NEW ORLEANS – April 17, 2007 -- Tales of the Cocktail, the annual culinary and cocktail festival, announces the winning bartender and recipe of their annual Cocktail Competition to determine the “official cocktail” of the event. Stacy Smith, a bartender at G.W. Fins in New Orleans, placed first for her champagne cocktail, the Starfish Cooler.

Moët & Chandon White Star was the main required ingredient for the participants mixing for a chance at having their drink become the official cocktail of this year’s event. Smith’s cocktail will be served throughout Tales of the Cocktail, July 18-22, and will be featured in Culinary Concierge Magazine and the soon to be published, “101 Champagne Cocktails,” by Kim Hassarud.

Starfish Cooler

• 1 oz. Moët and Chandon White Star
• 1 oz. Lemoncello
• 1 oz. PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur
• 1 oz. Un-sweet Iced Tea
• ½ oz. Simple Syrup
• Muddle orange slice and mint leaf in Collins glass.
• Combine all ingredients.

In second place was Sean Thorpe of Cochon with the Doucette cocktail, and with a tie for third, Michael Brewer with the Sparkling Sakepom, and Martin Cate with the Crescent City Blossom. All of the winning recipes can be found on our recipes page.

The annual Cocktail Competition took place at Café Adelaide and was judged by a panel of experts including Food and Cocktail Goddess Lorin Gaudin and Christina Clum from Moët Hennessy USA. More than 60 bartenders from around the country sent in their recipes and then mixed them on March 29th for the judges to taste.

Tickets are on sale now for the most spirited event of the summer. Tales of the Cocktail takes place in the New Orleans French Quarter, July 18-22, 2007, and features five days of delicious events such as cocktail mixing demonstrations and tastings, food and drink seminars, dinner pairings, author meet and greets and more – all presented by the country’s hottest mixologists, bartenders, chefs and authors. Purchase individual tickets, day passes or packages for the largest gathering of cocktail experts in the country. Stay at the legendary Hotel Monteleone, event headquarters for a full-bodied Tales of the Cocktail experience. Book tickets and hotel rooms here.

WANT TO MAKE THEM AT HOME!?!?!?
Download PDF of the winning recipes here