Dizzy Recap: Second Annual Manhattan Cocktail Classic

Kicking off with what has become the cocktail-lover's prom of the year, the 2011 Manhattan Cocktail Classic, held May 13-17, drew a crowd of top bartenders and drinking enthusiasts from across the country and beyond. It's great to see this event grow as it celebrates NYC's place on the map for cocktail innovation.

And grow it has--founder and director Lesley Townsend said attendance for the five days nearly doubled over last year, reporting more than 5,000 attendees. She estimated that 75,000 cocktails were served throughout the festival, and all in real glassware. For the Gala, more than 3,000 cocktail fans lined up around the block for nearly an hour to get inside. Lesley said she is already working on ways to make the entry process more efficient for next year.

Although parts of the Gala had more of a nightclub feel this year--one writer compared it to Pacha--and food was once again hard to find, props must be given to Lesley and her team of 500 for organizing NYC's quintessential cocktail bash. I particularly liked how every brand had equal presence at the event with a minimalist design as opposed to loud branding. Everywhere you turned, guests were smiling and seemingly having the times of their lives, sipping expertly-mixed cocktails.

Other events held throughout the festival included a Don Q Rums '80s party, a one-time-only screening of the film "Last Call in New York" hosted by Tequila Don Julio,  the Indy Spirits Expo, and Campari's Spirited Fête for the Senses at The Box featuring Padma Lakshmi. Seminars ranged from the spirit-focused to topics such as "How to Behave in a Bar." Mostly, this festival was another example of how much fun the liquor industry can be--congrats Lesley on another successful edition of the MCC!

Dizzy Exclusive: Win 2 Tickets to the Indy Spirits Expo!

Taste more than 30 artisanal spirits at the Indy Spirits Expo, May 16. Photo by Andrew St. Clair.

 

Have you made plans yet for the Manhattan Cocktail Classic, dousing NYC with spirited bashes and seminars from May 13 - 17? Want to win 2 free tickets to one of the biggest tasting events held during the classic, the Indy Spirits Expo? The Dizzy Fizz is giving one winner a pair of tickets (valued at $50 each) to this walk-around tasting of more than 30 artisanal brands from 7 to 9 p.m. on May 16. As you sip the variety of small-batch whiskey, vodka, gin, tequila, mezcal--you name it--you'll also have the opportunity to chat with the distillers behind these small brands.

 

So you want free tickets? All you have to do is be a follower of The Dizzy Fizz on Twitter and tweet about your favorite indy brand with the hashtag #indyMCC before midnight tomorrow, May 4. A winner will be announced on May 5! You must, of course, be 21-plus to enter and available in NYC to travel to the event on your own. Good luck!

File Under: Hot Dates

 

• Oh, have you heard? This Friday, April 29, there's a little wedding happening. If you're in the mood to celebrate royally, one of several parties in NYC is taking place at The Roosevelt Hotel for a day-long bash going on from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.  An English breakfast, a mimosa toast at noon, and champagne and cake round out the festivities. 45 E. 45th St.
• Also on April 29, food and art co-mingle at Rouge58 Gallery in Williamsburg at Something I Ate, from 7 to 10 p.m. Select artists are documenting their eating habits for one week using media and materials of their choice. At the event, SkimKim's Sam Kim will present an installation of food based on the artists' submissions, with both meat and veggie options available for consumption. London food architects Bompass & Parr (known for projects such as a pool-sized punch bowl) will create a suprise installation involving champagne flutes and ice. Cocktails featuring Kanon Vodka and Root Liqueur will also be served. Tickets are $30.
• You have until May 2 to enter the Heering Goes Mad(Men) cocktail competition. Presented by Xante and Peter F. Heering, the competition is seeking stylish twists on classics such as the Sidecar and the Whiskey Sour. Four finalists will serve their cocktails at an exclusive rooftop event at Ogilvy & Mather (the depicted home of the Mad Men agency and where it all began) in New York City on May 16th as a part of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic. The winner receives features in Elle International, Gotham Magazine, and OK!  The winner also snags some Orrefors Glassware to compliment their winning cocktail, a private meet and greet with chef Geoffrey Zakarian and cocktail icon Sasha Petraske in New York City. To enter, email your recipe (must include at least 1 oz. of Xante, Cherry Heering or Coffee Heering) and a photo of your drink to: madmen@heering.com.
• And entries close on May 5 for the "Emotion in a Glass" competition from Russian Standard Vodka, which is seeking cocktails inspired by matters of the heart. On May 20, finalists chosen by USBG chapter presidents will be announced on Facebook. A "Consumer's Choice" winner with the most "likes" will receive a trip to this year's Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans, and a grand prize winner will receive a feature in Food & Wine magazine and a trip to St. Petersburg, Russia.
• Don't miss out on tickets for the Manhattan Cocktail Classic, which is just around the corner from May 13-18. Tasting Table is offering a 10% discount code (2011TASTINGTABLE). And while we're on the subject, congrats to all of the recipients of the 2011 MCC Bar Fellowship Program!

Beefeater Royal Punch by Dan Warner:

2 parts Beefeater London Dry Gin 1 part Dubonnet 1 part pomegranate juice 2 parts fresh lemonade (American style) Angostura bitters to taste

Method: Serve in a large punch bowl and garnish with wheels of lemon and lime, mint sprigs and pomegranate seeds. Chill the punch with lots of ice cubes or make your own fruit ice cube by freezing oranges and lemon slices with water in a plastic container.

