Mardi Gras celebrations in the United States have long been associated with the city and the people of New Orleans, Louisiana. Many of the tradition, the parties, the foods and drinks seem to have roots within the people and locations of that city. As with any special holiday or event, there are traditional Mardi Gras inspired drinks that are just “must-haves”. If you are planning a Mardi Gras party or themed celebration, these five adult cocktail drinks should be on your party menu.
The Hurricane is a New Orleans original straight from the Prohibition Era. The use of rum in the recipe for this drink came from necessity as rum was made more widely available, and in some cases forced upon bar owners, than other more common liquors of the time. There are a number of variations of The Hurricane recipe. Some popular Hurricane recipes use Hawaiian Punch as the fruit base while others use various fruit nectars and concentrates. This recipe combines citrus and Grenadine with light rum.
Hurricane Recipe & Mixing Instructions
2 tsp. Lime Juice
3 oz. Light Rum
½ oz. Grenadine
3 oz. Orange Juice
3 oz. Pineapple Juice
Shake all ingredients with crushed ice, strain into a cocktail glass and serve.
The Sazerac Cocktail has its origins in Pre-Civil War Era New Orleans. Given its name by John Schiller in his Sazerac Coffee House in the 1850s, this cocktail has certainly endured the test of time.
Sazerac Ingredients & Mixing Instructions
2 oz. Rye Whiskey (Sazerac Rye if available)
½ oz. Simple Syrup (made from a ratio of 3 parts water to 1 part sugar)
1 tsp Peychaud’s Bitters
1 tsp Angostura Bitters
1 tsp Herbsaint Ice Cubes
Lemon for garnish
Chill a serving glass. In a cocktail shaker filled ¾ with ice, combine the rye whiskey, the Bitters and the Simple Syrup. Stir the mixture until frost forms on the outside of the shaker.
Pour the Herbsaint into your chilled serving glass and roll the glass to allow the Herbsaint to coat the entire inside. Pour out any excess liquid. Strain your cocktail shaker mixture into the Herbsaint coated glass-being sure to keep out the ice cubes! Garnish with a slice of lemon.
The New Orleans Hand Grenade is a newcomer to the French Quarter, but has become quite popular since its introduction in the mid 1980s. If you are looking for an extra strong mixed drink-this one will certainly fit the bill.
Hand Grenade Ingredients and Mixing Instructions
Ingredients
1 1/2 oz. each gin, vodka, rum, grain alcohol, and Melon flavored Liquer
Crushed Ice
Sugar and Water (optional)
Mint for Garnish
Combine the gin, vodka, rum, grain alcohol, and melon liquer with ice in a tall serving glass. Add sugar and water to taste if desired and garnish with mint leaves.
Mardi Gras Punch variations exist in nearly every party menu. As long as the fruity punch is purple in color and is spirited with vodka, it seems to fit the festivities!
2 Prepared Ice Rings
40oz. Bottled Grape Juice
1-48 oz. can Pineapple Juice
1 2-Liter Bottle of Ginger Ale
1 Fifth of Vodka
Sliced Oranges, Limes and Lemons for Garnish
Combine all of the ingredients, floating the ice ring and a handfull of sliced fruit on top of the punch bowl.
If you are preparing your own ice rings for the punch, be sure to use a mixture of the fruit juices and Ginger Ale to keep the punch from being diluted during serving. Also-make at least two ice rings in advance so that you can keep the punch cold as you add to it throughout the party.
If you are seeking more of a mild brunch style drink, Brandy Milk Punch should be on your drink menu. Widely popular in New Orleans for Sunday brunches, this drink is a quick and easy recipe for earlier partiers.
Brandy Milk Punch Ingredients and Mixing Instructions
2 oz. Brandy or Bourbon
½. Powdered Sugar
Ice Cubes (3-4)
Crushed Ice
Ground Nutmeg for Garnish
Combine the Brandy or Bourbon with the Milk, Half and Half, Powdered Sugar and large iced cubes into a cocktail shaker and shake until the mixture is frothy. Add a bit of crushed ice to a serving glass and pour in the frothy milk mixture. Sprinkle nutmeg over the top and serve.
Sources:
http://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/mgdates.html
http://www.Wikipedia.com
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