Winner to be Announced on Thursday, January 13 in Vancouver
Tales of the Cocktail® has been challenging mixologists throughout the world to create the flavor of each year’s festivities with the official cocktail. Now as Tales of the Cocktail® makes its way to Vancouver, the world’s premier cocktail festival asked Canadian mixologists to share their original cocktail recipes for a chance to be named the Official Cocktail of Tales of the Cocktail on Tour Vancouver.
Bartenders throughout Canada were encouraged to submit recipes that they felt captured the taste and culture of Canada. All recipes were required to use a choice of aged 10 years + age stated Canadian whisky and participants were encouraged to use ingredients that are indigenous to the provinces of Canada. All entries were submitted online and were judged by a panel of three judges blind with bartender name and establishment hidden from view.
“It is exciting to consider cocktails featuring the unique qualities of both Canadian whisky’s as well as regional ingredients from the provinces of Canada,” said Allen Katz, cocktail competition judge. “I am really looking forward to Tales of the Cocktail on Tour Vancouver.”
The three finalists in no particular order are:
Danielle Tatarin, The Keefer Bar / Designer Cocktail Company
This drink is inspired by Alberta where spruce trees commonly grow. Tatarin’s family has a farm near Smokey Lake, Alberta where she came up with the recipe. Although derived during Christmas, the recipe can be easily recreated throughout the year and across Canada and United States where spruce trees grow.
Smokey Lake Old Fashioned
Jay Jones, MARKET by Jean-Georges/Barjonesing
The Pacific Ginger Fizz pays direct homage to the New Orleans roots of Tales of the Cocktail by embracing design influence and inspiration form the iconic Ramos Gin Fizz. Chinese ingredients and character have directly influenced BC cuisine⎯this personality and style is represented in the Pacific Ginger Fizz by a combination of ingredients: orange blossom, plum and ginger.
Pacific Ginger Fizz
Jonathan Smolensky, Brix Restaurant and George Ultra Lounge
Taking its name from a culturally iconic train station in Quebec, which the first Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) train departed from. This cocktail is a celebration of the cooperation that all the immigrant groups required to build one of the most beautiful cities in the world, Vancouver. It seamlessly takes what was an indigenous Chinese spirit (Domaine de Canton) and a mainstay Eastern European spirit (Zwack Unicum) with a Canada plum infused rendering of Canada’s most well known spirit, Canadian Whisky (Gibson’s 18 year old), to bind together flavors that create an original representation of our region’s history.
Dalhousie Cocktail
In addition to having their cocktail featured at Tales of the Cocktail on Tour Vancouver, the winning mixologist will also receive travel, accommodations and event passes to Tales of the Cocktail on Tour Vancouver.
The winner will be announced at the media launch event on Thursday, January 13th, 2011 at Boneta Restaurant located at 1 West Cordova Street in Vancouver.
About Tales of the Cocktail on Tour Vancouver
For the first time Tales of the Cocktail is taking it’s show on the road with Tales of the Cocktail on Tour. Our first stop is Vancouver where we’ll be giving Canadian cocktail lovers a small taste of what Tales is all about. This three-day festival will feature the most renowned cocktail experts from Vancouver and beyond at a series of seminars, events and more. So join us in Vancouver this March to sample what’s in store at Tales of the Cocktail 2011.
About Tales of the Cocktail®
Tales of the Cocktail® is the world’s premier cocktail festival, bringing together the most respected minds on mixology for five days of cocktails, cuisine and culture. Held annually in New Orleans, this event has something for cocktail professionals and enthusiasts alike with a spirited schedule of seminars, dinners, competitions, parties and special events where brands showcase their latest products. Now in its ninth year, Tales of the Cocktail® returns with another round of events all perfectly paired with some of the best cocktails ever made. Shake things up at Tales of the Cocktail® 2011, July 20-24.
About the New Orleans Culinary and Cultural Preservation Society
The New Orleans Culinary and Cultural Preservation Society is a non-profit organization committed to preserving the unique culture of cocktails and cuisine in New Orleans and beyond. Since it’s founding in 2006 the NOCCPS has supported members of the hospitality industry through educational opportunities such as the Flo Woodward Scholarship and the Cocktail Apprentice Scholarship Program as well as the production of events like Tales of the Cocktail.
For information and email updates on Vancouver dates, ticket sales and more, visit www.TalesoftheCocktail.com.
