Carré I ordered at Monkey Bar was made with El Dorado 12 Year Old Demerara rum in lieu of cognac. All of the other ingredients: spirits, bitters, and proportions remained true to Bergeron’s original, however it was served up and not on the rocks which makes for an elegant presentation.

El Dorado translates to City of Gold in Spanish and this liquid gold is an underrated treasure. El Dorado 12 Year Old Rum is produced by Demerara Distillers and is composed of rum from nine different stills ranging from copper still, wooden Coffey, and double wooden pots. Once thoroughly blended, the rum is aged in old bourbon oak casks. The end product is the lovely amber colored aged rum with the flavor of honey, toffee, fruit, and spice taking center stage with dry and smooth finish.

I used Sazarac 6 Year-old Straight Rye Whisky (90 proof) and a subdued sweet vermouth like Dolin Rouge to keep the focus on the El Dorado. A bold vermouth such as Carpano Antica or Cocchi Vermouth di Torino may overwhelm the other base spirits. Sazarac’s peppery taste compliment El Dorado’s complex flavors and add extra punch to the drink. The lemon twist at the end adds the right amount of citrus oils and brings out some of the El Dorado’s fruit.

Rum Vieux Carré
¾ oz El Dorado 12 Year Old Rum
¾ oz Sazarac 6 Year Old Straight Rye whisky
¾ oz Dolin Rouge sweet vermouth
¼ oz Bénédictine liqueur
Dash of Peychaud’s bitters
Dash of Angostura bitters
Lemon peel

Tools: Mixing glass, bar spoon, julep strainer, jigger, Swiss peeler, Manhattan glass

Method: Combine bitters and liquors in a mixing glass, add ice and stir until well chilled. Strain the mixture into a frosted Manhattan glass and garnish with a lemon peel.

So when you are stuck out in the freezing cold this winter try to imagine that St. Bernard bringing you a barrel-aged Rum Vieux Carré and then get to a reputable cocktail bar and order one! Keep warm mes amis.

*Photo by Vanessa Bahmani. 

**Got a cocktail question? Reach Fredo on twitter @loungerati, email me at fredo(at)loungerati(dot)com, or simply drop me a comment below!

***Fredo Ceraso is the editor-at-large of the lounge lifestyle blog Loungerati.com. He is head cocktailian and a co-producer of The Salon parties. Fredo is a member of the USBG New York chapter and rolls drinks at many Lounge, Swing, Jazz Age, & Burlesque events in New York City.

PREFACE:
Tales of the Cocktail Recap Part 1
Tales of the Cocktail Recap Part 2
Tales of the Cocktail Recap Part 3
Tales of the Cocktail Recap Part 4
Tales of the Cocktail Recap Part 5

Alas my friends, as all good things eventually come to an end, so did this year’s Tales of the Cocktail, and so does this series of recaps. This was both my first visit to New Orleans, and my first time attending Tales, and without a doubt my time there was nothing short of a glorious bacchanal of all things cocktail.

NEW AMSTERDAM GIN COMPETITION

But before it was time for me to say goodbye to Tales and head to the Louis Armstrong Airport (Kennedy’s a cool name but can we change La Guardia to something cooler like Miles Davis or Coltrane International?), I had one final event to attend on that final day of Tales, and it was at 10:30am on a Sunday (you already know where this is going). I was scheduled to participate in a cocktail competition sponsored by New Amsterdam Gin.  But unlike the Catdaddy Bar Chef Challenge a few days earlier in which  the best recipes were selected to compete, this competition was more like a Top Chef quickfire challenge in which contestants had only 10 minutes to create and present a cocktail using only New Amsterdam Gin and a spread of ingredients on a table.  Up for grabs for the winner was a catered dinner for ten at their abode. Not bad I thought. I like catered dinners, and I like my abode, so I figured it’d be good to win this.

But there was one hitch: it was slated for 10:30am on a Sunday. A regular Sunday poses problems for me because it always follows Saturday night, so you know a Sunday morning at Tales would be an issue. So some time around 10:45am I wake up to a phone call from Laura Bruskin, who handles the PR for New Amsterdam Gin, asking me whether or not I still planned on attending. Although I wasn’t hungover (I was still drunk, the hangover comes after the drunkenness subsides), I was more exhausted than a lone hamster in Richard Gere’s apartment. But because I consider it really important for people to see me as a man of my word, I begrudgingly decided to get up, splashed some cold water on my face, put on something presentable and promised I’d be down there in ten minutes.

Short story long, I arrive just as they’re preparing to start, take my position at my station, come up with some batshit crazy concoction, shake, strain (I would’ve preferred to double strain but somebody snatched the double strainer from the table), garnish just as time runs out, then win. Yeah. Win. Again. I was happy.

Below is the recipe for the drink I created called the Creole Market (yeah the name’s kinda weak but I had to think of something, and I ain’t good with names).

Creole Market
2 oz gin
1 oz fresh lime juice
1 oz agave nectar (actually go just under an ounce on the jigger)
1/2 oz fresh peach puree
1 barspoon Angostura
3 or 4 bell pepper slices
1 pinch sandalwood
1 pinch turmeric
1 pinch dried thyme

Glass: cocktail
Tools: shaker, strainer, double strainer if you have one, muddler, barspoon

Place the bell peppers, sandalwood, turmeric, and thyme in a shaker and muddle until the bell pepper is well smashed and its juice is extracted.  Add the remaining ingredients plus ice and shake like a catered dinner at your abode depends on it. Strain into your cocktail glass and enjoy.  Although you can’t tell from the photo, I actually garnished it with a flower from the judges’ table, though you can garnish it with whatever you like, or don’t garnish at all.

