It’s hard to believe that it’s almost March, and along with it, Mardi Gras! Even if you don’t celebrate Fat Tuesday, now seems like a good time to blow off a little steam and let the good times roll. There are so many terrific cocktails that hail from New Orleans, and we will pretty much take any excuse to enjoy them. If you’re like us and looking to bring a little of the Big Easy to your home next week, then we’ve got you covered with a New Orleans recipe round up! The greatest hits of NOLA’s cocktails, if you will.
Laissez les bon temps rouler!
Brandy Milk Punch 2 oz. brandy or cognac 2 oz. milk or half and half 1/2 oz. simple syrup 1/4-1/2 oz. vanilla extract Garnish: grated nutmeg Add all ingredients except nutmeg into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously for a long time (30-45 seconds). Strain into a chilled rocks glass and garnish with grated nutmeg. Sip & enjoy!
Grasshopper
2 oz. heavy cream
1 oz. green crème de menthe
1 oz. white crème de cacao
Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with grated nutmeg over top of the drink. Sip & enjoy!
Hurricane
2 oz. dark rum
2 oz. light rum
2 oz. passion fruit juice
1 oz. freshly squeezed orange juice
½ oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
½ oz. simple syrup (1:1 sugar : water)
½ oz. grenadine
Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously until well-chilled. Strain into a chilled Hurricane glass (or a tall glass) over crushed or pebbled ice. Garnish with an orange wheel and a brandied cherry. Sip & enjoy!
Ramos Gin Fizz
2 oz. gin 3/4 oz. simple syrup (1:1 sugar : water) 1/2 oz. heavy cream
1/2 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
3 dashes orange flower water
1 egg white
Club soda, to top
Add all ingredients except club soda into a cocktail shaker. Dry shake (no ice!) for about 10-15 seconds. Next, add a few ice cubes and shake until the shaker is almost too cold to hold, about 20 seconds. (Alternatively, if you want to make this a project, shake it with no ice for five minutes, add ice, and shake again for another minute.) Strain into a Collins (tall) glass. Splash some club soda into your shaker and dislodge some of the leftover ingredients in there. Then, pour this slowly into your cocktail. Add more club soda into your glass until the foam rises up above the glass. (It's a hard foam, so it won't slide down the side of your glass.). Go as tall as you dare! Sip & enjoy!
Sazerac 1 1/2 oz. rye whiskey 1 1/2 oz. Cognac 1/4 oz. simple syrup 5 dashes Peychaud’s bitters 2 dashes Angostura bitters Absinthe, to rinse Prepare an Old Fashioned glass by splashing a bit of absinthe into it and swirling it around until the inside is coated. Discard any additional, and set aside in fridge to chill while you make the cocktail. Add whiskey, cognac, syrup, and bitters into a mixing glass with ice and stir until well chilled. Strain into prepared glass over fresh ice. Sip & enjoy!
Vieux Carré 3/4 oz. rye whiskey 3/4 oz. Cognac 3/4 oz. sweet vermouth 1/4 oz. Bénédictine 2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters 2 dashes Angostura bitters Add all ingredients into a mixing glass with ice and stir until well chilled. Strain into an Old Fashioned glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a lemon twist. Sip & enjoy!