After a week spent wandering the halls of Tales of the Cocktail in July 2008, sipping many finely stirred and shaken libations; I said to myself, "These special cocktails need to be shared with the world." So I bring you Cocktail Hour, a finer way to celebrate the end of the day; with these recipes. They have either been created specifically for Tales of the Cocktail, or re-designed for a new approach on the traditional version by some of the top Mixologists in the world. Many are being presented to the public here for the first time. Enjoy!

La Florida Cocktail recipe after the jump.

In August of last year, I became the luckiest guy in the world when Christine Nylin accepted my proposal for marriage. Being the dork I am, I set out to make up a cocktail symbolizing the event. I named it The Union, which not only highlights the joining of two into one, but also happens to be the name of the restaurant where I tend bar.

That cocktail has gotten a lot of play recently, the recipe popping up on different web sites, magazines and recipe collections. And now, it has another moment in the sun, for on a spectacularly beautiful August 3rd in Seattle, I became even luckier the luckiest guy in the world when Christine became my wife.

In that spirit, I offer up our recipe to share with you. Check it out after the jump.

Stylelist assistant editor / former CBGB bartender Phebe Hunnicutt stepped away from the shoe closet for a sec to share her recipe for a crowd-pleasing Bloody Mary. Post your favorite variations in the comments below.

With the possible exception of the Martini, there is no cocktail more personal than the Bloody Mary. Love it or loathe it, everyone seems to have an opinion about this tomato-based drink. After years of bartending and bringing along my personal variation to countless friendly gatherings, I have come up with what I can confidently call a crowd-pleasing mix. If you're already a Bloody Mary-lover there's no doubt you'll have your own personal tweaks, but if you're new to the mixology of the Mary, this recipe is guaranteed to provide you with a yummy starting point.

Recipe after the jump.

The boozefest that is Tales Of The Cocktail has been everything I thought it'd be, and I have to admit it's nice, for the moment, to be relatively sober. You see, you can't go very far in New Orleans without being tempted to have a drink. When you throw the world's biggest cocktail and spirit schmoozefest/symposium, it is definitely hard to hold on to your sobriety. Not that any of us want to, of course.

This is just a reminder of something I posted earlier, but should you be interested in following the goings-on at this fantastic event, there is a cocktail blog called, literally enough, Tales Blog. The contributors are bloggers like myself, and we'll be consistently updating the site with differing interpretations. Should this particular site fail to fully scratch the itch, each blogger will also be updating their personal sites, and I strongly encourage you to check them out. They are, in no particular order....

This past July fourth, I celebrated Independence Day with family by concocting a drink inspired by an Italian Bellini. In a large champagne flute, I poured peach nectar and champagne. The combination created a heavenly delicate flavor and a wonderfully creamy textured drink. I used a wooden skewer to mix the peach nectar that beautifully settled towards the bottom of the glass.

Not only did the combination taste great, but aesthetically, it looked marvelous. The champagne sat on top of the peach nectar and assumed a light pink color. On the bottom of the flute, the nectar appeared bright red. I nearly hesitated to mix the two layers fearing that I'd lose the beauty of this cocktail masterpiece. Although I put the peach nectar in the flute first, you can do it in the reverse order. The pink colored layers would just be reversed. Next time you're entertaining, I highly suggest you make this drink.

As much as I love champagne, I think it was the gorgeous peach nectar that made this drink sublime. This artisanal nectar is produced by Emmanuelle Baillard in the village of Merceuil, in the region of Burgundy in France. Each bottle consists of 54 percent peach pulp. The rest is water and sugar. I highly recommend Baillard's various nectars.

What are some interesting cocktails you've tried recently?

So I'm guilty of impaired riding. Carousel riding that is. Like many fans of the Cocktail, I'm down in New Orleans for Tales of the Cocktail for the next week and having a blast. Within a few minutes of getting to my hotel in the French Quarter, the Hotel Monteleone, I was sitting on a carousel and bellied up to the bar all at the same time. The famous carousel bar in the hotel turns at a leisurely four times per hour, which is negligible at first, but seems to speed up as the drinks slide down. I ordered one of my favorite cocktails, a Vieux Carré, which was invented here by Walter Bergeron in 1938, and sat back to enjoy the ride. Every now and then a friend would stop by for a chat, having to do a side step shuffle every few moments to keep up with the stately procession of the Carousel. I came to call this the Vieux Carré Strut, and soon it became one of the most popular dances at Tales.

