Debra C. Argen and Edward F. Nesta aka The Spirited Travelers of Luxury Experience helped Paul and Ann Tuennerman, aka Mr. and Mrs. Cocktail, Founders of Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans, Louisiana celebrate the 7^th anniversary by visiting the spirit tasting rooms with cocktails, enjoying breakfast cocktails, attending cocktail seminars, and hosting a Spirited Dinner at Bacco with cocktail pairings. As you may have guessed, Tales of the Cocktail is a culinary and cocktail celebration where the emphasis is on knowledge and having a good time.

Having attended Tales of the Cocktail for the past 6 years, you might say that we are "veterans" of the 5-day culinary and cocktail celebration, participating in the celebration as it has changed over the years from its beginning as a small local festival, to now attracting people from all over the globe. New Orleans has long been renowned in films and books for its exciting European ambience and charm, the hospitality of the people, the music - Jazz, Rhythm and Blues, and Zydeco, as well as being a culinary and cocktail city. Each year Paul and Ann Tuennerman have added something new to the Tales of the Cocktail schedule, held this year from July 8 - 12, to continue the excitement for both veteran attendees, as well as for first-timers.

Paul Tuennerman, Tales of the Cocktail Angels, Ann Tuennerman
The Tales of the Cocktail Team

New this year at Tales of the Cocktail, was The Duque Coffee Bar, where in addition to serving coffee at the Hotel Monteleone from 8:30 am until 11:00 am, highly important after late nights of reveling, there were also potent potables to add to the coffee that included Gran Duque de Alba Solera Gran Reserva Brandy de Jerez, Crema de Alba Cream Liqueur, Dry Sack Sherry, Dry Sack 15 Rare Aged Sherry, and Dos Maderas Dual Aged Rum, as well as cocktails made with the spirits. We were definitely not alone in appreciating this much-needed eye-opener every morning.

Melaine Young and Debra Argen at The Duque Coffee Bar

The Duque Coffee Bar - Café de Alba

Method: Combine coffee and Gran Duque de Alba in glass or glass mug. Top with fresh whipped cream. Float caramel on top to stir-in or dissolve as drink is consumed.

Cocktail "Carnival" Happy Hour Mixologists

Another highlight of Tales of the Cocktail 2009, was the Cocktail "Carnival" Happy Hour held this year at The Presbytere on Chartres Street, where we sampled cocktails created and poured by mixologists at 40 different stations located throughout the museum on two floors with sensational Mardi Gras costumes providing a dramatic backdrop and setting the party atmosphere for the event.

Cocktail "Carnival" Happy Hour Mixologists

If you have never been to New Orleans during Mardi Gras, The Presbytere provides an on going perspective on the season with elaborate and lavish costumes and jewels on display that were used by past Kings and Queens and their Krewes.

The Presbytere Mardi Gras Displays

The Presbytere
751 Chartres Street
New Orleans, LA 70116
United States
Telephone:                  +1-504-568-6968
Toll-Free Telephone:  + 1-800-568-6968
www.lsm.crt.state.la.us/presbex.htm  

Executive Chef Chris Montero at Bacco Spirited Dinner

The Spirited Dinners held at 25 New Orleans restaurants continued to attract guests with their culinary and cocktail pairing dinners that teamed local chefs with guest bar chefs who created exciting menus for the special dinners held for one-night only.

Guests enjoying Bacco Spirited Dinner

We were the Guest Bar Chefs for the Spirited Dinner at Bacco where we worked with Executive Chef Chris Montero and his excellent team to create cocktails to pair with each of Chef Chris' tempting courses.

Guests enjoying Bacco Spirited Dinner

At the end of the dinner, guests had the opportunity to meet master distillers and representatives from Bulleit Bourbon, Casoni Limoncello, Leblon Cachaça, and Scorpion Mezcal and taste their products neat providing them with another level of experiencing the excellent spirits used in the cocktails.

Guests enjoying Bacco Spirited Dinner

It was a night of mixing and mingling, of culinary pairings with cocktails, and for celebrating with old friends and making new friends, which is what Tales of the Cocktail is all about. Guests left with new appreciation of culinary and cocktail pairings and also with goody bags to remember the evening.

Edward Nesta with Guests at Bacco Spirited Dinner

Bacco Spirited Dinner and Cocktail Menu 2009
By Executive Chef Chris Montero of Bacco
and
Guest Bar Chefs Debra C. Argen and Edward F. Nesta
of Luxury Experience

Bacco Team and Debra

Welcome Cocktail 

Luxury Experience's Spirit of Summer
(Prosecco, Casoni Limoncello, Fresh Lemon Juice,
Fee Brothers Pomegranate Cordial Syrup, Lemon Strip Garnish)

Panko Crusted Boudin and Seared Scallop

1^st Course

Panko Crusted Boudin and Seared Scallop with
Wheat Beer Mustard and Louisiana Popcorn Rice Cake
Paired with Luxury Experience's Smoke and Mirrors Cocktail
(Scorpion Mezcal 1-year old, Lime Juice, Partida Agave Nectar, 
Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel Aged Bitters Limited Edition 2008,
Creole Mustard, and Lime Wheel Garnish)

