If you are looking for an expertly crafted cocktail in NYC this week, be warned that your drink might be hit-or-miss. Most of the best bartenders, mixologists, brand ambassadors, and cocktail historians across the city—and the country—are in New Orleans for the seventh annual Tales of the Cocktail, kicking off today. Of course, not everyone is there—but if you had the chance to go, you would be crazy not to. Tales (July 8-12), founded by Ann Tuennerman, is a rallying convention for those who find mixing libations to be their calling. It's the boozy equivalent of summer camp, with tons of seminars, tastings, Creole dinners paired with spirits, jazzy merrymaking, lounging at the Hotel Monteleone pool—in short, it's a wet, wet dream. As you can imagine, I'm bummed not to be able to attend (hoping to go next year), but I have a few insiders on the scene who will attempt to report back to me, assuming they can recall what exactly went down besides a bunch of Sazeracs and Ramos Gin Fizzes. In the meantime, those of us not there can get a taste of what we're missing by mixing up the official cocktail of Tales 2009:
The Creole Julep by Maksym Pazuniak, Rambla/Cure
2 1/4 oz. Cruzan Single Barrel Estate Rum 1/2 oz. Clement Creole Shrubb 1/4 oz. Captain Morgan 100 Rum 2 dashes Fee Bros. Peach bitters 2 dashes Angostura bitters 8-10 mint leaves 1 Demerara Sugar Cube