Chief brand mixologist Alex Ott explaining the rules of the competition.

Analyzing the spices and ingredients made available.

The spread of cocktails from all the competitors.

SPIRITED AWARDS 2010

As I explained, the main reason why early Sunday mornings aren’t so easy is because of Saturday nights. The Saturday night at Tales is the opportunity to epically party for a final time before returning home. Much of the partying is fueled by celebrations from the winners of the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards, which is the craft cocktail industry’s equivalent of the James Beard Awards. The winners partied hard in celebration, the losers partied hard to forget their loss, and the rest of us partied because we were there and it was the final night. Below is a list of the nominees by category, with the winner listed at top in bold. As usual, it was a good night for NYC. 

World’s Best Cocktail Bar

• The Bar at The Merchant Hotel, Belfast
• 69 Colebrooke Row, London
• Death & Company, New York City
• Quo Vadis, London

World’s Best New Cocktail Bar

Mayahuel, World’s Best New Cocktail Bar 2010

• Mayahuel, New York City
• Dutch Kills, Queens
• Rickhouse , San Francisco
• Cure, New Orleans (this place is overrated)

Best American Cocktail Bar

• Death & Company, New York City
• The Clover Club, Brooklyn
• Rickhouse, San Francisco
• The Varnish, Los Angeles

World’s Best Hotel Bar

• The Bar at The Connaught Hotel, London
• Artesian Bar at The Langham, London
• The Florida Room at The Delano, South Beach, Florida
• The Bar Hemingway at The Ritz, Paris
• Am I the only one who finds it strange that The Bar at The Merchant Hotel in Belfast wins World’s Best Cocktail Bar but isn’t even nominated in the World’s Best Hotel Bar category?

World’s Best Drinks Selection

• Bar Lebensstern in Café Einstein, Berlin
• Artesian Bar at The Langham Hotel, London
• Macao Trading Co, New York City
• The Widder Bar, Zurich

World’s Best Cocktail Menu

• Death & Company, New York City
• The Lonsdale, London
• Mayahuel, New York City
• Rickhouse, San Francisco

American Bartender of the Year

Murray Stenson of Zig Zag Cafe, Seattle

• Murray Stenson, Zig Zag Café, Seattle
• Eric Alperin, The Varnish, Los Angeles
• Kenta Goto, Pegu Club, New York City
• Sam Ross, Milk & Honey, New York City

International Bartender of the Year

• Agostino Perrone, The Connaught Hotel, London
• Brian Miller, formerly of  Death & Company, New York City
• Salvatore “The Maestro” Calabrese, formerly Fifty, London
• Sam Ross, Milk & Honey, New York City

Best International Brand Ambassador

• John Gakuru, Sagatiba Pura Cachaça
• Angus Winchester, Tanqueray Gin
• Dan Warner, Beefeater Gin
• Jacob Briars, 42 Below Vodka

Best American Brand Ambassador

• Charlotte Voisey, Hendrick’s Gin
• Jacques Bezuidenhout, Partida Tequila
• Jamie Gordon, Absolut Vodka
• Tal Nadari, Bols Genever

Best New Cocktail/Bartending Book

• Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails by Ted Haigh
• Beachbum Berry Remixed
• Gin Compendium by Gary “Gaz” Regan
• MudPuddle Books by Greg Boehm

Best Cocktail Writing

• CLASS magazine
• Gary Regan
• Jared Brown and Anistatia Miller
• Naren Young

Best New Product

• Celery Bitters, The Bitter Truth
• Cocktail Kingdom’s barware
• Crème Yvette by Cooper Spirits
• Meehan Cocktail Bag by Jim Meehan (I really really want this bag)

Best Bar Mentor

• Dale “King Cocktail” DeGroff
• Robert Hess
• Sasha Petraske
• Tony Abou-Ganim

Helen David Lifetime Achievement Award

• Brian Rea
• Gary Regan
• Murray Stenson
• Tony Abou-Ganim

LESSONS FOR NEXT TIME

Although I don’t have any regrets, there are a few things I’d do differently next time:

1.) Buy a case of electrolyte-enhanced water (or even better, coconut water) upon checking into the hotel room. I actually planned to do this but in the excitement of arriving I forgot and never got around to it.

2.) Stay hydrated.

3.) Stay at the Hotel Monteleone. We stayed at the Windsor Court Hotel, a first rate hotel that I got a really sweet deal on, and only a 10 minute walk to the Monteleone which is Tales homebase, but I slightly feel like I was left out of the party. I lost the advantage of being around the whole buzzing scene of it all, so undoubtedly there were last minute hotel parties and such that never made it to my ears. Not to mention how much easier it makes going back to your room between events for much needed power naps.

4.) Stay hydrated.

5.) Either bring an extra suitcase, pack less clothing, or arrange for shipping of all the swag that you’ll accumulate down at Tales. As you can see below, between Vanessa and I we ended up with lots of goodies (K, I got some good stuff saved for you next time you’re in NY), but I could’ve certainly done without the panic and stress from last minute packing and repacking to avoid the steep baggage weight fees. The swag game at tales is pretty gangsta, and if you want a good recap of the best of the best checkout Camper English’s Fourth Annual Tales Swag Awards.

6.) Stay hydrated

7.) Make a more focused effort to remember the people who’s business cards I received. I’m already very terrible at this (I told you I ain’t good with names) and it’s even more difficult when under an alcohol-induced haze, but if I’m to truly get the most out of the networking at Tales, then I have to remember the faces and contexts of the conversations associated with the business cards I accumulated. And believe me, I got A LOT of business cards. Jotting down instant notes, snappng a photo (as bad as I am with names, I’m a genius with faces and can recall a face more than a decade later), whatever, as long as when it comes time to write that email a week or two after Tales, that biz card is more like a flash card.

