TALES OF THE COCKTAIL ANNOUNCES JULY 16-20, 2008 FOR SIXTH ANNUAL CULINARY AND COCKTAIL FESTIVAL
The New Orleans French Quarter remains the setting for five days of cocktail events for amateurs and professionals.

NEW ORLEANS – (October 15, 2007) – Tales of the Cocktail, the annual culinary and cocktail festival, will celebrate the history and culture of cocktails and food in New Orleans with five-days of first-class food and drink events on July 16-20, 2008. The festival targets locals and visitors to the city with events for those looking to have a fun and festive weekend, those interested in learning about mixology, and those furthering a cocktail or service industry career.

Tales of the Cocktail hosts mixologists, authors, chefs, bartenders, designers and cocktail gurus from around the world to assist in presenting seminars, tastings and professional series’ for amateurs and experts. In 2008, new events will include a cocktail market, cocktail cinema, seminars on subjects including eggs in cocktails, absinthe in the modern era, beer cocktails, molecular mixology, and the first-ever International Symposium of Cocktail Shaker Collectors.

In its sixth year, Tales of the Cocktail continues to present dinner pairings (Spirited Dinners), cocktail tastings and book-signings (Cocktail Hour), the Bar Chef Challenge, Spirit Awards and a variety of seminars and demonstrations on classic and popular themes in cocktail mixology. A review of 2007’s events can be found online at www.TalesoftheCocktail.com with a full-schedule of events for 2008 forthcoming.

“Tales of the Cocktail had the most influential gathering of mixologists and cocktail experts in the country last year, in addition to the local and traveling cocktail and culinary enthusiasts,” said Ann Rogers, founder of Tales of the Cocktail.

Mixologists, authors and personalities Dale DeGroff, Tony Abou-Ganim, Ted Allen, Audrey Saunders and Kevin Brauch presented and hosted events in 2007, and will return in 2008. With more than 12,000 guests last year, Tales of the Cocktail expects even more cocktailians as their presenting line-up expands.

The New Orleans Culinary and Cultural Preservation Society, a non-profit organization 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, a culinary and cocktail festival on July 16-20, 2008, features award-winning mixologists, authors, bartenders, chefs and designers in the New Orleans French Quarter at five days of cocktail events such as dinner-pairings, cocktail demos and tastings, seminars, mixing competitions, design expos, book-signings and much more. Measuring some of their success in garnishes, Tales of the Cocktail 2007, used 7250 mint leaves, 3580 lime wedges, 800 watermelon cubes, 560 gin soaked dried cherries,1390 orange slices 2 tons of ice and more for 12,000 sippers!