2^nd Course

Creole Tomatoes, Fresh Basil and Verbena Oil with
Toasted Pinenuts and Ryals Farm Goat Cheese
Paired with Luxury Experience's Green with Envy Cocktail
(Plymouth Gin, Cucumber Juice, Dill Simple Syrup,
Sliced Cucumber Curl Garnish)

Palate Cleanser 

Luxury Experience's Grapefruit and St. Germaine Sorbet
(Grapefruit Zest, Grapefruit Juice, Sugar, Water, St. Germaine,
Fee Brothers Grapefruit Bitters)

Bulgogi Wagu Hanger Steak

3^rd Course

Bulgogi Wagu Hanger Steak with Kim Chee and Herbed Polenta Cake
Paired with Luxury Experience's Modern Fashion Cocktail
(Bulleit Bourbon, Sweet Vermouth, Club Soda,
Fee Brothers West Indian Orange Bitters, Stemmed Cherry Garnish)

4^th Course

Louisiana Berry Semifreddo Crisp
Paired with Luxury Experience's Rhythm and Blues Cocktail
(St. Germaine, Leblon Cachaça, Fee Brothers Blueberry Cordial Syrup,
Half and Half, Blueberries, and Blueberries Garnish)

Sampling the Products 

To provide a taste of the Spirited Dinner at Bacco, we have included the recipe for the Welcome Cocktail - Luxury Experience's Spirit of Summer.

Debra and Edward Toasting Guests at Bacco Spirited Dinner

Luxury Experience's Spirit of Summer

Yield:               1 Cocktail
Glass Used:    Champagne Glass

Method: Chill champagne glass and then add Prosecco, Casoni Limoncello, fresh lemon juice, and Fee Brothers Pomegranate Cordial Syrup. Twist a long lemon peel and place inside the glass as garnish.

(Read about the Spirited Dinner at Bacco in the Restaurants section and also in Chefs' Recipes where Executive Chef Chris Montero shares his recipes from the Spirited Dinner, and also in the Liquor Cabinet where we share our Spirited Dinner cocktail recipes.)

Bacco Restaurant

Bacco
310 Chartres Street
New Orleans, Louisiana 70130
United States
Telephone:    +1-504-522-2426
www.Bacco.com

For the third year, Luxury Experience sponsored the Luxury Experience Magazine and Tales of the Cocktail Contest to help support and market the event with the Grand Prize Winner this year winning a trip to New Orleans to experience Tales of the Cocktail 2009, and Second and Third Prize Winners also winning excellent packages to experience Tales of the Cocktail.

Bill Yorks Second Prize Winner of
Luxury Experience and Tales of the Cocktail Contest

The Grand Prize Winner was Patrice Krznarich, who attended Tales of the Cocktail 2009 with her husband Tom Krznarich, who wrote of their experience: "This was our first trip to New Orleans, which we won by entering the Luxury Experience Magazine and Tales of the Cocktail Contest 2009. We had a fantastic experience at the Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans!  The Spirited Dinner at Bacco with creations by Chef Chris Montero and custom drink pairings by Edward Nesta and Debra Argen was wonderful.  New Orleans is the perfect host for this event.  We thoroughly enjoyed all of the events, tastings, and the French Quarter atmosphere that made this event so spectacular."

Patrice Krznarich Grand Prize Winner and Edward Nesta
Luxury Experience and Tales of the Cocktail Contest

Third Prize Winner, Sandy Parker, who attended Tales of the Cocktail 2009 and wrote of her experience: "I had a great time at Tales of the Cocktail!  All our friends are amazed that I won such a fabulous prize package that included so many terrific items from Luxury Experience Magazine and Tales of the Cocktail Contest 2009! The Leblon Cocktail Competition was fascinating and so much fun!  My boyfriend and I had never been to an event like that.  We can't stop talking about the great time we had.  I've been listening to my many CDs, and making plans with friends to go to places like the Insectarium, which were also part of the prize package."

Also new this year at Tales of the Cocktail was the Leblon USBG Caipirinha Competition, which pitted the skills of 18 bartenders from the United States Bartending Guild from 9 cities who competed to create the best Caipirinha.

Golden Muddler Trophies were presented to Tad Carducci (The Tippling Brothers), who won the People's Choice Award with his winning cocktail, Masalarinha, while Tobin Ellis and Andrew Pollard from the USBG Las Vegas Chapter walked away with the Judges' Choice Award for Andrew Pollard's El calor del Brasil and Tobin Ellis' São Paulo Flip.

Leblon USBG Caipirinha Competition Winning Cocktail Recipes

Tad Carducci - Masalarinha - A fragrant, Indian-Inspired Caipirinha

Method: Muddle lime, pineapple and honey. Add additional ingredients and ice. Shake and serve over ice.

