FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Sara Gootee 504-914-3252; sara@talesofthecocktail.com
Ann Rogers 504-343-4285; ann@talesofthecocktail.com
TALES OF THE COCKTAIL RETURNS TO NEW ORLEANS FOR 2006 EVENT, JULY 19-23
The fourth annual event features seminars, book signings, cooking and cocktail mixing demos, dinner pairings and cocktail parties-- all presented by the country’s hottest chefs, authors, bartenders and cocktail experts.
NEW ORLEANS – February 9, 2006 – New Orleans will once again be home to Tales of the Cocktail, a dining and drinking experience that explores the history and spirit of the cocktail, on July 19-23, 2006, at various locations in the New Orleans French Quarter. The 2006 event will be the fourth consecutive year of Tales of the Cocktail, which has attracted and entertained thousands of locals, tourists, best-selling authors, award-winning chefs, celebrity bartenders and mixologists in the city famed for the creation of the cocktail.
Special guests for 2006 include Carson Kressley of the Bravo hit show, “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,” NPR’s “Kitchen Sisters,” Davia Nelson and Nikki Silva and celebrity caterer Serena Bass. Cocktail book authors/mixologists returning for 2006 include Dale DeGroff, “The Craft of the Cocktail,” Anistatia Miller and Jared Brown, “Shaken Not Stirred,” and many others named below.
The New Orleans Culinary and Cultural Preservation Society, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds to benefit hospitality industry members, produces Tales of the Cocktail annually. Its mission is to preserve the rich history of the restaurants and bars of New Orleans and the unique culture of dining and drinking famous to the city, while educating locals, visitors, and the hospitality industry about this culinary heritage.
“Tales of the Cocktail has decided to keep the event in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina, as a sign of support and rebirth for New Orleans and the Gulf South,” said Ann Rogers, event founder and organizer. “By hosting the event, we hope to encourage locals and visitors to experience the wonderful, historical bars and restaurants, and other cultural attractions in New Orleans as they are an integral part of our city’s culture.”
Tales of the Cocktail is a dining and drinking experience for the connoisseur or amateur to fully experience (taste, see and learn about) cocktail culture in New Orleans and around the world. The event’s annual components are Spirited Dinners, featuring dinner pairings at New Orleans’ oldest restaurants; a series of seminars and discussions on bartending, cocktail history and other industry trends; Cocktail Hour, featuring book signings, cooking and cocktail mixing demos; Dine and Design, a luncheon with presentations on entertaining at home; walking tours of the French Quarter; and classic and contemporary cocktail parties-- all presented by the country’s hottest chefs, authors, bartenders and cocktail experts.
New events for 2006 include:
“Tales of the Cocktail has grown in scope and become another Great New Orleans celebration of food and drink,” said Dale DeGroff, author of “The Craft of the Cocktail” and participant in Tales of the Cocktail since 2002. “The city and the food and beverage industry at large have embraced this event and it is coming to be known as one of the finest events in the industry.”
Authors and mixologists scheduled to attend Tales of the Cocktail include Bridget Albert, Alexandra & Eliot Angle, Douglas Ankrah, Jeff Berry, Ted Breaux, Lucy Brennan, Poppy Z. Brite, Karen Brooks, Rob Chirico, Tony Conigliaro, Thomas Connors, Barnaby Conrad, Victoria Damato-Moran, John DeMers, Phil Greene, Ted Haigh, Kathy Hamlin, Paul Harrington, Mittie Hellmich, Robert Hess, Andrew Dornenburg & Karen Page, Ryan Magarian, Bob Markel, Brini Maxwell, Somer Perez, Kevin Roberts, John Rose, James Waller, Rob Willey and David Wondrich.
Tickets for Tales of the Cocktail will go on sale April 10, and can be purchased online at www.TalesoftheCocktail.com. All events will require an RSVP or ticket.
For more information on Tales of the Cocktail, please visit the website at www.TalesoftheCocktail.com and register your name to receive updates, or call 1-800-299-0404. The Hotel Monteleone is the headquarters hotel for Tales of the Cocktail, where much of the event takes place, and will feature a special package during the weekend in July. Visit www.hotelmonteleone.com for rates and special packages.