File Under: What to Wear to a Vintage Cocktail Party

A charmingly crafted cocktail is always a great accessory, but sometimes, the occasion calls for some effort on your part as well. Between the French Spirits Soiree, the Bootlegger Vodka Cotton Club, and the upcoming Manhattan Cocktail Classic, you may be on the lookout for some swingin' new threads. You can find a bevy of glamorous vintage items on eBay, Etsy (as pictured) or even Craigslist, but if you have the time, there's nothing quite like picking through NYC's second-hand racks. Here are some local go-to vintage shops:

• Beacon's Closet (88 N. 11th St. or 92 5th Ave., Brooklyn)
• Buffalo Exchange (114 W. 26th St., 332 E. 11th St., or in Brooklyn, 504 Driggs Ave.)
• Housing Works (various locations)
• Shareen Vintage (13 W. 17th St.)
• Zachary's Smile (9 Greenwich Ave. or 317 Lafayette St.)
• Odd Twin (164 5th Ave., Brooklyn)
• Screaming Mimi's (382 Lafayette St.)
• Cobblestones (314 E. 9th St.)
• Vintage Thrift (286 3rd Ave.)
• Another Man's Treasure (353 Grove St., Jersey City)

Elsewhere in the Liquiverse...

• On Monday, April 11, the local cocktail community is coming together at the Summit Bar for a New York Loves Japan Punch Party to benefit The Japan Society's tsunami relief efforts. A $20 donation at the door gets you unlimited refills of hand-crafted, Japanese-inspired punches featuring Belvedere vodka, Pernod Absinthe, Beefeater Gin, Classic & Vintage Spirits, Sailor Jerry Rum, Leblon Cachaça, and Corazon Tequila. The event goes from 7 to 11 p.m. and also features $10 pours of Japanese whiskey, benefit t-shirts for sale and tunes by DJ Kimiko Masuda.
• While VIP tickets to the French Spirits Soiree at Astor Center on April 14 have sold out, general entry tickets are still available, entitling you to unlimited drinking, French cheese and charcuterie from Murray's Cheese, SCRATCHbread rustic bread, live jazz by The Hot Sardines, a saucy burlesque performance by Calamity Chang and more. Not to be missed!
• The April 29 deadline is fast approaching to be considered for 2011 G'Vine Gin Connoisseur, which sends 15 finalists to France for the showdown. The grand prize is one of the sweetest around: $3,000, a year's supply of gin for your bar, a platinum vine-flower pin and an intercontinental bar tour of some of the world's best gin bars. If you are interested in participating, you should attend the April 14 preliminary in NYC.
• In case you haven't heard by now, tickets to the Manhattan Cocktail Classic (May 13-17) are on sale, and many events, including the gala at the New York Public Library, are already sold out. Events still up for grabs include an '80s-themed rum bash, a sunset cocktail cruise, the Indy Spirits Expo, and plenty of seminars and "behind-the-bar" sessions.

Announcing: Bootlegger 21 NY Vodka’s Amateur Cocktail Showdown!

Bootlegger 21 Vodka, made right here in New York, is hosting a cocktail competition for budding drink-slingers. Three finalists will compete in a live showdown at the Bootlegger 21 launch party, an exclusive Cotton Club-themed bash in SoHo on April 16. Finalists will serve a crowd of thirsty industry veterans [including yours truly] and the winner will be selected by popular vote. Use of Bootlegger 21 as the primary ingredient, flavor, creativity, appearance and practicality will all be factors.

The contest is calling for original cocktail recipes that express the spirit of the Bootlegger and the Jazz Age.  Bootlegger 21 is distilled six times from 100% corn and made in the Hudson Valley.  The vodka has been awarded Gold medals from both the New York International Spirits Competition and from Beverage Testing Institute.

Requirements: * Recipe must use Bootlegger 21 Vodka as the primary ingredient * Please use no more than 5 ingredients (not including garnish) * Include your story of how you came to appreciate mixology * Submit a photo

The winner will celebrate their victory with 4 tickets to the Manhattan Cocktail Classic Gala on May 13, win the title of Bootlegger Amateur Mixologist 2011, and have the opportunity to mix cocktails at an upcoming Bootlegger 21 event.

Entrants must be 21 years of age and older. Cocktail recipes must be submitted by 5 p.m., Friday April 8 to BootleggerMixology@Gmail.com.

Good luck!

Elsewhere in the Liquiverse...

• Warm up with some of the finest Cognac around from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on Monday, January 31 at Liquor.com's Exclusive Cognac Tasting at Brandy Library. Dizzy Fizz readers can enjoy a whopping $30 off the $45 ticket price with the code "DIZZZYFIZZ"--that's just $15 [yes, that's three Zs in Dizzy]! Sample 15-plus Cognacs including the Pierre Ferrand Selection des Anges, an average of 30 years old, along with gourmet cheeses and charcuterie.
• Voting is now underway to select which seminars will be on offer for the Manhattan Cocktail Classic, shaking up the city from May 13-17.
• The Counting Room in Williamsburg recently announced its new cocktail menu, streamlining its selection to five drinks which will all be pre-batched. Citrus will be left out of the batch and mixed per order to ensure freshness. Customers can still order bartender's choice from the full bar selection.
• To celebrate its new liquor license, Brooklyn Wine Exchange in Cobble Hill is declaring February "Mixology Month" and offering free classes on drink-making. The ABC's of Mixing Drinks with Audrey Saunders kicks off the series at 7 p.m. on February 2. Check out the full schedule here.
• And sometime this spring, Hoboken, NJ, is getting its first biergarten, and the owners include one of the founders of Radegast Hall in Williamsburg. The Pilsener Haus Biergarten, taking over a 10,000-square-foot old lighting factory, will have more than 18 beers on tap, authentic Austro-Hungarian fare, and live music.

*A previous version of this article said that the Rémy Martin Louis XIII would be sampled at Monday's event at Brandy Library. The brand has since been removed from the event.

Dizzy Recap: Manhattan Cocktail Classic and Tastemaker's Punch!

"Alcohol is a misunderstood vitamin." --P.G. Wodehouse Well hot damn--the Manhattan Cocktail Classic flew by like a bat out of Eyjafjallajökull. I had the wild idea to put on an art exhibit/punch party so I only attended the Gala at New York Public Library and the Three Hour Tour around Manhattan Island--smashing good times all around involving well-dressed cocktailians from all over and addictive libations. I'll be looking to other bloggers to tell me what I missed at the seminars, Behind the Bars, and other events.