8.) Stay hydrated.

9.) Either relax the schedule a bit (which I’ll probably never do) or get to New Orleans a few days before the hustle and bustle of Tales to get a chance at really enjoying the city.

10.) Did I mention stay hydrated?

FINAL FAREWELL

Finally, a great shout out to Mr. and Mrs. Tuennerman (aka Mr. and Mrs. Cocktail), Michelle Dunnick, Christina Gaspari, Melissa Young, and the rest of the Tales of the Cocktail organizing crew that made losing my Tales virginity a memorable experience. The seamless way in which the organizers pulled of multiple seminars, events, and spirit tastings for every hour of the festival made it a feat worthy of instant admission in the Logistics Hall of Fame.

To the Tales of the Cocktail crew and the entire city of New Orleans I tip my hat.

*Got a cocktail question? Hit me on twitter @paystyle, email me at payman(at)lifesacocktail(dot)com, or simply drop me a comment below.

PREFACE:
Tales of the Cocktail Recap Part 1
Tales of the Cocktail Recap Part 2
Tales of the Cocktail Recap Part 3
Tales of the Cocktail Recap Part 4

Of all the seminars I attended down at Tales of the Cocktail, the most memorable had to be a seminar called Bax vs. Clift: Progressive Cocktail/Cooking Techniques.  It was also the one I had been most anticipating.  The seminar was a foray into the still barely explored frontier of molecular mixology and gastronomy (the application of scientific techniques, chemistry in particular, to the craft of food and drink) with a particular focus on where the two crafts intersect. 

The seminar was led by mixologist Matthew Bax and chef Ryan Clift, the duo behind Singapore’s groundbreaking Tippling Club.  It was their first ever presentation in the states, so the audience got a rare opportunity to sample some of the wizardry performed at their restaurant, a place most will never get a chance to visit.  

The duo’s philosophy, which I found to be a novel one, is basically to create a new model for food and drink pairing.  Traditionally food and drink pairing (which most often means food and wine pairing) focuses on the idea that certain dishes are optimally paired with certain beverages (and vice-versa) because they are mutually complementary, and thereby create a culinary experience that’s superior than just having the food or beverage item by itself–a wonderful idea no doubt. 

The Tippling Club, however takes it a step further by positing that the food and beverages they pair together are more than mutually complementary, they are in fact bound together by mutual necessity.  In other words, they complete each other in a way that if you take one piece away, what is left actually tastes incomplete and imbalanced. 

Take the case of an apple-infused calvados and foie gras pairing which we were served.  Taken together one experiences the flavor of traditional apple pie, but taken separately the cocktail tastes overly sweet and the foie gras tastes bitter.  I found this to be a really simple yet fascinating concept.

I neither know, nor do I understand, enough of the voodoo that took place before my eyes to be able to explain to you in any further detail the scientific or chemical processes involved, but I do have pictures, which are probably worth a whole lot more.

When we first arrived, there were small cups at each seat with 3 grapes and a piece of mint in each cup. It turns out they were Bourbon carbonated grapes meant to mimic the flavor of a a Mint Julep.

Next up was a reinterpretation of the classic New Orleans Sazerac, but instead of rinsing the glass with absinthe in the traditional manner, it was poured from a bottle in the form of a fog over the drink.

Once the elementary stuff was out of the way, they moved on to demonstrate their concept of food and beverage pairing which I explained.  Above, a molecular Michelada. Below, the calvados (apple brandy) cocktail with apple flavor infused via sous-vide (left), when combined with the foie gras and crumble (right), produced the flavor of apple pie.

Dehydrated berries were sliced into small pebble pieces and combined with something that looked like dehydrated milk and dry ice, to which was added Champagne to create an adult version of a childhood favorite, Fruity Pebbles.

We finished off with simple (by their standards) Old Fashioneds with orange peel smoke floating on top.  The interesting thing is they were actually quite disappointed because they said most of what they wanted to bring was confiscated by customs, and so what they created for us was done a bit on the fly, and not up to their usual standards.  I don’t think anyone of us would have been the wiser.

Some people are turned off by the concept of molecular mixology/gastronomy, perceiving it as too fancy, impractical, and ultimately synthetic in a way that seems to run counter to the principles of craft mixology.  As my friend and fellow bon vivant Fredo Ceraso of Loungerati expressed to me recently (and I’m paraphrasing), people don’t need absinthe gummy bears, fancy foams on their cocktails, or have to dig out little liquid-filled pearls of “caviar” at the bottom of their drinks.  

I recognize some of the merits of these arguments, especially when it comes to practicality, as some of these dehydrators, sous-vide machines, and other technical gadgetry run in the tens of thousands of dollars, placing them stratospheres above the budgets of even most high end cocktail bars.  However I still believe guys like Bax, Clift, Dufresne (WD-50), and Freeman (formerly of Tailor), are doing important work in the world of culinary arts.  Pushing the envelope and expanding the edges of the mixological universe can only be a net positive in my view. 

First, it brings mixologists a step closer toward getting the same recognition and respect traditionally accorded to chefs.  Secondly, it raises the stakes and forces others to step up their game and raises the bar of what constitutes above-average; the great risk becoming just good, and the good risk becoming mediocre, lest in turn they innovate.  As Matthew Bax himself summarized (again I paraphrase), the point is not that everyone needs to start practicing molecular mixology, but that it’s time to see if we can do something beyond pre-Prohibition cocktails, as wonderful as they may be.

