DIG IN
Show Line Up
September 13, 2003
Jessica Strand
Chronicle Books:
Holiday
Cocktails (Pub. November)
Intimate Gatherings
Baby's Rooms
and
No image
available
Dinner Parties (Pub. June)
Jessica is a well respected writer and has written
for “In Style, Travel and Leisure, The Los Angeles Times Magazine, LA Times Food
Section, Calendar Section, Wine and Spirits, Australian Vogue Entertaining,
Self, Budget Living, etc.
She also wrote two columns for the Los Angeles Times -- "In the Mood," a small
single subject food column for 4 1/2 years and "Restaurant Journal," a gossip,
newsy restaurant column for the past year.
She's in development to create a lifestyle TV show with two producers at
Paramount Studios.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Sara M. Gootee 504.558.1785; 504.452.5623 (cell)
SOUTHERN COMFORT COCKTAIL TOUR PRESENTS “TALES OF THE COCKTAIL” - CELEBRATING THE CULTURE OF DINING AND DRINKING
Two-day event marks the one-year anniversary of the tour in New Orleans.
NEW ORLEANS - Aug. 1, 2003 - The Southern Comfort Cocktail Tour celebrates its one-year anniversary with a two-day salute to the culture of fine dining and drinking and the history of the cocktail in New Orleans. “Tales of the Cocktail,” scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 18, and Friday, Sept. 19, will feature events with authors of famous published cocktail books, dinner pairings at famed New Orleans restaurants and a tribute to historic bars and restaurants. New Orleans, the city where the word “cocktail” was created celebrates its history of dining and drinking everyday on the Southern Comfort Cocktail Tour, a two-hour walking tour of the famous bars and restaurants in the French Quarter.
“New Orleans’ fine food and drink are two of the essential ingredients of New Orleans’ culture. ‘Tales of the Cocktail’ encourages New Orleanians and visitors to explore the gastronomic history that has made our city famous, or infamous, in the eyes of the world,” said Ann Rogers, president of Taste of Adventure and the founder of the Southern Comfort Cocktail Tour. “We are proud to welcome authors from around the country to take part in what will become an annual literary and cultural event for New Orleans.”
“Tales of the Cocktail” events include “A Toast to History,” a ceremony at Brennan’s Restaurant honoring the historic bars and restaurants of New Orleans on Thursday, Sept. 18, at 2:30 p.m. The 17 establishments featured on the tour will receive recognition from New Orleans officials for their efforts in preserving their history and establishments. Bar/restaurant owners will receive a special award, designed by local artist Mitchell Gaudet, to display in their restaurant or tavern, designating their official involvement in the Southern Comfort Cocktail Tour. From the Sazerac and the Pimm’s Cup, to the Hurricane and Hand Grenade, the tour mixes classic stories with facts about the unique concoctions made famous here. One of those famous “spirits” is Southern Comfort, which was created in 1874 by M.W. Heron at McCauley’s Tavern on the corner of St. Peter and Richard Streets in the French Quarter.
On Thursday, Sept. 18, from 5 - 7 p.m., the Southern Comfort Cocktail Tour presents, “Cocktail Hour,” where the general public is invited to meet and greet authors of famous cocktail books, purchase autographed books and sample cocktails featured in the various publications. Authors scheduled to attend “Cocktail Hour,” include Chris O’Hara, Dale DeGroff, Barnaby Conrad III, Stephen Visakay, Kerry McCaffety, Gary Regan, Mardee Haidin Regan, Jessica Strand, Robert Markel, Robert Plotkin, Anistatia Miller, Jared Brown and Alexandra & Eliot Angle. “Cocktail Hour” is free and open to the general public and RSVPs are requested at 504-558-1820.
“Spirited Dinners” will take place at 8 p.m. on Thursday evening at various locations featured on the Southern Comfort Cocktail Tour, including Brennan’s Restaurant, Tujague’s, the Hotel Monteleone, Galatoire’s Restaurant, Napoleon House, Antoine’s, Arnaud’s Restaurant, the New Orleans Pharmacy Museum, Alex Patout’s, French Quarter Bar at the Ritz Carlton and Café Giovanni.
Each will host a dinner pairing with a set menu designed around a cocktail or spirit and an author and his/her cocktail book. Reservations are recommended in advance for the “Spirited Dinners,” and interested diners can contact the individual restaurants for reservations. All “Spirited Dinners” will cost $75 per person and include tax and tip. The general public can visit www.southerncomfortcocktailtour.com to make reservations.
On Fri., Sept. 19, from 12 - 4 p.m., the Southern Comfort Cocktail Tour will celebrate its anniversary with free cake for the general public at the Gray Line Lighthouse, located at Toulouse St. and the River, where the tour begins daily at 4 p.m.
For information on “Tales of Cocktail” call 504-299-0404 or visit www.southerncomfortcocktailtour.com.
The Southern Comfort Cocktail Tour is inspired by the 2001 book about New Orleans drinking establishments - “Obituary Cocktail” by Kerri McCaffety. Interested readers can purchase “Obituary Cocktail” by logging onto www.obituarycocktail.com or www.amazon.com.
Contact Gray Line Tours to reserve a spot on the Southern Comfort Cocktail Tour at 1-800-535-7786, 504-569-1401 or www.graylineneworleans.com. The Southern Comfort Cocktail Tour begins daily at 4 p.m. at the Gray Line Lighthouse. Tour admission is $24 for adults.