Speaking of other bloggers, MCC just happened to kick off the night after World Cocktail Day, aka my first blogiversary, which coincidentally is the same for LA cocktail culture blogger Daniel Djang, aka Thirsty in LA. I've been reading Daniel's watch on the budding LA cocktail scene and only recently realized that we shared the same blog bornday. I was stoked when I heard Daniel would be visiting for MCC. He met a bunch of us at Death & Co. right after landing in NYC to share a toast with me, and then we rolled to Painkiller where we had a few too many sips of Scorpion bowls, Mai Tais and Singapore Slings. I'm not sure this was necessary the night before MCC, but it was a blast. It also didn't hurt that Tony Abou-Ganim, Eric Alperin, Mindy Kucan, and Johnny Iuzzini were among the crowd at Painkiller that night.

I don't even know where to begin with the Gala--event of the year?! Lesley Townsend, Georgia Tan, and their production team all deserve a collective bow from the cocktail community for pulling off such a massive, glamorous affair. All four floors of the New York Public Library were transformed into an endless open bar full of random wonders--you know, Oompa Loompas and the like. Towards the end of the night, most everyone made their way to the air conditioned basment which Diageo turned into the "Stork Club," named for the historic New York nightclub run by ex-bootlegger Sherman Billingsly from 1929 to 1965.

In between spouts of event planning, I managed to make it onto the Royal Princess for the Tippling Point's inaugural event, the "Around the World in Five Cocktails" sunset cruise. The weather couldn't have been more perfect as we sipped cocktails from Moet Hennessy's line of fine spirits--Hennessy, Belvedere Vodka, Ardbeg, 10 Cane Rum, and Grand Marnier, all mixed by world-class mixologists: Jacqueline Patterson of Heaven’s Dog (San Francisco), Thomas Waugh of Death & Co., John Lermayer of The Florida Room (Miami), Richard Boccato of Dutch Kills and Painkiller, Sean Kenyon of Steuben's (Denver), H. Joseph Ehrmann of Elixir (San Francisco), and Danny Valdez of Cure (New Orleans). At sunset, the cruise ship paused in front of the Statue of Liberty next to a vintage sailboat for a patriotic and picturesque moment, reminding me of our freedom to imbibe.

And on the fourth night of MCC, my big night finally came to fruition -- Tastemaker's Punch! I can't express how thrilled I was to see artwork from Jill DeGroff, Claw Money, Nicole Desmond, Charles Hardwick, Elba Giron, Jackie Neale Chadwick, Vanessa Bahmani, and Leo Borovskiy on the walls of Ramscale Gallery. And of course there were the punches (recipes below) by Enzo Lim, Maxwell Britten, Abigail Gullo, Orson Salicetti, Frank Cisneros, Erick Castro (of San Francisco), Payman Bahmani, Aaron Doherty, The Cocktail Guru's Hal Wolin, and The Tippling Point's Jason Littrell. DJs from the monthly Discovery party at Santos Party House, VDRK and Free Magic, kept the good times flowing, and sushi and ceviche from Richard Sandoval's ZENGO was devoured just as fast as we could pass it out.

Dave Wondrich led us through a long list of historical figures whom we have to thank for the wonderful gift of punch, starting with British sailors who discovered the five-ingredient concoction in India in the 16th century. Dave announced that his book on all things punch, "Punch, or the Delights and Dangers of the Flowing Bowl," will be out this November. And yes, it also just happened to be my birthday that night (along with Eryn Reece and Meredith Modzelewski!), so thanks Jason for taking over the mic to have everyone sing happy birthday while I blushed in the corner. How many people get to say that they had Dave Wondrich, Jill DeGroff and Claw Money at their birthday party? Even Gary "Gaz" Regan made a latenight appearance, helping himself to some punch.

So many to thank: Bols Genever, Pierre Ferrand Cognac, Mathilde Fruit Liqueurs, Leblon Cachaca, Laird's Bonded Applejack, Plymouth Gin, Tuthilltown Spirits, Catdaddy Moonshine, Milagro Tequila, Sailor Jerry Rum, A.B. Smeby Bittering Co., Vita Coco Coconut Water, Mana Fine Arts, and the MCC team: Lesley, Georgia, and Don Lee. I also want to personally thank Kerry Hoffman, Lincoln Chinnery, Russell Davis, Gail Schoenberg, Nosa Garrick, Erin Garcia, Amy Kelly, Olga Boyko, Mark Garcia, Iman Kedir, Ashley Klanac and Nora Worthington.

Note: the silent auction to benefit the Museum of the American Cocktail, planned to take place during the punch party, will be rescheduled for the near future.

Here are the punch recipes, all using fresh-squeezed juices:

Pacquiao's Punch by Enzo Lim of Painkiller:

33.8 oz Sailor Jerry Rum 11.3 oz pineapple juice 11.3 oz lemon juice 11.3 oz Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur 5.6 oz demerara syrup .5 oz Smeby's Buddha's Hand Lemon and Kaffir Lime Bitters .5 oz Bitter Truth Lemon Bitters (serves 20, scale accordingly)

Gin Lane Royale Punch by Maxwell Britten of Freemans

150 oz Plymouth Gin 75 oz lavender-infused Dolin Blanc Dry Vermouth 75 oz lime juice 75 oz grapefruit-nutmeg syrup 75 oz Moet Imperial Champagne

Don't Shoot the Messenger by Hal Wolin of The Cocktail Guru & Jason Littrell of The Tippling Point

1 1/2 oz Laird's Bonded Applejack 1/2 oz Mathilde Pear 1/4 oz orgeat syrup 1/2 tsp Don's Spices 1/2 oz pineapple juice 3/4 oz lemon juice 1 dash Fee Brothers Whiskey Barrel Aged Bitters (multiply by number of servings)

Chinese Bootlegger Punch by Payman Bahmani of Umamimart.com

5 cups Catdaddy Carolina Moonshine 5 cups brewed Oolong tea (less than boiling water, steeped 5-6 min) 3.75 cups grapefruit juice 1 cup lemon juice 1 cup agave nectar syrup .75 cup cinnamon syrup .5 cup A.B. Smeby Forbidden Bitters .5 cup A.B. Smeby Spiced Grapefruit Bitters (serves 20, scale accordingly)