Andrew Pollard - El calor del Brasil

Method: Muddle together the pineapple and jalapeno with the lime basil syrup and tangerine puree. Next, add the Leblon Cachaça, shake and double strain over fresh ice. Garnish with a pineapple spear, basil sprig, and fresh cracked black pepper.

Tobin Ellis - São Paulo Flip

Method: Combine all ingredients in mixing glass. Add ice, shake and then strain. Top with 3/8" lemon espuma. Sprinkle with dash of cardamom dust. Etch Rosetta pattern with apricot coulis.

Seminars are a key ingredient to Tales of the Cocktail and provide attendees with the opportunity to learn about a diverse range of topics from the history of cocktails to learning about the latest trends, presented by mixologists, authors, and other industry specialists.

We attended the seminar, Jazz and Cocktails, The Music and Drink of Storyville presented by the panel of David Wondrich, Allen Katz, Chris McMillan, and Phil Greene, which looked at the interesting history of Storyville, the music that included Jelly Roll Morton, and the cocktails from the period.

David Wondrich, Allen Katz, Phil Greene, and Chris McMillan

The seminar, Drinks from the 1600s presented by Darcy S. O'Neil, took us on a historic journey that began in London with the plague that killed 10,000 per week, and sampling his version of Plague Water (Agua Theriacals), which was not designed to taste good, but rather to treat what ailed you.

Plague Water (Agua Theriacals)

Method: Combine and shake with ice. Serve.

We also learned "How To Drink and Not Get Drunk, approved Directions for Health (1612)",
which recommended: "Eat roasted goat lung before drinking, eat raw coleworts (late season cabbage) and some manner of confections; and to sober up, drink great draughts of vinegar." Interesting, yet definitely albeit strange recommendations, which we will most definitely not be trying anytime too soon.

At the seminar, Cocktails Born from the Seven Seas presented by Robert Hess, he took attendees back to pre and post-Columbus history to tell his tale, and offered the cocktail, Voyager to set the mood for traveling back in time.

Voyager

Method: Shake with ice. Strain into ice filled rocks glass. Garnish with a lime wedge.

We also attended the seminar, The Fine Art of Tending Bar presented by Stanislas Vadrna's of Analog Bar Institute in Bratislava, who provided a look into the art and style of Japanese bartending, and extolled that bartending is "not just about making a drink, but putting your heart into creating the drink. It is not just techniques, you need to understand the culture, understand the Japanese way of life, value what you do, and remember that it is all about the customers, the guests, not about us."

The Tasting Rooms held each day provided attendees with the opportunity to learn first hand about their favorite products, as well as to learn about and taste new products. We visited many of the Tasting Rooms over the course of Tales of the Cocktail, including visiting the Cognac Discovery Room where we had the opportunity to sample an excellent range of cognacs from many châteaux including Delamain Cognac with Greg Levine pouring Delamain Pale and Dry XO Très Belle Grande Champagne Cognac for guests to sample.

We also enjoyed our visit to The Modern Day Old New Orleans Rum Mojito Buffet Tasting Room, where we sampled creative mojitos and conversation with Chris Sule, Distiller of Old New Orleans Rum.

Chris Sule of Old New Orleans Rum and Edward

Laird's Jersey Lightning Strikes Again! Tasting Room provided us with the perfect opportunity to taste and learn more about the diverse range of Laird Applejack products from Laird family member, Lisa Laird-Dunn.

The Absinthe Carousel Tasting Room provided attendees to not only taste absinthe cocktails but to also to learn about the accoutrements that are used for creating the cocktails including the absinthe fountains and specially designed absinthe spoons.

Martinis and Massages Tasting Room did a brisk business as attendees waited in line for an opportunity to have a chair massage, much needed when you spend many hours on your feet visiting all of the tasting rooms, and to sample creative martinis. Although we decided to bypass the long massage line, we did indulge in sampling in a martini or two with our friends.

We also were "regulars" at the Carousel Piano Bar & Lounge at the Hotel Monteleone where we rode around the revolving bar sipping cocktails and chatting with friends while pianist John Autin entertained in the evening under the starry ceiling, and listened to live radio broadcasts there that included Inside New Orleans with Eric Asher Radio Show, and the Chef and the Fatman Radio Show (Chef Fred Genovese and Kevin Jenkins) with special guest Danny DeVito, during the afternoons.

Although Tales of the Cocktail has changed and evolved throughout the years, there are a few things that remain constant, and that is that the tales keep getting bigger and better, that we still enjoy learning, and seeing old friends and meeting new ones! Until next year!

The Dubonnet Girls, Tom Krznarich, Edward Nesta

Read other articles on Tales of the Cocktail in the Restaurants section, Chefs' Recipes section with recipes from Executive Chef Chris Montero of Bacco, and in the Liquor Cabinet with cocktail recipes from Luxury Experience from the Spirited Dinner at Bacco.

For more information on the next Tales of the Cocktail, please visit the website: www.TalesOfTheCocktail.com.

For information on New Orleans, please visit the New Orleans Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc. website: www.NewOrleansCVB.com.

© October 2009. Luxury Experience. www.LuxuryExperience.com. All rights reserved.