Food/Cocktail Demo

Two food/cocktail demonstrations at the Jefferson Parish Library – one on each bank of the river – will occur during the month of May. 

Author and food writer Elizabeth Williams will demonstrate several tapas dishes, including a tomato bruschetta and a hummus. She will also prepare a yogurt dip for vegetables or chips

Local mixologist Abigail Gullo will present two cocktails described in I Drink the World, The Golden Age of Cocktails, 1806-1910 – the Queen Bee and Remember the Maine. “The Golden Age of Cocktails was a time of innovation and creativity, heavily influenced by the adventurous Charles H. Baker, Gullo says. “Known for blending the excitement of Indiana Jones with the sophistication of Jay Gatsby, Baker was a globetrotting writer whose work for Esquire, Town & Country, and Gourmet magazine brought the world of cocktails to life.

These events will occur at the following dates and times.

6:30 p.m., Tuesday, May 20 – River Ridge Library, 8825 Jefferson Highway, Jefferson

6:30 p.m., Thursday, May 22 - West Bank Regional Library, 2751 Manhattan Blvd., Harvey

These events are free of charge and are open to the public. Patrons will be allowed to sample the dishes that are prepared during the demonstration. However, these demonstrations are not intended to serve as meals for those in the audience. Food will not be sold. Patrons younger than 21 years of age will not be served alcohol.

Liz Williams founded the Southern Food & Beverage Museum and the SoFAB Research Center. SoFAB is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Liz has authored several books about food and culture, especially New Orleans food culture. Her podcast, Tip of the Tongue, about food, drink and culture, appears weekly. Her most recent books are Nana’s Creole Italian Table and the SoFAB Cookbook, with co-author Maddie Hayes. She is a graduate of the LSU Law Center. She practiced law in Washington, D.C. and Louisiana. She has served as judge in many cooking competitions and consulted internationally on the food of New Orleans. 

Abigail Gullo is a hospitality professional with more than a decade in the spirits industry. She got her start making neighborhood craft cocktails at the innovative bars of turn of the 21t century New York City. Since then, she’s created drinks at award-winning restaurant from New Orleans to Seattle, from Rome to Athens and Puerto Rico. She’s been named bartender of the year many times, and concocted libations for the Today Show and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

For more information regarding this presentation, contact Chris Smith, Manager of Adult Programming for the library, at 504-889-8143 or wcsmith@jefferson.lib.la.us.