Spring Fever Punch by Erick Castro of Rickhouse, San Francisco

150 scoops of Caipirinha Sorbet 50 cups Leblon Cachaca 12.5 cups Mathilde Pear 18.75 cups lime juice 12.5 cups honey syrup (1 to 1) 12.5 cups cucumber juice 25 cups sparkling water 200 pinches of salt

Goblin Punch by Orson Salicetti of Covet

12 bottles of Bols Genever 2 honeydew melons, juiced 8 green bell peppers, juiced 2 lb fresh celery, juiced 2 lb green seedless grapes, juiced 2 lb kiwis, juiced 2 lb green apples, juiced agave nectar lime juice dash of mixed peppercorns

Halfmoon Mountain Jam by Abigail Gullo of RyeGirlNYC and Bar Celona

12 bottles Spirit of the Hudson Apple Vodka (Tuthilltown Spirits) 2 bottles Mathilde Orange 1 gallon lemon juice 4 750-ml bottles sparkling cider Thyme-infused maple syrup Forest berry jam Blackberries Raspberries

Raspberry Beret Punch by Frank Cisneros of Dram

125 oz Pierre Ferrand Cognac 50 oz grapefruit juice 25 oz Mathilde Raspberry 50 oz vanilla syrup 100 oz lemon juice 50 oz raspberry syrup 100 oz soda water "secret amount" homemade Chamomile bitters

Madre Sazonada (Spicy Mother) by Aaron Doherty of Jack the Horse Tavern

10 bottles Milagro Reposado Tequila 65 oz lime juice 65 oz habanero demerara syrup 50 oz pineapple juice 50 oz Mexican lager, roughly 1 six pack 12 sprigs Rosemary 1 tbsp toasted curry salt

Everyone should feel proud for helping make the first Manhattan Cocktail Classic a huge success! Can't wait to do it again next year, only bigger and better!

Elsewhere in the Liquiverse...

• Ultra-exclusive "tavern" The Lion, helmed by The Waverly's executive chef John DeLucie, hosted its friends and family last night. The Greenwich Village restaurant, once a '60s hotspot, officially opens tonight--for the well-connected, anyway. In addition to the burger and beer offerings, expect a sophisticated cocktail program. 62 W. 9th St. (6th Ave.)
• Another anticipated opening is expected by the end of the week with the unveiling of Teatro, a jazz-inspired cocktail lounge from Apotheke's Albert Trummer. Word is the bar is the stage--and knowing Trummer's taste for fiery entertainment, this makes perfect sense. 114 Franklin St. (West Broadway)
• Still no word on NYC's plans for World Cocktail Day, May 13--my guess is everyone is gearing up for the Manhattan Cocktail Classic, May 14-18. If you procrastinated buying tickets for the kickoff gala, you are out of luck--all 2,500 have sold out. Still want to rock your stylish cocktail threads? There's a handful of tickets available for The Dizzy Fizz Tastemaker's Punch--use the code "THRILLIST" to save 25%!
• Also, The Hideout in Fort Greene is going to reopen soon--just in time for summery Brooklyn bar crawls!

Announcing: Beefeater Summer Gin

With 80-degree weather coming our way for Derby Day tomorrow, everyone's thinking about seersucker suits and mint juleps served over crushed ice. As summer nears, I also start to dream of crisp, refreshing gin. And wouldn't you know it, Beefeater London Dry Gin is launching a limited-edition Summer Gin on June 2. Following the success of Beefeater 24, Master Distiller Desmond Payne created Beefeater Summer Gin to celebrate the season with prominent floral notes including elderflower, blackcurrant, and hibiscus.

"It has a slightly lighter characteristic," said Payne, who took a moment to speak with me by phone recently. "Beefeater 24 is aimed more at bartenders and for mixing in more high-end cocktails, while the Summer Gin is more for the consumer. Think summer parties and BBQs, and with pomegranate or cranberry juice, it makes a lovely long drink."

Payne, who has been making gin for 42 years, said he is "having a great time" experimenting with new varieties of Beefeater while upholding the classic method of distilling. "It's a chance to spread out a little bit, but very much in the Beefeater way," he said. "This is an interesting and exciting time for gin."

File Under: Hot Dates

 

• Just when you thought the Manhattan Cocktail Classic couldn't get soaked with any more liquids, hometown heroes The Tippling Point have gone and put together an event that actually floats--on New York Harbor, specifically. Tickets for "The Three Hour Tour," as it's been dubbed, went on sale today, and they are moving fast. The booze cruise aboard the Royal Princess Cruise Liner at sunset on May 16 will feature a live band and DJ, live ice carving by Shintaro Okamoto, and five cocktails by some of the best bartenders in the states:  Jacqueline Patterson of Heaven’s Dog (San Francisco), Thomas Waugh of Death & Co. (NYC), John Lermayer of The Florida Room (Miami), Richard Boccato of Dutch Kills & Painkiller (NYC) and Danny Valdez of Cure (New Orleans).  Moet Hennessy USA is sponsoring (10 Cane Rum, Ardbeg Scotch, Grand Marnier, Belvedere Vodka, and Hennessy), so you might as well be screaming "I'm a boat" the entire time. To make this happen, Jason Littrell teamed up with Gianfranco Verga, Tad Carducci, and Paul Tanguay to form the company The Tippling Point. Come through for this, the Gala, and of course, the Tastemaker's Punch, and you'll have your party points for the year--not to be missed! Use code TONY for 25 percent off on all Manhattan Cocktail Classic events!
• May 1 means Derby Day, the quintessential day to sip a mint julep and wear a hat for at least two minutes. This year is the 135th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs, and with the resurgence in brown spirits it seems like a lovely reason to celebrate. Most recipes call for bourbon, but Harry Johnson's 1888 recipe with brandy and a dash of Jamaican rum, copied below, sounds equally as delicious.
• On May 3 and 4, bartenders from all over will converge in NYC to take a master class in Japanese cocktail technique from Kazuo Uyeda.  The most famous bartender in Japan, Kazuo is author of "Japanese Cocktail Technique," which is being released for the first time in English by Cocktail Kingdom/Mud Puddle Books, sponsors of the event. Two days of rigorous education (including hard shake demonstrations) take place at Hiro Ballroom in Chelsea, where everyone will also let off steam with Suntory cocktails the night of May 4. Contact christina@cocktailkingdom.com for ticket requests.
• And wow, what a difference a year makes--on May 13, we celebrate World Cocktail Day! The day marking the first public mention of the word "cocktail," this date also commemorates the first full year of The Dizzy Fizz! Coincidentally, I have the same birthday as one of the best cocktail culture blogs on the West Coast, Thirsty in LA. Since NYC is the place to be this month, Thirsty in LA's Daniel Djang will actually be here and we're going to celebrate our "blogiversary" together! Deets to come!

