Mixer Weekend: Mardi Gras Cocktails
If you don’t plan on going to New Orleans for Mardi Gras , there’s no reason why you can’t enjoy the colors and flavors of the festival in the comfort of your own home. Below are three delicious Mardi Gras inspired cocktails that will make you celebrate Fat Tuesday every Tuesday.
If you’re looking for other drinks, check out the rest of our cocktail recipes.
The Hurricane
photo by Robyn Lee
No Mardi Gras celebration is complete without a hurricane. This cocktail originates in New Orleans in the famed Pat O’Briens restaurant around WWII. According to local history, the bartenders at the time were trying to figure out what to do with all their excess rum and thus the hurricane was born. This drink is great for people who have a bit of a sweet tooth.
Ingredients
- 2 oz of light rum
- 2 oz of dark rum
- 1 oz of orange juice
- 1/2 oz of lime juice
- 1/2 oz of simple syrup
- 1/2 oz of grenadine
- orange slice or marciano cherry for garnish (optional)
Materials
- jigger
- ice
- cocktail shaker
- strainer
- hurricane glass
Directions
- Mix all ingredients into the cocktail shaker and top with ice. Shake for 10-15 seconds.
- Strain mixture into hurricane glass and top with ice.
- Garnish with orange slice or marciano cherry if desired and serve.
Vieux Carre
photo by Robyn Lee
If you enjoy sipping your cocktails and enjoy the fine taste of whiskey and cognac, the vieux carre might be just the drink for you. Originally created in the Carousel Bar in Hotel Monteleone, this drink has become a New Orleans classic. You can ease back with this drink and imagine yoursel down in the Big Easy, maybe away from the crazy Mardi Gras crowd.
Ingredients
- 3/4 ounce of rye whiskey
- 3/4 ounce of cognac
- 3/4 ounce of sweet vermouth
- 1 dash Angostara bitters
- 1 dash peychaud’s bitters
- 1 tsp Benedictine
- maraciano cherry garnish
Materials
- jigger
- ice
- cocktail shaker
- stirring spoon
- rocks glass
Directions
- Combine all the ingredients in the cocktail shaker and top with ice. Stir well for 20 seconds.
- Strain into ice-filled rocks glass and garnish with a cherry.
Milk Punch
photo by Robyn Lee
New Orleans is nicknamed The Big Easy and the milk punch cocktail is a great illustration of how New Orleans takes something delicious and difficult and makes it simpler. If you’re looking for a decadent and sweet drink for your Mardi Gras party, definitely try out this drink. While this can be made with a mixture of rum and brandy, I personally perfer it with a good dose of bourbon. You can serve this drink cold or warm.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces of bourbon
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp of vanilla extract
- 4 ounces of milk (you can substitute vanilla soy milk as well)
- pinch of nutmeg to garnish
Materials
- jigger
- ice
- cocktail shaker
- strainer
- snifter
Directions
- Combine all ingredients into a shaker and top with ice. Shake for 10-15 seconds.
- Fill snifter with crushed ice. Strain contents of shaker into snifter.
- Garnish with nutmeg and serve.
