Tales of the Cocktails offers industry education AND a lot of fun

Louisiana Restaurant Association members receive special discount.

In its 11^th year, Tales of the Cocktail (TOC) boast the theme, “Drink It In!” This summer, July 17-21, 2013 in New Orleans, the industry’s most influential bartenders and spirit lovers from around the globe will drink in every ounce of cocktail knowledge and culture at the world’s premier cocktail festival.

“As is the past, the industry continues to hold back their most intriguing and exciting seminar content for TOC and this year is no exception,” said Paul G. Tuennerman, Co-Founder of TOC. “Where else but TOC can you expect to have your mind blown all night long as folks pull out every stop in an effort to entertain and delight our guests.”

Philip Duff, 2012 Spirited Award
Recipient, World's Best Presenter

Are you in the mind blowing business? Are you using your bar business to maximize your profits? There’s always more to learn and TOC is the place to literally and figuratively, Drink It In!

“Louisiana Restaurant Association (LRA) members are fortunate to have this five day event of educational seminars, tasting rooms, competitions and more right here at home,” said Wendy Waren, LRA VP of Communications and TOC Ambassador. “This year, Tales is offering members a discount to attend.”

Of the more than 200 events and seminars, LRA members might be particularly interested in “How to Run a Successful Bar Business presented by Bar Smarts.” Back by popular demand, this updated and expanded full-day seminar will be led by Philip Duff (Spirited Awards’ World’s Best Presenter 2012) and acclaimed spirits consultant Andy Seymour, with additional panelists including Cedd Moses, Sean Muldoon, Paul Tanguay and many others. Broken down into their sessions, and attendees completing all three will receive a Certificate from Bar Smarts.
 

Mark Ridgwell

The School of Spirits with Mark Ridgwell package, a special four-seminar crash course dives into gin, vodka, scotch and American whiskey—four behemoths of the spirits world. Every bartender knows them, but how well? In four short days, attendees will be well on their way to mastering the big four with a School of Spirits diploma to show for it.

Each School of Spirits with Mark Ridgwell includes: Gin. A product of the Marketeer or TasteMaker?; Vodka. Spirit for Fashionistas or TasteMakers?; Scotch. A Spirit Full of Baggage or Taste?; American. In Fashion Yes, but a Match for Scotch?

“Tales of the Cocktail has something for everyone, from the veterans to the newbies to the hospitality industry,” said Ann Tuennerman, Co-Founder of TOC. “For LRA members interested in attending, a special code “LRA2013” gives members a 10 percent discount. We try to keep our prices very reasonable so this is a lagniappe.”

These seminars and so much more awaits you and your professional staff July 17-21. Visit www.talesofthecocktail.com for more information.

A 1,725 gallon cocktail for Mother Earth

360 Vodka Got Down to Earth once again at Tales of the Cocktail 2012

For the fourth consecutive year, 360 Vodka made sure the biggest and best drink to come from the world’s premier cocktail festival went to Mother Earth.  The world’s only sustainable vodka was poised to quench her thirst this year by ensuring the 14,000 lemons and limes along with hundreds of pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables used throughout the five-day cocktail extravaganza, were given back to Mother Earth and not to the trash cans.

“We recognize that collecting the otherwise wasted produce from Tales of the Cocktail 2012 and converting it into rich, healthy soil wasn’t the most glamorous role to play at Tales, but in our quest to leave the smallest footprint on earth, we believed this was one of the most important and rewarding roles we could play, and one we were delighted to lead,” said Vic Morrison, VP Marketing for 360 Vodka.

360 Vodka supplied green compost bins to all Tales of the Cocktail event sites where mixologists discarded their used produce, napkins, egg shells, vegetable peels, herb stems, seeds, pits, fruit peels and more.  Each compost bin featured instructions on what could be converted to compost and 360 Vodka ambassadors were on-site throughout the event to answer any questions.  

For four years, Tales of the Cocktail has partnered with
360 Vodka and Holly Grove Market to compost the
discarded produce, napkins, egg shells, vegetable peels,
herb stems, seeds, pits, fruit peels and more.

“This wouldn’t have been possible without our partner Holly Grove Market and Farms who do an outstanding job every year of collecting the compost bins each night, delivering it to their farm and converting the contents into rich compost to grow more local produce,” added Morrison.  “It truly comes full circle!”

Spearheading a composting initiative that embodies the sustainable practices 360 Vodka values is one of the many green initiatives the company is committed to in order to live up to their reputation as the World’s Greenest Vodka. 

Tales of the Cocktail celebrated its 10^th Anniversary in July, themed “Aged-Well.” Founder Ann Tuennerman spoke of the partnership between the cocktail festival and 360 Vodka at the Louisiana Restaurant Association's 59^th Annual Louisiana Foodservice and Hospitality EXPO on August 12 in the first Idea Zone, a series of presentations aimed to help restaurateurs become more profitable and efficient.

Ann Tuennerman
Founder of Tales of the
Cocktail, a five-day
cocktail conference in
New Orleans every July.

“We measure our success in garnishes,” said Tuennerman. “Although we still have challenges recycling glass in the New Orleans market, composting our used produce and recycling the thousands of card board boxes is something we feel is important to our community and we aim to be a positive example for other event producers.”

Along with Chef Haley Bittermann of Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group and Johnny Blancher of Ye Olde College Inn, the three panelists shared their efforts in the area of conservation, sustainability, reusing and recycling.

LRA VP of Communications Wendy Waren refills her used 360 Vodka bottles with filtered tap water to avoid throwing them away. Another great way to reuse the bottles she's discovered is to use them to make cellos and infusions with fresh Louisiana produce like figs, strawberries, blueberries and Meyer lemons and gift them during the holidays.