Mint Julep, adapted from Harry Johnson, "New & Improved Illustrated Bartender's Manual:"

Serving vessel: a glass.

1/2 oz. sugar 2 oz. water or seltzer 3 to 4 sprigs of mint

Muddle mint in the sugar and water to extract the flavor of the mint, then remove and discard the mint.

Add:

6 oz. brandy

Fill with shaved ice, stir. Garnish with a mint leaf, berry, pineapple and orange.

Add:

1 dash Jamaican rum.

Sprinkle with sugar, serve with a straw.

Springtime = Party Time!

Are you ready for another event brought to you by The Dizzy Fizz? I'm pleased as punch to announce that tickets are now on sale for "Tastemaker's Punch," happening from 7 to 11 p.m. on Monday, May 17 as part of The Manhattan Cocktail Classic!

In New York City, art is everywhere you look - it's even in your glass of punch! You are invited to celebrate the creativity of NYC cocktailians with a stylish soiree featuring punches made from artisan ingredients. Featuring special guest and toastmaster, Dave Wondrich, the puncheon will stimulate your senses while you take in contemporary artwork in a West Village penthouse gallery with terraces overlooking the Hudson River. Exhibiting artists will include saloon artist Jill DeGroff, graffiti artist/designer Claw Money, cocktailian/painter Charles Hardwick, cocktailian/painter Nicole Desmond, cocktailian/photographer Elba Giron, and lots more. Spring-inspired punches will be created by top NYC mixologists. And of course, it wouldn't be a Dizzy party without a slammin' soundtrack and plenty of surprises. Come see what NYC's tastemakers are up to!

Sponsors so far include: Bols Genever, Pierre Ferrand Cognac, Mathilde Fruit Liqueurs, Tuthilltown Spirits, Laird's Applejack, and Vita Coco Coconut Water. (More to be announced soon!)

Monday, May 17th, 7:00pm - 11:00pm RamScale Gallery, 463 West Street between Bank and Bethune Street

Must be of legal drinking age. Includes complimentary admission to the Official Bar of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic (plus one drink ticket) on Monday.

Can't wait to get started on some seasonal party action? If you are in NYC, come out for drinks for two great causes on Sunday, April 25 at The Delancey. Co-hosted by Tales of the Cocktail and Nosalikes, "From NY With Love" will raise money for rebuilding efforts in Haiti and New Orleans. An open bar from 7 to 8 p.m. will feature the Sazerac, the official cocktail of New Orleans, along with Oloffson’s Punch, invented at the Grand Hotel Oloffson in Port-au-Prince and made with the famous Rhum Barbancourt of Haiti.

The suggested donation will be $5 per person during an open bar from 7 to 8 p.m., and $10 per person from 8 to 11 p.m. Drink specials will be in effect throughout the night. All proceeds will be split between the SOS Children’s Villages of Haiti and United Saints Recovery Project of New Orleans.

NYC DJs Kraff Swagger, Djette Luna Vega, and DJ Treats will spin music throughout the night. The event is sponsored by Sazerac Rye Whiskey, Rhum Barbancourt, and Herbsaint Original.

The benefit will be held at The Delancey, 168 Delancey St., New York, NY 10002.

Can't make it? We'll still take your money! We will be setting up a Paypal account shortly, so stay tuned for that.

Dizzy Recap: Day Two of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic

Photo by Sam Meyer of Cocktailians.com

"The Sunday Mercury says that if you are at a hotel, and wish to call for a beverage compounded of brandy, sugar, absynthe, bitters, and ice, called by the vulgar a cocktail, ask for une queue de chanticleer--it will be an evidence at once of your knowledge of French and of Chesterfield."-- The New Orleans Daily Picayune, February 2, 1843, p.2 [Transcribed by David Wondrich]

[Better late than never:]

Day two of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic (and by day, I really mean an afternoon that stretched into a late night) was a never-ending smorgasboard of boozy deliciousness capped off with a glittering gala that everyone is still talking about.

My afternoon began innocently enough with David Wondrich's seminar, "History of the Cocktail in New York, 1810-1920." The handout given out prior to the event innocently read, "liquid exhibits will be served." Actually, five re-created artifacts were served, and given their potency, those pre-Prohibitioners were no nancies when it came to getting their imbibe on. Beginning with the circa-1820 "Willard's Gin Cock-tail," a simple mix of genever (Holland gin), a lump of sugar, bitters, ice, and grated nutmeg, to the "Modern Cocktail" served in 1910 (scotch, sloe gin, absinthe, lemon juice, simple syrup, and bitters), it was interesting to learn how early bartenders became inspired by foreign influences, such as the French with their vermouth and the Japanese with their flavored syrups. I especially enjoyed the "Manhattan Club Manhattan," circa-1870 (1 1/2 oz. rye whisky, 1 1/2 oz. sweet vermouth, dash orange bitters, and lemon peel garnish). Clearly, there's a reason why this classic cocktail, the first to use vermouth, has stood the test of time--it's empowering and delicious.

