New Orleans reminds me a lot of France. The original settlers of the Crescent City were French and left behind many traditions, their love of food, and culture. We recently returned from a trip to the Big Easy attending the Tales of the Cocktail conference, the annual ritual of cocktail professionals and cocktail enthusiasts escaping to New Orleans, LA to share their knowledge of all things cocktail. I was lucky to participate in a few educational seminars and tasting rooms. A few of my favorites included The Anatomy of Agave: Seductive Succulent seminar on Tequila and Agave production; The Le Petite Grocery Spirited Dinner: Time in a Glass: Featuring Grand Marnier; and several fun and yummy tasting rooms.
Did you know that the agave plant is actually a lily and that the plant is sacrificed when harvested for Mezcal? It is poisonous in its raw form and requires cooking before human consumption. The roasting process provides that yummy smokiness that characterizes the spirit. Check out the Francophile Favs tab for a few of my favorite Mezcals available in the US.
Notice anything unusual about the picture to the right? When agave are replanted, they are usually planted in rows, very much light grape vines for making wine. Like wine, agave harvested from highlands differs from agave harvested from lowlands. Typically Mezcal distilled from highland agave are more floral and herbal in smell and taste, while lowland Mezcal has a tendency to be more masculine.
Notice anything unusual about the picture to the right? When agave are replanted, they are usually planted in rows, very much light grape vines for making wine. Like wine, agave harvested from highlands differs from agave harvested from lowlands. Typically Mezcal distilled from highland agave are more floral and herbal in smell and taste, while lowland Mezcal has a tendency to be more masculine.
In addition to educational seminars, we had the opportunity to attend the Time in a Glass: Featuring Grand Marnier spirited dinner at La Petite Grocery Restaurant and Bar. The menu included succulent fried oysters, some of the largest, juiciest shrimp I have ever seen, oh and ridiculously yummy duck tasso (a play on tasso ham). Each course was paired with a custom created Grand Marnier cocktail. The evening was capped off with a flight of the Grand Marnier Cuvee Collection pictured to the left. Grand Marnier is a premium blend of French Cognac with wild tropical oranges from the Caribbean. If you haven't tried any of their premium cognacs, I encourage you to check them out. If you like Grand Marnier Rouge, you will love some for their specialty spirits. For more information, check out the House of Marnier Lapostolle website.