Today isn’t just any Tuesday – it’s Fat Tuesday. More affectionately known as Mardi Gras, today marks the last day you can eat and drink like a pig before the Christian season of Lent begins. Many people could care less about the religious implications of the holiday and it’s now more of a huge, national party day… and you know us – we love any excuse to drink.
Even if you don’t live close to New Orleans (Mardi Gras Central) there’s no reason why you can’t celebrate at home. Here are a few great cocktail recipes from Pinterest that will make you feel like you’re on a hunt for beads in the Big Easy.
Traditional New Orleans Hurricane
You can’t do Mardi Gras without a good old fashioned Hurricane, a classic in New Orleans. Many people and bars in the area will have their own twist on the drink, but this version is pretty standard:
• Booze: 2 oz. light rum, 2 oz. dark rum
• Juice: 2 oz. passion fruit juice, 1 oz. orange juice, 1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
• Syrup/Garnish: 1 Tbsp. simple syrup, 1 Tbsp. grenadine, orange slice and cherry for garnish
Bourbon Street Blackberry Brut
This concoction is both refreshing and delicious. Muddle 7 large blackberries, 1/2 oz. agave nectar, and 1/4 oz. lemon juice in a glass. Pour those ingredients into a shaker filled with ice and then add 1 1/2 oz. Camarena Silver Tequila and strain into a glass filled with ice. Top that with brut Champagne and garnish with skewered blackberries.
Okay, these seem sort of complicated to make, but we think they would be awesome if you’re planning on having some friends over. They’re based on the classic king cake (yes, that cake they make with a baby inside) and while they don’t have a baby in them, they do have a gummy fruit snack inside. They are the colors we most often associate with Mardi Gras – green, purple, and yellow – and the rim of the shot glasses are dipped in cake frosting and sprinkles that are the same colors.
How will you be celebrating?
If you are on Pinterest and aren’t following our boards yet, you better get on that. We take our pinning responsibilities very seriously and know you’ll love some of the gems we find.
I think I’ll be doing a Sazerac tonight, though check out today’s post on my blog: the drink I had for Lundi Gras – Le Violet, Vert et Or.
(And yes, we’re mutual follows on Pinterest)