Lustau

9.30am At the airport. Tales is running an in-flight cocktail contest, and my newfound obsession with the Jungle Bird has inspired my choice. The only problem is that I’ve got one of the five necessary ingredients: spiced rum, which Bayou sent me in anticipation of my trip along with a satsuma liqueur, which I initially had no clue what to do with aside from pour over vanilla ice cream. I can’t let these guys down. Mission: convince airport bartender to sell me a mixture of pineapple juice, lime juice, Campari and simple. … [Read more...] about The rum (and vodka) diary: how I spent 7 days at a cocktail festival in New Orleans

But for the best meal I had, I have to again thank my decision to take that walking tour. Toward the end of it, we found ourselves in La Viña, originally a fishing neighborhood, that has evolved into the culinary heart of the city. Palm trees line the Calle Virgen de la Palma, which is packed with restaurants and bars. During the day, vendors set up on folding tables, shucking fresh oysters and selling paper cones filled with fried fish that you can pop into your mouth like potato chips. There, Mr. Cadenas rattled off his restaurant recommendations, pointing to one and then another, all within walking distance of each other. Afterward, convinced this was a man who knows how to eat, I asked him what he was up to later that night. … [Read more...] about Cádiz, an Underrated Corner of Spain