Posts Tagged ‘Tony Abou Ganim’

ROCKS STARS – TALES OF THE COCKTAIL 2010 TOP 5

Friday, July 30th, 2010

By David Ransom

Photo courtesy of Tales of the Cocktail

Rules are made to be broken, and while Rocks Stars, originally conceived as a profile column focusing on “Movers and Shakers” in the sprits industry, will for all intents and purposes remain that way, from time to time I may just throw in some thoughts on experiences I have along the spirits trail that I find need some play.

To that effect, I would like to bang a few keys on the keyboard, updating you on this year’s 8th Annual Tales of the Cocktail conference held in New Orleans this past hot and steamy week, by bringing to light what I consider to be the week’s top five events:

Here we go, in no particular order, except the last one:

5. Wednesday evening’s Beefeater Welcome party. Held in the New Orleans Contemporary Arts Center, This “welcome party” had it all: Alice in Wonderland characters floating through the room, trapeze artists floating through the air, and some beautiful cocktails with the “always classic” Beefeater gin, made by some of the world’s great bartenders, like Jamie Gordon and Audrey Saunders, while others, like Tony Abou-Ganim and Dale DeGroff roamed the room. A great way to kick into the week’s festivities.

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MASTER OF YOUR DOMAIN

Thursday, July 15th, 2010

Insights into becoming a happier and healthier bartender
By Francine Cohen

You’ve copiously studied recipes from the patron saint of cocktail recipes, Jerry Thomas ; Tony Abou-Ganim, Dale DeGroff, Doug Frost, Steve Olson, Paul Pacult, Julie Reiner, Audrey Saunders, Andy Seymour, and Dave Wondrich, have taught you valuable lessons in technique, ingredients, and tasting and now, at Tales of the Cocktail 2011 it is time to learn how to become the master of your own domain.

This seminar asks: Ever wonder how some nights when you worked so hard – you were at the end of the night physically tired but in good spirits and appeared not to have lost a lot of energy? Remember also the nights when at the end you were not only physically tired and exhausted but also emotionally drained and “heavy?” If you can answer “yes”, even if it’s just for one shift, then you need to be in this room on Saturday afternoon.

Join Dushan Zaric (Employees Only www.employeesonlynyc.com, Macao Trading Company www.macaonyc.com) and Aisha Sharpe (Contemporary Cocktails www.contemporarycocktailsinc.com) for a journey into yourself that results in better bartending. And a better, more peaceful, productive, and profitable you that you’ll get to after understanding how to look at service as an art, maintain balance and sense of self and, essentially, break down the bartender.

Zaric explains why he’s bringing this seminar to Tales after offering it to bartenders around the world. He says, “There are a lot of bartenders who are very well versed in mixing cocktails, knows history, when it comes to service and help themselves that’s where they are not well equipped, and don’t have the tools.”

He continues, “I’m doing this to make people’s lives easier. It breaks my heart to see

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EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN

Friday, July 9th, 2010

Cherry Heering Vintage Bottlings Make a Fashionable Splash During The Manhattan Cocktail Classic
By Francine Cohen Photos Courtesy of Cherry Heering

Fashion designers often reach to the past to inspire the future, while most distillers are busy producing spirits in the past they look forward to sharing with appreciative patrons in the future. Thanks to Cherry Heering (www.cherryheering.com) the two concepts collided most pleasurably during the Manhattan Cocktail Classic (www.manhattancocktailclassic.com) when vintage 1890 and 1950 bottles of the classic cherry brandy were uncorked to the sounds of jazz age music under the vaulted ceilings of Grand Central Station’s Campbell Apartment (www.hospitalityholdings.com) – formerly the luxurious office and salon of ’20’s mogul John W. Campbell.

Campbell, with his obvious taste for exquisite luxury, would have applauded these two very special pourings. Both had aged to a fine sherry or port-like flavor, pleasing all who were on hand to sip along with the official tasting panel: Jörgen Tilander, owner of the Cherry Heering liqueur brand, Jackson Cannon, famed Boston bar man from Eastern Standard, Akiko Katayama, an established international writer and former Iron Chef judge and Tony Abou-Ganim, The Modern Mixologist and MC/Host of the Cherry Heering liqueur vintage event (www.themodernmixologist.com).

One of the exciting things about exploring the world of spirits is experiencing a variety of expressions, vintages and new products. However, rarely does the chance occur for spirit aficionados to taste something over 100 years old. Adéle Nilsson, CEO of the Xanté & Peter F. Heering Company, was quite delighted that the elixir within the bottles had so beautifully stood the test of time. She commented, “We didn’t know

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LEBLON BRAZILLIONAIRE IS WSWA’S TOP LIBATION

Thursday, May 6th, 2010

Tobin Ellis’ Cachaça-Driven Tipple Wins Hearts and Palates at Beverage Tradeshow
By Francine Cohen Photos Courtesy of Leblon

Keynote speaker Sarah Palin couldn’t hold WSWA (www.wswa.org) attendees’ attention like Tobin Ellis (www.barmagic.com) did when he introduced his award winning drink, The Brazillionaire, at the show’s first ever libation challenge.

Ellis’ cocktail, which features Leblon cachaça (made of pressed sugar cane that then rests in XO cognac casks) was named “Judges Choice” Winner at the First Annual WSWA Call for Cocktails: Mixology Competition held at the 67th Annual Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA) Convention in Las Vegas on April 8, 2010.

BarMagic Principal Tobin Ellis has 20 years of bartending, hospitality, and nightlife experience. Currently running the wildly popular Social Mixology industry event, Ellis began training bartenders in 1991 and also spent six years in advertising in New York and Washington, D.C. A former President of the Flair Bartenders’ Association, Head Bartender for Caesars Palace (Las Vegas), NSO Bar Trainer for TGI Friday’s, Ellis is a 3-time Mixology Champion (2009 USBG Leblon Caipirinha Competition, 2009 Tales of the Cocktail Barmade Bitters Winner, 2005 Blue Blazer Mixology Champion) and a 9-Time World Finalist in competition (Legends, Quest, Best in the West, Blue Blazer, Cayman Masters). Ellis has organized and judged bartending competitions of all styles all over the world since 1997 and has served as a technical advisor and judge for a number of television networks, including A&E, Travel Channel, Food Network and NBC.

His winning cocktail combined Leblon Cachaça (www.leblon.com), Cherry Heering (www.cherryheering.com), Perfect Purée of Napa Valley passion fruit purée (www.perfectpuree.com), fresh lime sour,

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