Go to www.baxvsclift.com for more eyebrow-raising photos of the unique magic performed at The Tippling Club.

Look out for the 6th and final part of my recap of Tales of the Cocktail tomorrow, featuring the New Amsterdam Gin Competition, which I also competed in.

*Got a cocktail question? Hit me on twitter @paystyle, email me at payman(at)lifesacocktail(dot)com, or simply drop me a comment below.

PREFACE:
Tales of the Cocktail Recap Part 1
Tales of the Cocktail Recap Part 2
Tales of the Cocktail Recap Part 3

I had never been to New Orleans prior to going down for this year’s Tales of the Cocktail, so when it came to deciding where to eat and drink (which are always my top priorities when traveling), I knew I’d have many choices, and that I had to play my hand carefully. So long before it was even time to pack my bags, I began compiling a list of places that were said to be the best of the best, culled from a combination of trusted food and drink sites (such as this one) as well as personal recommendations from epicureans whose tastes I’ve come to respect. Plus I’m fairly savvy at separating the tourist traps from the locals’ favorites (Emeril’s name was nowhere to be found), so I felt pretty good about the list I compiled, which was a rather long one.

Of all the places in which I ate and drank, there were a few select standouts, both good and bad. Here’s a roundup of those places that were good, bad, and just plain meh, purposely excluding anything consumed at various Tales seminars and events because I wanted to focus squarely on the food and drink of institutions within New Orleans.

MOTHER’S RESTAURANT

We stayed at the Windsor Court Hotel, and situated conveniently across the street from us was Mother’s Restaurant, which I’d heard nothing but good things about, especially regarding their not-to-be-missed breakfast. Above is a plate of their special baked ham, potato salad, greens, and beans and rice with gravy and meat.

I guess it was time for Sadie Hawkins or something, as both my brother (left) and brother-in-law (right) wore the same shirt to breakfast, apparently unplanned. What a cute couple.

Verdict: Mother’s was great, and will be visited again next time I’m in NOLA. The crawfish etoufee is a must have, be it in traditional (above) or omelette form (below).

COCHON

Fellow booze blogger Fredo Ceraso of Loungerati joined us as we set off to dine at what was perhaps everyone’s most anticipated meal, dinner at Cochon. Here, Chef Donald Link works wonders in this shrine to all things pork. But pork’s not the only highlight on his menu, as dishes like wood-fired oyster roast and fried alligator with chili-garlic aioli threatened to unseat the namesake dishes. For entrees, both Fredo and my brother ordered the Louisiana cochon with turnips, cabbage & cracklins; my brother-in-law got the rabbit & dumplings; Vanessa ordered the smoked beef brisket with horseradish potato salad; and yours truly nearly got a boner when I saw the ham hock with sweet potatoes, pickled greens & black eyed pea ham broth on the menu, so that’s what I ordered. The ham hocks were actually fried and served osso bucco style.

All the dishes tasted great, but I have to admit that the fried alligator and wood-fired oyster appetizers–especially the wood-fired oyster appetizer–were tops on my list. The oysters, lightly charred on top and served with a spicy, tangy, garlicky sauce were so good I ordered another round. They were so good that I didn’t give a shit whether they came from an oil dump or not.

Verdict: There’s a reason you don’t see any photos here, because we were too busy getting our grub on.

PORT OF CALL

Some have proclaimed Port of Call as having the best burger ever. I say they’ve been gone from New York for too long. For the uninitiated, Port of Call basically has two items on the menu: burgers and steaks, each of which comes with a huge baked potato, loaded with whatever you want. They also had a pretty interesting looking menu of Hurricane style drinks which we abstained from because there was already way too much liquor in our systems.

When we went there, we all got the burger because, well, we were told it’s the best ever. The reality of it is that it simply wasn’t the best burger ever.  It wasn’t bad. It just wasn’t the best.

It’s not that they skimped on the meat or the toppings, and the patty was pretty juicy, of seemingly good quality, and cooked exactly as I ordered it, but my main beef (no pun intended)–which would’ve possibly taken the burger to the next eschelon–was that it was simply un(or under)seasoned. Now I’m not the type of guy who needs smoked paprika and curry salt in his burger either, but just a touch of salt (and perhaps pepper but it’s not a dealbreaker) wouldn’t have hurt.

The unfortunate part is I really liked everything else about the place. The vibe was cool and relaxed and our server was cool.  What was especially cool was seeing the local police officer sitting at the bar with a beer one moment, then delivering some plates from the kitchen to our table the next.

Verdict: I won’t necessarily make it a destination next time I’m in NOLA, but if I’m ever in the vicinity and hungry, I’ll know where to stop. And I’ll know what to order: the steak.

PARKWAY BAKERY & TAVERN

Here comes the really bad news. I simply couldn’t believe how disappointed I was in eating here. I had heard from several sources that this would be po’ boy paradise, and the menu makes you think nothing less. I ordered a roast beef po’ boy (which was what was recommended to me) and the others ordered shrimp and crawfish po’ boys, and we all shared a side of alligator gumbo.

When my po’ boy arrived it was drizzled with a gravy that made the sandwich look so inviting that I wanted to jump into it headfirst. But after the first bite, then the second, then the third after dropping some hot sauce on it, then the fourth after dashing some salt on top, then the fifth after adding more hot sauce, then the sixth after adding a touch more salt, I realized this was a po’ boy for all the wrong reasons: it suffered from a poverty of flavor.

