Anyone who has checked out the schedule of Tales knows that the options are endless.  Every attendee has spent the last 48 hours making tough decisions, whether it’s deciding what panel to attend, which spirited dinner to consume, or who’s room one should raid after hours to make Manhattans in a bathroom.  But don’t forget, we are also in New Orleans and fun lurks around every corner.The ladies of LUPEC Boston left the Quarter and headed to the Bywater last night to visit our favorite bar in NOLA, Vaughan’s.  We happily drank every $2 Miller High Life in the house while showing the rest of the New England Tales contingency why Vaughan’s is truly one of the best places on the planet.  As one walks through the door at Vaughan’s all labels are stripped away.  Tourist and local are equal as long as you have a smile on your face and you are willing to, in the words of Kermit Ruffins, “shake your booty all night long.”  The staff is friendly, as is the house kitty.  There’s red beans and rice out back if you get hungry and no shortage of dance partners when the band is jumpin’.  So when the decisions are tough and you can’t decide which evening event to attend, you can always call an audible and head to Vaughan’s.

We’re here!  After months of anticipation, the ladies of LUPEC Boston have happily settled into our comfy accommodations in the French Quarter.  Not wasting any time, we’ve already hit many of our favorite spots…dining at the Napoleon House, Cochon, and Jacques-Imo’s and drinking, well, everywhere!  We’ve boogied down to the Rebirth Brass Band and made many a rotation in the Carousel Bar.  And of course there is this little thing called Tales of the Cocktail.Our own Barbara West moderated a panel during Wednesday’s Professional Series entitled How to Get Your City, Bar, Recipe or Bartender More Media Coverage.  With her fellow panelists Jeffrey Lindenmuth, Jenny Adams and Jennifer Baum, BW led us to the light at the end of the long, dark tunnel called PR.Obviously after such a successful panel we wanted to toast our own Barbara West and Beefeater afforded the perfect opportunity at the opening reception at the Palace Cafe.  Passing the Yeoman Warders we ascended the stairs to find two of our favorite ladies, Josey Packard and Audrey Saunders, shaking up Jasmines and Gin-gin Mules.Dinner took us to Cochon where 11 New Englanders happily ordered just about everything on the menu.  The Boston/New York rivalry was alive and well as we entered a shot buying contest with our friends from PDT and Death & Co.  (Dear Joaquin and the gang, In case you are reading this, warm shots of Grey Goose is not playing fair.)For many the end of dinner would be the end of the night.  Not so at Tales of the Cocktail. Since we hate to leave a party early we made our way to French 75 for the Daiquiri Party sponsored by Rhum Clement, the famous Old Absinthe House, and the late night suite sponsored by St Germain where we had delicious cocktails made by Jacques Bezuidenhout as well as swigs off of bottles of Averna and Balvenie 10.  We attempted to make an early exit, well early for Tales.  But we ran into that charming Jeffrey Morgenthaler and the next thing you know Barbara West hit Floor 4 and we were drinkin’ Sazerac Rye/Carpano Antica Manhattans mixed in a Hotel Monteleone bathroom.  Deeeee-lishus!

As owner of Haus Alpenz, Eric Seed is responsible for the smiles adorning the faces of many cocktail aficionados. It started with Seed’s personal search for a spirit the importer fell in love with while living in Austria. His stateside search was fruitless, but through discussions with bar and restaurant professionals he learned he was not alone in his unrequited love affair. Seed’s recognition of the unmet needs for specialty spirits and classic cocktail ingredients for industry professionals and spirits enthusiasts resulted in Haus Alpenz, an importing business that has made it possible for cocktail fans across the states to have a supply of such tasty treats as Rothman and Winter Crème de Violette, Batavia Arrack van Oosten, and St Elizabeth Allspice Dram. Seed’s passion for spirits is apparent to any who have met him, so it is no surprise that he has a full schedule at Tales of the Cocktail 2008.

On Friday, July 18th Mr. Seed will be leading Amore Amari: A Very Bitter History of Bitter Spirits in Aperitif Service and Cocktails. With the help of fellow panelists Toby Cecchini, Dan Hyatt, LeNell Smothers and Stephen Berg, Mr Seed will discuss the traditions of the bitter spirits that cause our mouths to water and prepare us to take on a big meal. The session will also include a comparison tasting of bitters from various countries and regions.

Saturday, July 19th sees Eric Seed joining LeNell Smothers at the helm of Cracking the Egg: The Tradition, Challenges and Potential of Eggs in Cocktails. Starting with a look at eggs in classic favorites such as the Ramos Gin Fizz, Seed and Smothers will move into the use of egg in current cocktail culture. Discussions will include how to incorporate egg cocktails into high volume programs and issues regarding the handling of eggs and food safety.

[Ed. note: We'll be posting more details on both of these sessions in coming weeks.]

Now anyone who knows me is well aware of my love for the bitter spirits and egg cocktails. You can frequently find me sipping Campari on the rocks and every Easter I happily torture myself and some willing guest bartender to a night of shaking up nothing but egg cocktails. So I thought that surely nothing could excite me more than what I had already heard. I was definitely mistaken.

Earlier this year many of us watched as Christie’s held an auction of rare whiskies, including a bottle of straight rye whiskey made at the Mount Vernon distillery using George Washington’s recipe. Most states still prohibit the auction of spirits, a holdover from that pesky Prohibition. With help from the folks at the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) spirits auctions are now legally allowed in Louisiana and Tales of the Cocktail 2008 will host the first. The Tales of the Cocktail silent spirits auction will feature antique and out-of-market spirits with all proceeds benefiting the New Orleans Culinary and Cultural Preservation Society. The New Orleans Culinary and Cultural Preservation Society is the non-profit organization that annually produces Tales of the Cocktail. This organization works to preserve the rich and unique history of the restaurants and bars of New Orleans through educating locals, visitors and hospitality professionals. Seed says they hope to have a mix of “pre-Prohibition gems to more familiar rarities” across a wide range of prices. Keep checking back as I will post additional information about the spirits auction as it becomes available, including the request for tax-deductible donations.

All of these events take place at the Hotel Monteleone; tickets are available here.