The empowerment continued at the official bar at Astor Center, where I guzzled a frothy "Great Lawn Sour" pisco sour mixed by Jeremy Thompson of Raines Law Room, followed by an exclusive tasting of Jason Kosmas' Employees Only-brand grenadine and lime cordial, to be released early next year. Made from organic ingredients with a carefully-tuned viscosity ideal for hard shaking, I predict that these modifiers will be on many a cocktail menu next spring.

After a much-needed rejuvenation nap and change into my party dress, I made way for the New York Public Library where the Manhattan Cocktail Classic's main event, the "Spectacular" gala, drew a crowd of 1,000 willing to shell out $100 per ticket. Most attendees chose Gatsby-esque or 19th century wear, sipping drinks from more than a dozen bars. Sponsors included Absolut Vodka, Maker's Mark, Hendrick's Gin, Crop Organic Vodka, Ketel One Vodka, Tanqueray Gin, Don Q Rum, Gran Marnier, Bombay Dry Gin, Bacardi Rum, Aperol, Zacapa Rum, Bulleit Bourbon, Don Julio Tequila, and Solerno Blood Orange Liqueur. There was also a massive amount of delicacies on hand, including an oyster bar, roasted suckling pigs, smoked fish from Russ & Daughters, and cheeses from Stinky Bklyn. Swing dancing and swanky hobnobbing were the order of the night--this was an event not to be missed! (But if you did, you better be on the lookout for the grand event happening May 14-18!)

Dizzy Recap: Manhattan Cocktail Classic, Day One

A cocktail should be consumed quickly, "while it's still laughing at you"--Harry Craddock, American bartender and author of "The Savoy Cocktail Book," circa 1930.

Of all of the bustling corners in America where working men and women have enjoyed a stiff tipple since the early 19th Century, no metropolis has done more for the history of the cocktail than New York City [hey, David Wondrich said it, not me],  so it was fitting that this past weekend's Manhattan Cocktail Classic preview went off without a hitch. There's so much to digest (believe me, my liver is still working on it) from all of the seminars, tastings, and parties, that it's hard to believe that this was just a two-day affair. Based on the success of the weekend, I can't imagine how much of a knockout the grand event, taking place May 14-18, will be.

On day one, I arrived at Astor Center just in time to sit in on "Have Cocktail Shaker, Will Travel," led by Charlotte Voisey of Hendrick's Gin, Simon Ford of Plymouth Gin, and St. John Frizell of Redhook bar Fort Defiance. This seminar covered the enthralling period when New York mixologists took their craft overseas, both before, during, and after Prohibition. Before the 1920s, bartending was taken very seriously in the States, and mixologists had a much-respected, if not celebrity status that was well-received across the world. Charlotte spoke of London's reverence for cocktails during the Prohibition era, and how American bartenders came over and loosened things up a bit, especially Harry Craddock who was head bartender at the American Bar at the Savoy Hotel during the 1920s and 1930s. Since Craddock is believed to have created the "White Lady," that was our first cocktail of the seminar (gin, Cointreau, lemon juice). Simon followed with stories about "Professor" Jerry Thomas, considered the father of American mixology, who brought his showman style of bartending across the U.S. and Europe before settling back in New York in the 1860s. To commemorate Thomas, we drank the gin "Daisy" (gin, orgeat syrup, maraschino, lemon juice). Then St. John Frizell gave an enthusiastic account of the life of Charles H. Baker Jr., a traveling bon vivant famous for writing "The Gentleman's Companion Vo. I & II"  in 1939.  St. John has done extensive research into Baker's life and offered insight into how the writer used his inheritance money to travel the world on round-the-world cruises that were popular for featuring "flapper pirate"-themed parties. Baker, who hung out with the likes of Ernest Hemingway and William Faulkner, recorded better than anyone the exotic recipes of what people were drinking and eating during his time. We tried one such concoction, the "Barbados Buck" (rum, ginger beer, lime juice), which was a tropical number, indeed.

After a much-needed lunch with a few of the ladies of LUPEC NYC, I returned for another round of seminars, starting with Sasha Petraske's "Cocktails for Your Home Cocktail Party." Sasha's primary message was that if you are going to throw a decent cocktail party, you must have decent ice. For proper cocktails, the storebought bag of ice or the ice cube trays that have absorbed the flavors of the contents of your freezer (God forbid, fishsticks) will simply not suffice. Sasha recommends cleaning out your freezer in advance, making an ice block using a plastic tray, cracking the ice before your shindig, and then refreezing it until used. Other factors to take into consideration are the amount of glassware you will need, your dishwashing capacity, and how much liquor to buy (expect to serve five drinks per guest, if you're throwing a rager). Sasha explained one easy way to keep glasses chilled during a cocktail party--employ a 19th Century method of creating a grid of glasses on top of a bar table, filling the first row with ice water and the second row with ice. By the time you need the glasses in the second row, the ice will have melted into ice water, which you can then toss before filling with the cocktail. Other tips and tricks: have four to six cocktail shaker sets on hand (as well as citrus peelers, bar spoons, citrus knives, and julep strainers), keep juice as fresh as possible by squeezing small (no more than 12-oz.) batches at a time, and for goodness sakes, taste your drinks before you serve them to guests. As examples of drinks that could easily be served at a home cocktail party, we tried the "Bee's Knees" (gin, honey syrup, lemon juice) and the "Silver Fizz" (gin, egg white, superfine sugar, soda water, lemon juice). It was great to hear Sasha admit that when Milk & Honey first opened, drinks were made so meticulously that some customers waited up to 20 minutes for their drinks, which he now regrets. "No drink in the world is worth waiting 20 minutes for," he said.

I then caught the tail end of "The Many Faces of Cognac and Armagnac" with F. Paul Pacult, Charlotte Voisey, and Julie Reiner. Cognac and Armagnac, France's legendary brandies, use virtually the same grape varieties but are made differently. Cognac’s wines are turned into spirit through double distillation in an old-style pot still, while Armagnac is distilled only once in an unusual still that is a hybrid of a pot and a column still. I arrived just in time to try Julie's Cognac cocktail (Martell Cordon Bleu Cognac, Calvados Apple Brandy, sherry, Gran Marnier, orange bitters) and Charlotte's Armagnac cocktail (Armagnac, apricot jam, orgeat syrup, Solerno blood orange liqueur, lemon juice, orange bitters), which were both delicious.