Just pure blandness that inexplicably none of the multiple hot sauce and salt treatments seemed to be able to augment. The opinion seemed to be shared around the table. The alligator gumbo, while nothing to write home about (all the more ironic that I’m writing about it now), was decent, and probably the highlight of the meal, though also underseasoned.

This was a place that certainly looked the part but in the end was just a lookalike. And the strange thing was that it was packed with locals. It reminds me of something a friend of mine who travels very frequently said to me: that living in New York has completely fucked up my palate; that when traveling to other cities and eating at places that many consider well above average, I’ll often consider them mediocre because of the level of quality I’ve become accustomed to.

We did however take great enjoyment at random stuff nailed on their wall, like the picture below.

Verdict: Doubtful I’ll ever return, unless it’s for Angelo’s 10th annual 49th birthday party.

THE SAZERAC BAR

Quite often if a city is known for a particular type of dish or drink, chances are that city is filled with places slinging below average versions of said dish or drink. Case in point: New York and the pizza. Although New York is famous for its style of pizza, 90% of the pizza joints in this city make a pizza that’s inferior to what you can make at home. Yet these places survive, largely due to tourists who don’t know any better and New Yorkers who couldn’t give a shit. The best explanation I can think of is that the majority of the mediocre places ride on the good reputation created by the few places who turn out an outstanding product.

New Orleans, of course, is famous for a number of culinary creations, from sausage-filled gumbos to shrimp po’ boys. But New Orleans also has a rich cocktail history, and no other cocktail represents that history than the Sazerac. The Sazerac is so NOLA that it’s been deemed the city’s official cocktail. So coming to New Orleans with the above axiom in mind, I was prepared to have some pretty mediocre–if not full-on terrible and overly sweetened–Sazeracs. Having heard sad stories from others about some of the really bad Sazeracs they had in NOLA didn’t ease my trepidation either.

So for the most part I stayed away from ordering a Sazerac at just any old place. But when I got to the Sazerac Bar at the Roosevelt Hotel, I figured I’d finally give it a shot. Besides, I wasn’t going to be like someone we know on this blog who visited the Sazerac Bar and didn’t order the namesake cocktail.

To my surprise, the Sazerac I had there was a good one, and it wasn’t overly sweet like I had feared. Despite the relatively young age of the bartender (looked like he was barely of legal drinking age), I had a good feeling about it, seeing as he really took his time in the preparation of the drink, properly chilling one cup, mixing the drink, then straining into the chilled glass, and so on. If I had to say something critical about it I’d say that it could do with a bit less Peychaud’s bitters, which is why the drink above has such a deep red hue.

Verdict: I’d easily order another Sazerac next time I’m there.

THE CAROUSEL BAR

The Carousel Bar at the Hotel Monteleone (host hotel of Tales) was another bar that I had heard many good things about. And being the bar of the hotel where Tales of the Cocktail takes place, I figured their cocktail game had to be on point. The bar’s name comes from the fact that it looks and spins like a carousel. Yes, it spins–albeit very slowly–while you’re seated at the bar, which can be either very cool or very disorienting depending on your state of inebriation.

So on a morning in between seminars I stopped by the Carousel Bar and ordered up another classic New Orleans cocktail, a quaff that’s traditionally enjoyed in the morning known as the Ramos Gin Fizz. Alas, disappointment had arrived. Perhaps it was because the barman on duty was not supposed to be on duty, and being distraught and slightly irate that he was called in because of a colleague’s no-show may have distracted his focus. Whatever the reason, the drink was so bland as to be unoffensive–not enough liquor, not enough sugar, just kinda whatever.

Verdict: Will give it another shot, but next time I’m ordering a Vieux Carre, a New Orleans classic created here.

JEAN LAFITTE’S OLD ABSINTHE HOUSE

It wasn’t any one particular food or drink item that drew myself and many others from the Tales contingency here, although the name might indicate otherwise.  At the Old Absinthe House all I ever ordered were Abitas, which were great in and of themselves, but what made the times so special here was that this was the main unofficial after hours hangout of all the bartenders and folks from Tales.

The crowd spilled into the streets, and the night spilled into the early hours of the next day, as folks reconvened here from wherever their daily plans took them for a few last calls and some drunken shit shooting. Truth be told, this was where the best networking took place. Not in or after seminars.  Not at various parties and such. Here. And it was after meeting folks here the night before that made bumping into one another during the day seem like you were running into an old friend.

Verdict: This place is old as dirt and still rocks.

CAFE DU MONDE

A veritable New Orleans landmark, Cafe Du Monde is one of the few places where both tourists and locals converge in mutual agreement: the chicory-spiked cafe au laits and beignets, pretty much the only two things on the menu, are worth enduring long waits in the line or for a table.

After several nights of heavy drinking, some joe from Cafe Du Monde was a welcome libation. And as you can see, the beignets are nothing to f*ck with either.

Verdict: It was so hot that I ordered an iced coffee, which wasn’t their specialty, and thought it was just okay. I did bring back a can of their coffee to try at home, so I might adjust my opinion. The beignets, on the other hand, received no complaints.

Finally, I’ll leave you with some parting shots of the streets of the Big Easy. By the way, the gentleman below was not in motion when we took the photo.  He had been in that pose for a very, very, very long time.

Look out for Part 5 tomorrow, featuring an awesome seminar on molecular gastronomy and mixology from the dudes behind The Tippling Club.

*Got a cocktail question? Hit me on twitter @paystyle, email me at payman(at)lifesacocktail(dot)com, or simply drop me a comment below.

