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| Shaken and stirred at Tales. Photo: Sara Bonisteel |
James Meehan of New York's PDT was named American Bartender of the Year on July 11, while "Imbibe!" author David Wondrich got a nod for his cocktail writing and Dale DeGroff for his latest book offering, "The Essential Cocktail."
Get our favorite moments and more photos after the jump.
- Greg Boehm, of Mud Puddle Books, going through 100 of the world's rarest cocktail books in slideshow form. The takeaway? Don't tell anybody about your true cocktail book desire until you can find the book first.
- Charlotte Voisey, brand champion for Hendrick's Gin, using a giant goblet to demonstrate the proper way to rim a cocktail glass with a lemon peel for a Brandy Crusta. The trick is to get it to stay flush with the powdered-sugar coated rim so you get a taste of sweet and tang at the same time.
- Evangeline the Oyster Girl and Wild Cherry. Two of New Orleans grand dames of burlesque dropped in to a seminar on Bourbon Street exotic dancing clubs. Evangeline, aka Kitty West, is 80, with all the vim that led her to dye her hair green (for four years!) in order to perform her oyster-shell act. "You more or less told a story," West said, adding "I didn't consider myself a stripper because I didn't pull my bra off, and I kept my pants on."
- The new thing in cocktails may be genever -- gin's older, cheaper spirit cousin. It's traditionally popular among the penny-pincher drinking crowd of the Lowlands, but Bols hopes to take it upscale with a new genever offering here in the States.
- Meat cocktails. Mixologists Todd Thrasher and Adam Seger took a lucky crowd through the wonderful world of carnivorous drinks. Vegans, this was not your seminar. Thrasher shook together a whole egg, whole milk, maple syrup and bacon-infused bourbon for his take on McDonald's McGriddle. Seger brought new meaning to the Ham and Cheese with his drink -- an artful blend of Iberico-ham-infused cognac, yuzu, country ham and Manchego cheese.
- Mocktinis haven't disappeared. With Natalie Bovis-Nelsen writing a book on "Preggatinis: Mixology for the Mom-to-Be" and the Netherlands in the throes of a non-alcoholic drink kick for kids, these fruity concoctions are still well loved among the teetotaler set.
- Know your limits. When 40 mixologists get together to mix drinks, just take a few sips and walk away. We're just saying.
Tales of the Cocktail 2009
Adam Seger's Ham and Cheese Cocktail at Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans. His drink blends Iberico-ham-infused cognac with yuzu, country ham and a cracker of Manchego cheese.
Sara Bonisteel
John Myers of the Grill Room in Portland, Ore., shakes up a libation at the Presbytere museum in New Orleans for Tales of the Cocktail on July 9, 2009.
Sara Bonisteel
Charlotte Voisey, Hendrick's Gin brand champion, shows the proper way to insert your citrus peel into a proper Brandy Crusta at a talk on the history and application of citrus in drinks at the 2009 Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans.
Sara Bonisteel
The 'King of Cocktails' Dale DeGroff shakes up a strawberry daquiri at the Presbytere on July 9, 2009, at Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans.
Sara Bonisteel
A New Orleans burlesque dancer shows the Tales crowd how to get dressed at a seminar on the great burlesque clubs of Bourbon Street.
Sara Bonisteel
Mixologist Audrey Sanders shakes up a White Lady at the Beefeater 24 party on July 8, 2009, at Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans.
Sara Bonisteel
New Mud Puddle Press reprints of rare cocktail books at Tales of the Cocktail.
Sara Bonisteel
A rare photo of legendary mixologist Harry Craddock is shown during a slideshow on rare cocktail books at the 2009 Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans.
Sara Bonisteel
Jason Littrell of New York's the Randolph offers a North of the Border cocktail at Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans.
Sara Bonisteel
A vintage cocktail glass on display at the Museum of the American Cocktail.
Sara Bonisteel
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