Downtime was spent at the event's official bar at Astor, where more than a dozen different cocktails were served each day, mixed by ROGUE Events' who's-who of bartending in NYC and beyond. This was also a great place to meet friends old and new, and to try a few new spirits. Compass Box Brand Ambassador Robin Robinson offered me an exclusive taste of Spice Tree, which officially launches later this month. Controversial for its non-traditional Scotch-making process (formerly the use of French Oak inner staves), Spice Tree is now made using three different levels of toasting on the French Oak barrel heads, offering  layers of complexity. The long finish was rich, boldly spicy, and warming, which was perfect for the rainy day. I also enjoyed a taste of Skinos Mastiha Spirit, a clear malt spirit made from the aromatic sap collected from mastiha, or mastic, trees on the Greek island of Chios. Uniquely nectar-like without being cloyingly sweet, the Skinos has a shochu-like mouthfeel with a subtly floral finish.

As if that weren't enough imbibing for the day, the evening's festivities were not to be missed. The brand-spaking-new Crosby Street Hotel (79 Crosby St.) was host to the launch party for Gary "Gaz" Regan's latest book, "The Bartender's Gin Compendium." Libations, sponsored by Plymouth Gin and Beefeater London Dry Gin, were mixed by Jamie Gordon, Chris Patino, and Dan Warner. I was stoked to have my copy of Gary's book signed by the man himself, hobnob with spirits writers from Imbibe magazine and the Village Voice, as well as chat a bit with Dale de Groff, "King of Cocktails."

Keep an eye out for my round-up of day two of the Cocktail Classic, coming soon. I offer a hat-tip and curtsy to Lesley Townsend and ROGUE Events for serving 18,000 people over the weekend and organizing such a memorable affair!

The Manhattan Cocktail Classic, Brought to You by ROGUE Events

Are you tingling with anticipation for this weekend's Manhattan Cocktail Classic preview event? While you are deciding which vintage hat to wear, dozens of the industry's best cocktailians are shopping for ingredients, batching drinks, and plotting your inevitable intoxication. Not only will the Manhattan Cocktail Classic be the first NYC-based cocktail gathering, but the Oct. 3-4 festival will see the launch of ROGUE Events, a merger between two of the country's most successful cocktail consulting firms, Contemporary Cocktails Inc. and aka wine geek. ROGUE, which is handling logistics for the event, is putting 50 of the best bartenders from around the U.S. to work for the weekend, said Willy Shine, who is co-founder of Contemporary Cocktails with Aisha Sharpe. "I wouldn't be surprised if close to 10,000 cocktails will be served throughout the weekend," said Willy, who is so busy at the moment that he barely has a minute to breathe, let alone answer my questions.

Aka wine geek was founded by Steve Olson, one of the top fine beverage experts and writers in the U.S., with the goal to offer consulting and education services that make tasting fun and remove the pretense. Andy Seymour, a star mixologist who has used fresh ingredients in his cocktails long before it became trendy, is Steve's business partner and a mentor in his own right as a faculty member with BAR (Beverage Alcohol Resource).

Willy Shine and Aisha Sharpe are star mixologists who encourage a culinary approach to mixing drinks. Not only do they create cocktail menus for some of the finest restaurants, bars, and hotels worldwide, they also supervise the BAR program and put on events for top brands and celebrities alike.

The Ultimate Bar Crawl: Google Map of NYC Cocktail Bars

[googlemaps http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=108768800971095547761.000473ca35182c85643c6&ll=40.748297,-73.977814&spn=0.097224,0.075105&iwloc=0004746a731b9330ba7c6&output=embed&w=425&h=350] Just in time for all of those out-of-town visitors arriving for the upcoming Manhattan Cocktail Classic, I've taken a moment to put my list of NYC Cocktail Bars into Google Map format for your traveling and drinking pleasure. From Allen & Delancey to Yerba Buena, from Chinatown to Redhook, there are plenty of places in the city to get your cocktail fix. So why not get started this weekend? Please let me know if there are any bars that I have left out or that should not be on there. Cheers!

Tickets & Details Announced for The Manhattan Cocktail Classic

I just received the press release announcing the schedule for The Manhattan Cocktail Classic:

NEW YORK, August 20, 2009—The Manhattan Cocktail Classic, New York City’s first-ever multi-day celebration of all things cocktail-related, today announced the details of its Fall Preview seminar series, which will take place during the day on October 3-4, 2009, at Astor Center in New York City. The seminars will be led by members of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic Advisory Board, which includes legendary mixologists, cocktail historians, spirits critics and writers, and speak-easy impresarios. Each seminar will be individually ticketed for $50, available through the website at www.manhattancocktailclassic.com beginning on September 7, 2009.

“I am very excited about the topics we have lined up for the Fall Preview,” said Lesley Townsend, Founder and Director of the Manhattan Cocktail Classic. “It’s an unbelievable honor to have our Advisory Board members kicking off our event in this regard. Our hope is that this series will inspire the rest of the spirits and cocktail community to come forth with their own ideas for presentations for the first annual event in May of 2010.”

The seminar schedule is as follows:

Saturday, October 3, 2009

“Have Cocktail Shaker, Will Travel” with Charlotte Voisey & Simon Ford: Once the last legal cocktail was served on the eve of Prohibition in New York City, things would never be the same again. ‘Have cocktail shaker, will travel’ was the mindset of many a passionate barkeep in the 1920s when their craftsmanship turned criminal. Join Charlotte Voisey, Simon Ford, and other assorted friends for a jovial discussion on how New York has been influencing cocktail culture around the world for many years. Liquid refreshments will be served.