PREFACE:
Tales of the Cocktail Recap Part 1
Tales of the Cocktail Recap Part 2

New Orleans is perhaps most famous for its great food and rich musical tradition. They’re what folks often point to as the most tangible markers of a New Orleans culture that’s sometimes too intangible to define. So despite a schedule packed with seminars and events at Tales of the Cocktail, I knew I couldn’t return to NY without checking out two people who represent the food and music of the Big Easy like no other: John Besh and Kermit Ruffins, respectively.

SPIRITED DINNER AT AUGUST

The Spirited Dinner is a tradition at Tales in which many of New Orleans’ most prestigious restaurants pair up with guest mixologists from around the country to create special prix fixe menus with cocktail pairings. The many interesting combinations of notable chefs and mixologists make it very difficult to choose which Spirited Dinner to attend, especially since they’re all at different establishments and for one night only.

In the end I chose August, helmed by John Besh, whose cooking has now practically made him a household name, having made appearances on shows like Iron Chef America and HBO’s Treme, to name a few. I’ve wanted to sample his fare for quite a long time, and this was my opportunity.  The cocktail pairings were handled by Ted Haigh aka Dr. Cocktail, whose Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails won a Spirited Award for “Best New Cocktail/Bartending Book” at this year’s Tales; and Rob Cooper, owner of Cooper Spirits, which produces everyone’s favorite liqueur, St. Germain Elderflower.

The Menu

Aperitif
Riviera Sunrise – Dubonnet Rouge, St-Germain elderflower liqueur, champagne

First Course
Crawfish and cockscombs “happy” pancakes

Paired with:
Common Man’s Reviver – Cachaçha, St-Germain elderflower liqueur, Herbsaint Original, lemon juice, tonic water

Second Course
Sweet corn and crab spring roll

Paired with:
Miracle Cocktail - Cachaça, Dubonnet Rouge, St-Germain elderflower liqueur, lemon juice, Angostura regular and orange bitters

Third Course
Hot buns, pork belly, miso, and fig

Paired with:
Pork Futures Cocktail - Bourbon, Dubonnet Rouge, St-Germain elderflower liqueur, Benedictine, lemon juice, Angostura regular and orange bitters

Fourth Course
Local veal breast & sweetbread saam

Paired with:
The Magic Hour - Plymouth gin, St. Germain elderflower liqueur, fresh lemon juice, lemon twist

Fifth Course
Blueberry, peach, and white chocolate ice cream sandwiches

Paired with:
Crème Yvette and French press coffee

Never having tried actual cockscomb before (you know, those ornamental things roosters wear on their heads), I was surprised that the first course turned out to be my favorite. Of the cocktails the Magic Hour–being a simple St. Germain flavored twist on the classic gin sour–was by far the best.

KERMIT RUFFINS AND THE BARBECUE SWINGERS AT VAUGHAN’S

Once the mouth was happy, it was time to bring some happiness to the ears, so we headed out to Vaughan’s where Kermit Ruffins and his Barbecue Swingers Band have been putting down legendary performances every Thursday night since the early 90s. And just in case you’re coming hungry, Kermit always prepares some good grub gratis–often bbq, this time two huge pots of red beans and rice.

Those are some of the attributes that’s made Kermit so beloved, both locally and among Jazz fans across the globe. I can’t think of another musician–of Jazz or any other genre–that so effortlessly bridges the gap from Louis Armstrong to modern Hip Hop, playing standards one minute, then putting down the trumpet in the next to grab the microphone and kick a freestyle rap worthy of beatboxing to, all while stoned or about to be.  Oh, and by the way, there’s no stage at Vaughan’s. It’s just Kermit and his band playing right in front of you and others who’ve come to listen to a living legend. I even spotted cocktail historian David Wondrich nodding his head in cadenced approval during one of Kermit’s raps.

I also had my not-of-drinking-age brother-in-law–wow that’s a lot of hyphens–with me in New Orleans, and although he couldn’t partake in most of the Tales-related events, the vibe at Vaughan’s was so cool and welcoming that it wasn’t even an issue. And Kermit played his ass off so well I had to give him one of my extra cigars.

To say that Vaughan’s was an enjoyable place would be one of the understatements of the year. The place had the atmosphere that all the trendy faux dives in NY and elsewhere try to duplicate with invariable failure. Unpretentious, great music, and bartenders with good conversation and a generous pour, Vaughan’s is on my permanent list of places I’ll visit every time I’m in New Orleans, especially on a Thursday night.

Below is a video from that night, with Kermit doing what he does best. However as you can see there’s not much to see, so I recommend you treat it more as audio than video, as the combination of poor lighting, a crappy camera, and a drunk cameraman didn’t make for great visuals. But the sound bleeding from that trumpet… oh he’s a bad bad man.

Check back tomorrow for Part 4 of my recap of Tales of the Cocktail.

*Got a cocktail question? Hit me on twitter @paystyle, email me at payman(at)lifesacocktail(dot)com, or simply drop me a comment below.

PREFACE
Tales Recap Part 1

Anticipating that I’d have a hangover the size of a punch bowl, and knowing that I’d be competing as a finalist in the Catdaddy Bar Chef Challenge in the afternoon of my second day at Tales of the Cocktail, I intentionally lightened my schedule to allow some breathing room.  In the morning I attended a spirits tasting workshop led by Paul Pacult, the man who’s probably tasted and rated every spirit in production today, and after that it was time to focus on winning some trophies!