Vieux Carré is another name for the French Quarter, meaning "The Old Square," and this fabulous drink fits right in, no wonder Bergeron called it such. The decor in the Carousel Bar is a mix of a fine lounge and antique amusement park, with an elegant feel. That is until the whole crew descended upon the establishment. Then it became more like a cross between the Midway, and the Fun House. Now if only they had the carousel horses like in Mary Poppins. I can imagine my fine friends from Tales gallumphing off the Carousel and taking a turn 'round the Monteleone, refreshing themselves along the way as we stop hither and yon for fine cocktails. Then after making our way through all the laudatory libations, a few circuits of the Queen Anne Ballroom to the tune of a waltz, zig zagging among the masked dancers; before heading out onto the streets of Vieux Carré showing the world how to do Tales in style.

Recipe for the Vieux Carré Cocktail after the jump.

Have you heard of molecular mixology? I hadn't until recently, but apparently it's moving from the high end bars to your kitchen, according to Forbes.com.

According to the article "molecular mixology, the method takes scientific principles and tools and applies them to the construction of alcoholic beverages." Gelatin, flames, freezing and flavored simple syrups are all a very big part of molecular mixology. There are generally a lot of steps involved, so prep time is high, but apparently these beverages translate well to home preparation, except the most "wildly dangerous" of course.

I don't know about you, but if I'm making cocktails at home, they're going to have to be simple. Anything with a lot of prep time can stay at the bar, as far as I'm concerned. Would you put a lot of time into drinks at home?

It's only July 3rd and my foodie forefathers have already dished out plenty of Independence Day eats in such posts as American Flag Cakes and Delicious Foods for July 4th. But let's be honest: There is no food or cake that can rival the great American tradition of getting rip-roaring drunk. Even Uncle Sam's cheeks wear a warm flush!

But tradition aside, I do not condone drinking to excess, so I have devised a list of patriotic cocktails that are too lovely to chug. In the words of the great George Washington as he crossed the Delaware: Take it slow, kids, take it slow.

1. Starfruit and Stripes Daiquiri - The fine folks at MaisonBisson came up with this capital idea: Take a traditional strawberry daiquiri, top it with whipped cream and blueberries, then garnish with a slice of starfruit. Ta da! Liquid flag!
2. Red, White and Blue Sangria - Punctuate some white sangria with blueberries and raspberries for that good ol' U.S. of A. color scheme.
3. Boston Pops Martini - This Massachusetts-made martini celebrates the famed Boston Pops' national independence day broadcast. The true fireworks begin with the rim that's dipped in - what else? - Pop Rocks!
4. Red, White and Blue Shot - Although there are a number of variations on this popular Fourth of July shooter, the key is a careful pour to ensure those colors don't run.
5. Patriotic Margarita - The arbiters of blue vodka put their hued booze to good use with this layered margarita: HPNOTIQ 'rita, topped with strawberry 'rita, dressed up with a coconut rim.
6. Red, White and Blue beers - According to the results of this poll, beer is the bev of choice for cookouts. So if you want to keep with the patriotic theme, stock up on PBR (in the unmistakable red, white, and blue can) or for something a bit classier, invest in an assortment of Chimay Red, Chimay White, and Chimay Blue.

If you are declaring an independence from alcohol, whip up one of these constitutions:

1. Patriotic Tea Punch - Try out this tart punch that boasts an iced tea base, pomegranate juice, and gobs of fresh fruit.
2. Bomb Pop Mocktail - This red, white, and blue pousse-cafe layers cranberry juice, blue Gatorade, and diet 7-up to mimic everyone's favorite patriotic popsicle.

Have a festive Fourth, everyone!

The Louisiana legislature (don't they have better things to do?) yesterday named the Sazerac - a mix of bitters, rye whiskey, and absinthe - as the city's official cocktail.

As NPR reports, the drink is found in bars across the city, and its bitters are what makes it unique and deeply beloved by brown drink lovers all across the country.

Want a taste of New Orleans, but don't feel like hopping on a plane? Whip up your own, slightly modernized version of Sazerac.

According to the Modern Drunkard, your cocktail preference can lend insight into your true personality. Whether or not you actually believe in these tests, it's one of the more fun personality quizes I've come across recently.