“Cocktails for Your Home Cocktail Party” with Sasha Petraske: Famed (and oft-elusive) owner and proprietor of Milk and Honey, Sasha Petraske will demonstrate the basics of creating cocktails in the home. He will go over how to set up and stock home bars of varying degrees of seriousness, as well as cover different scenarios of cocktail entertaining – from temporarily taking over your friend’s kitchen for a house party, to grabbing the reins at a fully-equipped bar. And of course, Sasha will teach you how to prepare some basic, ever-pleasing libations for these occasions. Participants will leave armed with a no-fail recipe list and a short set of directions for preparing basic cocktails with block ice and fresh juices.

“The Agave Session: The Magical Elixirs of Mexico” with Steve Olson and Special Guests: There is a heritage and culture associated with Tequila and Mezcal that dates back well over a thousand years, when the agave plant – also known as the maguey – was utilized by Mexico’s native peoples for virtually everything: from food and drink, to sugar, to shoes, soap, building supplies, and even medicine. Join us for an exciting tasting of this exotic elixir, each by artisan producers, as we pay homage to the heritage, history and culture of Mexico’s national spirit. It is also likely that agave-based libations will be consumed.

“The Many Faces of Cognac & Armagnac” with Julie Reiner, Charlotte Voisey & F. Paul Pacult: This one-time-only, comprehensive seminar joins celebrated master mixologists Julie Reiner and Charlotte Voisey with America’s spirits guru F. Paul Pacult on an extraordinary excursion deep into France's legendary AOC grape brandies, Cognac and Armagnac. Participants will first be taken on a guided tour of tasting a half-dozen remarkable brandies to see how these distilled and oak-matured cousins compare and contrast. Then, they will be treated to a Cognac cocktail, made by Julie, and an Armagnac cocktail, made by Charlotte. A rare opportunity to spend 90 minutes with three of America's most engaging spirits and cocktail personalities.

“History of the Cocktail in New York, 1810-1920” with Dave Wondrich: Among all the classes of American mixed drinks—the Cobblers, Sours, Fizzes, Coolers, Juleps and all the rest—the Cocktail stands as first among equals. If there’s something about a quick jolt of ice-cold, mixed-up boozy deliciousness that’s essentially American, then it’s quintessentially New York. And indeed, while many other cities have made key contributions to the Cocktail’s development, none has done so much as to shape it as Gotham. This seminar will attempt to track the interventions the city’s mixologists made in the idea of the Cocktail during the 110-odd years between its first documented appearance here and Prohibition. Liquid exhibits will be served.

Sunday, October 4, 2009

“Audrey and Gary’s Unparalleled Gin Palaver” with Audrey Saunders & Gary Regan: Audrey Saunders, Libation Goddess from New York’s Pegu Club, and perhaps the bartender most responsible for the resurgence of gin in the 21st century, will join Gary “gaz” Regan, author of The Joy of Mixology (2003) and The Bartender’s Gin Compendium (Fall 2009), to present gin-based cocktails, old, new, borrowed, and, well, you get the picture. They will wax lyrical on all things juniper; they will pontificate endlessly about the attributes of the Martini and of the MarTEAni, and they will display the splendor of cocktails made with dry gin, genever, Plymouth gin, and a most peculiar Old Tom. It’s probable that Saunders and Regan will flirt shamelessly throughout the workshop. The throwing of rotting fruit or vegetables will not be permitted.

“Glasses & Tools: How Do You Choose the Right Glass for a Drink?” with Dale DeGroff:  The choice of glass can mean the difference between a successful and elegant drink, or a glass of booze. In a commercial operation, the choice of glass can impact dramatically on the bottom line. At the home bar, the choice of glass can have an impact on the success of your cocktail party, and the well-being of your guests. Explore the classics with Dale DeGroff as he culls his glass collection to find the perfect glass for well-known classics and the tools to make them successfully.

“Call of the Rye” with Allen Katz: Ryes, Ryes my beloved, Meet me down by The Bowery. There will I give you my love. By history and culture, With song, per chance dance, A Savor to be kissed by kisses. O, my dear, come… Ryes at the day break. As the shadows enter over Astor. Awake. Inhale. O friends, drink, yea, drink abundantly, O, beloved.

“Sherry: The Cobbler and Beyond” with Andy Seymour: Sherry has long played an important role in the world of mixology and has emerged in this new age of the cocktail more popular than ever. Join Master Mixologist and U.S. Sherry Ambassador Andy Seymour for a fascinating look at one of the world’s most cocktail (and food) friendly wines. Taste five of the finest Sherry, representing its many styles, and sample cocktails that show off Sherry’s traditional side and what it is up to today. Come ready to shake, as Andy will lead the group in building their own version of the Sherry cobbler!

About the Manhattan Cocktail Classic:

The Manhattan Cocktail Classic is New York City’s first ever multi-day event celebrating the history, contemporary culture, and artful craft of the cocktail. Part festival, part fête, part conference, part cocktail party, the Manhattan Cocktail Classic brings together the unparalleled talents and opportunities of the bars, bartenders, and restaurants of our great city for two days of activities, both educational and celebratory in nature, championing the common ideals of authenticity, equality, sustainability, service, and pleasure. (There will be some drinking involved, too.) For additional information, kindly visit http://www.manhattancocktailclassic.com .

And there you have it!

Introducing: The Manhattan Cocktail Classic

"The problem with the world is that everyone is a few drinks behind."--Humphrey Bogart

Positive repercussions from Tales are already spilling over as New York cocktail enthusiasts rejoice over today's launch of The Manhattan Cocktail Classic. Spearheaded by Lesley Townsend (formerly of Astor Center), the event is officially planned for May to coincide with World Cocktail Week, but a preview event will be held Oct. 3-4 as well. Historical seminars, tastings, and parties are planned, and expected participants include the city's top cocktail and culinary talent. The announcement was quickly snatched up by the Diner's Journal in The New York Times, so it's clear this event will garner the attention it deserves. The idea of New York hosting its own cocktail fete apart from the ill-fitted New York Bar Show is really exciting!