Catdaddy Bar Chef Challenge

Several months ago I submitted my recipe for the Catdaddy Bar Chef Challenge held by Piedmont Distillers, the makers of Catdaddy Carolina Moonshine. The top three submitters were selected to present their recipe in a competition at Tales, and I happened to be one of them.  The other two competitors were Jim Kearns, a New York mixologist who’s worked at some of the top bars in the city including Pegu Club, Death & Co, and Mayahuel, and now the bar manager and bartender at the acclaimed Rye House; and Giacomo Cuccurullo, a Bar Chef Instructor at the Instituto Culinario de Mexico.  The judging panel consisted of Dale DeGroff (aka King Cocktail), Paul Tuennerman (aka Mr. Cocktail), Alan Kropf & Jeff Dorenbush of Mutineer Magazine and Joe Michalek, the Founder of Piedmont Distillers.

From left, Joe Michalek, Paul Tuennerman, Jim Kearns, you know who, Dale Degroff, Giacomo Cuccurullo, Jeff Dorenbush, and Alan Kropf.  On to the drink pics and recipes…

 Chinese Bootlegger
my recipe

2 ounces Catdaddy
2 ounces Oolong tea
1 ½ ounces grapefruit juice
½ ounce lemon juice
¼ ounce agave syrup
¼ ounce cinnamon syrup
¼ ounce Angostura bitters

Shake over ice, strain into ice filled glass (or mason jar), garnish with slices of grapefruit and lemon.

Moonshine Mountain Punch
Created by Jim Kearns.

1 ½ ounce Catdaddy
3 sugar cubes
1 ounce soda
1 dash Angostura bitters
½ ounce lemon juice
¾ ounce grapefruit juice
½ ounce rum

Muddle sugar, soda and bitters. Add other ingredients & stir. Serve over ice in a highball, garnish with orange slice. I have to say this was quite a refreshing drink, and as soon as I tasted it I knew it was a threat.

Last Kiss
Created by Giacomo Cuccurullo.

1 ounce Catdaddy
2 ½ strawberries
10 basil leaves
½ ounce clove syrup
½ ounce vodka or Junior Johnson’s Midnight Moon
dried vanilla fruit

Smoke cocktail glass with vanilla fruit. Muddle strawberries, basil and syrup in mixing glass. Add spirits, shake, double strain into smoky vanilla Martini glass.  I was really eager to try this drink, but unfortunately Giacomo was busy smoking vanilla beans and double straining cocktails for the masses that I didn’t get to have a sip.  One of these days I have to make this one for myself.

At stake were two trophies: the Golden Mason Jar Trophy  (below left) for the Judges’ favorite cocktail and the Moonshine Still Trophy (below right) for the people’s choice of favorite, determined by ballot.

This  is what you call shaking and praying at the same time.

Hustlin’ for the people.

Dude you’re crushing my hand, which I still need for shaking more cocktails for you.

The judges making their final decision.

And the winner of both the Judges’ Trophy and People’s Choice goes to…

Yes indeed, it was a great day, as I pulled off a double whammy.

But before I end this post, I have to give a big shout out to Sarah LeRoy, Joe Michalek, and Jessie Paschal from Piedmont Distillers, who went out of their way to make sure all us contestants had everything we needed in New Orleans, from accomodations to ingredients and tools.  The whole event was so well organized that you couldn’t tell this was the first time they’d done the Bar Chef Challenge.

I wonder who’s recipe will be the winner next year.

Look out for Part 3 on Monday, featuring the Spirited Dinner at John Besh’s August and Kermit Ruffins jammin’ his ass off at Vaughan’s.

*Got a cocktail question? Hit me on twitter @paystyle, email me at payman(at)lifesacocktail(dot)com, or simply drop me a comment below.

Last week I gave the foolhardy impression that I could give a daily recap of the events at Tales of the Cocktail, while still down at Tales. Instead, I left you high and dry as I ate and drank and partied and competed and sat in seminars with a hangover, then ate and drank and partied and competed some more, while giving short shrift to my responsibilities to those looking to enjoy Tales by proxy.

The truth is, my schedule was packed way too heavily with seminars (I didn’t just party you know) and events, all combined with a serious deficiency of sleep which made it nearly impossible to give the coherent level of feedback necessary to do this type of once-a-year event justice.

For that, I am genuinely sorry. I’m also sorry for missing yesterday’s scheduled post. I had no idea just how long it would take to edit down and incorporate the sheer volume of photos I had, and it doesn’t help that the Flickr app for WordPress sucks, nor does it help that WordPress itself really sucks.

But all excuses aside, to make up for the lack of real time information, I’m giving you a multi-part recap of the highlights of my activities down there (sans the embarrassing parts), with lots of photos. Sometimes a little delayed gratification has its rewards.

BEEFEATER GIN WELCOME RECEPTION

To kick things off, the folks at Beefeater Gin threw an “Alice in Wonderland” themed bash at the New Orleans Contemporary Arts Center. They did a pretty awesome job of decking out every nook and cranny of the space to resemble the surreal dream world Wonderland. Tim Burton would’ve been proud, and maybe Lewis Carroll too.

Two of the many cocktails being served that night, the French Negroni and the Beefeater 24 Martini. And who says you have to drink from a cocktail glass? Proper women in Wonderland drink out of top hats, didn’t you know?

And though I had the chance to drink out of a Fez hat, I chose instead to sip my cocktails from nifty rocks glass shaped tea cups and saucers, being the dignified chap that I am.

But by the event’s end (which was barely 9pm, and only the first of two parties that night) I felt more like a hotard than a dignified chap.

So they put me on the Hotard bus (you can see from the picture that I’m not joking, and I may have had a serious Larry David moment when I made fun of the bus in front of the bus driver) which took us to the William Grant & Sons House Party at the Elms Mansion.