Did you know that if you happen to like Bloody Marys then "You enjoy music, long walks on the beach, and the occasional stabbing spree." And watch out, because if you happen to enjoy a Gimlet, "Something about your personality makes otherwise normal people use words like "bounder" and "cad."

Take a look and see what your cocktail choice reveals about you!

Special summer drinks guide: blender drinks. Do you know what goes into a 'Missionary's Downfall?'

Wine critic Eric Asimov goes virgin with a root beer review.

The Minimalist talks modern mixed drinks. Kamikaze, anyone?

The Croque-Monsiur, France's answer to the ham and cheese, is the perfect bar food.

Forget the kegerator. Real brewski lovers have beer cellars.

As you may know I am a fan of the classes, seminars, and workshops given at the Astor center in NYC. They have a fantastic crew of presenters from all over the country and world, usually the top folks in their field. this Sunday, June 15th, is no exception with the PDT Home Bar Basics seminar.

PDT is my all time favorite cocktail bar in New York City. Hidden inside a small hot dog restaurant, with the only access through an old fashioned wood telephone booth mounted in the wall, they are the epitome of mixology, in a cool speakeasy style bar. Small, limited seating for a dozen at the bar and about the same amount in reserved seating. The full name is Please Don't Tell, and it is with great difficulty that I tell you this now. I hate the fact that they may become even more busy. The last two times I was in NYC they had become so popular that I couldn't get in a few times. At least I did get in once or twice each trip.

I'm very friendly with all the mixologists there, including the two who will give this workshop on building your home bar, so you can keep up with the best. John Darragon is an extremely gifted mixologist known for his work in recreating the famous abbots Bitters. Don Lee has won numerous awards and medals for his cocktail genius and I have seen him stir and shake like a madman, turning out some fantastic drinks. Besides what I expect to be a great seminar, all attendees will get a goody bag with just about anything you could need to get you off to an amazing start in building your home bar. I know because I got a similar goody bag last week when I attended the summer cocktail workshop.Mine was full of great tools like paring knives, muddlers, Boston shakers, Hawthorne strainers, glasses, bar spoons, and a dozen small sample bottles of premium spirits and liqueurs. So if you want to learn the basics, this is the place to be on Sunday from 3-5pm.

I recently attended a mojito party. Yes, my friends base a whole party around the mojito. There is a good reason. The mojitos at this party are better than any others I've had. What can I say - host Adam's got the mojito mojo.

The only problem is that I'm not a big drinker. One mojito is enough for me alcohol-wise, but flavor-wise I could keep going all night.

I noticed that Adam was making a virgin mojito for a pregnant friend and I asked if I could jump on the virgin bandwagon. It turns out that the taste was ostensibly the same. It's a light and refreshing summer drink that I should make more often.

My friend Adam's Virgin Mojito Recipe is after the jump.

Of course, I'm not talking about the ways you try to keep cool in general, such as cranking the AC, jumping into a pool, or going to the beach. I'm talking about liquid refreshment.

There are many schools of thought on this. My mom used to drink hot coffee in June, July, and August, going by the old theory that drinking hot liquids in hot months actually cools you down. I myself like iced tea and ice cold water during the summer, with some diet soda and icy Ocean Spray Light Ruby Red here and there too. Others seem to like beer and cocktails, though I really doubt their effectiveness (beyond the initial hit of cold liquid going down).

After the jump, give us your liquid solutions for the summer. Besides the drinks above, I'm thinking about asking the owner of the liquor store down the street if I can live in his giant walk in fridge for the summer..

In the past I have mentioned my friend and renowned mixologist Jonathan Pogash here on Slashfood. You Slashfoodies even helped us name a cocktail.

I just found out that there are a few more seats available for what looks like a great cocktail workshop at the Astor Center in New York City tomorrow evening. Jonathan Pogash, the "Cocktail Guru" will be teaching a hands on workshop on mixing and creating summer cocktails. Crafting Summer Cocktails: A Hands-on Workshop will be a great chance for the budding home mixologist to study with one of the cocktail worlds best. It sounds like so much fun that I'm going to drive eight hours and 450 miles to be there.

So if you are in a cocktail mood tomorrow evening, Saturday June 7th at 6:30pm, join us at the Astor Center for what will be a shaking good time.