New Orleans

Wow, what a week. This year was bigger and better than last year. In fact there were so many people I wanted to have a drink with that there just wasn’t enough time. But I did manage to drink my fair share and chat with a lot of people. This year I went as a presenter and not media. I presented 3 sessions, plus helped out on Andrew Nicholls Essential Oil session so I was busy. I tend to feel… [Continue]

On any given day, if I were offered a properly made Ramos Gin Fizz I would never turn it down. This is a drink with a long history, dating back to 1888 and a unique taste and consistency that is hard to find in almost any other drink. The trick to the Ramos Gin Fizz is… [Continue]

An opportunity to present drink history to the bar community in New Orleans always inspires my creativity. With so many great bartenders and mixologists churning out great cocktails, my efforts are less public than they once were. I’ve eschewed the shotgun approach for the more refined sniper tactics. The Wet Grave is one of those bullseye cocktails that combines everything I love about drinks.… [Continue]

Last year I drank Sazerac's, this year it seemed Vieux Carré's were my drink of choice. New Orleans has such an interesting history, especially as the birth place of the cocktail. But, finding a good cocktail in New Orleans can be a task. Forget Bourbon Street, except for a rare few establishments. Some other places in the French Quarter offer potential, but aside… [Continue]

Today the nominee finalist list for the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards was release and I'm very happy to say that I've been nominated in two categories (Best New Cocktail/Bartending Book and Best Cocktail Writing - Author). In the five plus years I've been writing Art of Drink I don't think I've been nominated for any award and I have definitly never won anything, so… [Continue]

Anyone who knows anything about cocktails is aware that Tales of the Cocktail is just about upon us. For those that don’t know what “Tales” is, it is the largest annual migration of the worlds best bartenders and drink experts, who congregate in New Orleans for a week of learning, socializing, drinking and mild to moderate suffering. Yes, it’s almost impossible to escape… [Continue]

Tales of the Cocktail may have finished up 10 or so days ago, but I need to summarize things and thank a few people.  Aside from the rough start with US Customs & Border Protection that turned my travel day into a 16 hour adrenaline rush, things went extremely well. This may have been the best Tales of the Cocktail yet. I shall explain why below.

With large events there is always… [Continue]