Me and the rest of the hotards…

WILLIAM GRANT & SONS HOUSE PARTY AT THE ELMS MANSION

When we arrived at the mansion, we had no idea what to expect, other than freakish amounts of food and booze.

The picture below is the reason why the Hendrick’s Gin on the scale above kept getting lighter.

We were in New Orleans after all, and the musicians definitely repped some of the old time Nola standards.

Mr. Enzo Lim rocking the cocktails in the usual delicious manner. Catch him at Minetta Tavern in NY’s West Village if you have a chance. He’s by far the best bartender there.

Inside the Elms Mansion was more food and much, much more booze.

Check back tomorrow for Part 2 featuring the results of the Catdaddy Bar Chef Challenge in which I was one of the finalists!

*Got a cocktail question? Hit me on twitter @paystyle, email me at payman(at)lifesacocktail(dot)com, or simply drop me a comment below.

Walking through the French Quarter during Mardi Gras, I saw this really huge purple and orange sign, sparkling from blocks away. When I got closer, a cute boy was pushing a cart, with fake boxes of ice cream and glass bottles of booze. Onlookers, who seemed more like locals, kept stopping him to take his picture. What’s this all about? I wondered.

Turns out he dressed up as K&B, a defunct drug store chain that was headquarted in New Orleans. According to Wiki, they had their own line of ice cream (Creole Cream Cheese!!!), liquor, and even beer. It would be the equivalent of Thrifty’s, for us Californians (both bought out by Rite Aid! Oh, corporate America).

By the excitement this guy created just walking down the street, this was clearly a big deal to the locals– K&B represents for them the microcosm of NOLA’s unique past: the town, its history, its culture. At this moment, I realized that New Orleans operates in its own little bubble.

This is my last NOLA post. SAD! I love that town so so much, and I encourage everyone to visit, at least once in their lifetime. The food, the people, the life! Thank you for such a memorable time.

Check out the all my NOLA and Mardi Gras pics here. Don’t miss The Cock and Baby Penis. [flickr album=72157623322710805 num=30 size=Thumbnail]

Thankfully made it to the Sazerac Bar in the historic Roosevelt Hotel. We weren’t going to have enough time to go, but I managed to sneak in on my last day in town. The space is just so majestic and enchanting!

The hotel itself has quite a history. Opened in 1893 as “The Grunewald”, it was followed by an expansion and name change to “The Roosevelt”. Bought by the Fairmont in the 60s (another name change), then closed indefinitely due to Katrina in 2005. After a major redesign to bring it back to its original 30s vibe, it reopened in recent years as The Roosevelt, and is now a part of the Waldorf-Astoria empire.

Pardon me if I am wrong, but from my reading I am getting that the Sazerac Bar started elsewhere in New Orleans, and did not move into the Roosevelt until 1949.

The actual bar itself is original, made of African walnut. The dark wood walls, plush furniture and floor tiles definitely transports you back in time– such vaudeville grandeur!

Original murals by Paul Niman, painted in the 1930s. Stunning.

Even the garnishes were sliced to perfection.

The Sazerac cocktail is popularly lauded as THE original cocktail (although Paystyle disputed this in his Happy Hour post), comprised of rye, bitters, absinthe, and a sugar cube.

But I have a confession to make. I did not have a Sazerac at the Sazerac Bar. SHAME ON ME. Again, my time in NOLA was running out, and I had just had a Sazerac for lunch, so I went with at Pimm’s Cup. Paystyle, forgive me.

I can’t quite figure out the relationship between the Sazerac Bar, and the Sazerac liquor company (are they related?) but there was a wall dedicated to the famous brown stuff. A bottle of this will make you real poor, real quick. Whenever I see this bottle at any bar, I get a drink with it.

Geekout Time: here’s the original bar menu. Super neat! No Sazerac, but the Ramon Gin Fizz seems to have been all the rage. Also make sure to watch the little video of the history of the bar on the website.

SAZERAC BAR
The Roosevelt Hotel
123 Baronne Street
New Orleans, LA
T: 504.648.1200

We were wandering around on Frenchmen Street, an area right next to the French Quarter that gets just is known to get spankrockinwild for Mardi Gras. While we sauntered in and out of bars and talked to crazy people on the streets in colorful wigs, I saw this sign on neon poster paper.

If you think I was about to pass this up, you are crazy. We had just had massive burgers, (and god, that baked potato) at Port of Call, but damn’t, I wanted some shrimp and grits!

What Kayoko wants, Kayoko gets.

These grits were so creamy, so buttery, so… greasy, they just slipped into my mouth, off the spoon, down my throat. It was all gone in a matter of moments. It was love.

“I need more!” I said to my friends. They looked at me absolutely dumbfounded– they thought I was totally out of my mind.

So I went back. This time, I got the gumbo.

Again, this was just so damn slippery! I couldn’t help but inhale every last drop. The soupy, ricey, shrimp concoction is just so heartwarming. Basically a small bowl of cholesterol that brought me closer to my grave, but SO worth it.

I’m not sure if the truck is here all the time. The Praline Connection is an actual restaurant just down the street. It has been around for a while, and quite well known for their Soul Food, and there are several locations dotted around town.

Here’s Moses, who started talking to me when I went back for Round 2. He must have thought I was crazy.

Moses told me that the restaurant has been in the family for decades. He is opening a branch out in LA, called Cajun Grill Connection (which doesn’t come up in Google searches).

Next time, it’ll be fried chicken, for sure.

THE PRALINE CONNECTION
542 Frenchmen Street
New Orleans, LA
T: 504.943.3934