Mardi Gras Cocktail Recipes to Prepare for Carnival

Mardi Gras Cocktail Recipes to Prepare for Carnival

Colors, beads, and risque ways to attain them are the first images that come to mind when people think of Carnival, or our own Western tradition with Mardi Gras. It’s easy to be captured in the party, with large, brilliant costumes decked with glitter, gems, and feathers. Lots and lots of feathers. Plus, the daring face painters.

 


Mardi Gras or Carnival is traditionally celebrated the Friday before Ash Wednesday, marking the last weeks to “get your sins out” before Lent in Catholic religions. This goes far beyond going meatless for Fridays, just saying. 


While in Brazil, it may be almost a 100% certainty to hear sounds of reggae and Axé (a conglomeration of Afro-Carribean marcha, reggae, and calypso), Mardi Gras taps into its NEw Orleans roots with the sweet sounds of Jazz and soul. Exuberant renditions of classic, uptempo music fills the street… and so do the Mardi Gras cocktails. 

Hurricane

Three words: Passion. Fruit. Juice. Leaving New Orleans without having a sip of a Hurricane seems like a sin. Originating in the second World War at Pat O’Brien’s pub to combat the low-supply of whiskey, so birthed this famous rum drink. 


Classic Hurricane Recipe (From Liquor.com)

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces light rum
  • 2 ounces dark rum
  • 1 ounce lime juice, freshly squeezed
  • 1 ounce orange juice, freshly squeezed
  • 1/2 ounce passion fruit puree
  • 1/2 ounce simple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon grenadine
  • Garnish: orange half-wheel
  • Garnish: preserved cherry 

Caipirinha

Brazil’s national drink is a no brainer for celebrations. Legend has it the cocktail, using cachaça, a more earthy rum, was a defense against the Spanish Flu. The recipe is easy (like, just three primary ingredients) but that makes it easy for experimentation. Don’t be surprised to find variations in cocktail recipes and names that switch around the base spirit or tropical fruits to attain magical flavors. 

Caipirinha Recipe (from Liquor.com) 

Ingredients

  • 1 lime, cut into wedges
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 ounces cachaça
  • Garnish: lime wheel

You can find some similarities (okay, you caught us, A LOT of similarities) with these classic Carnival cocktails. Our own recipes take these party cocktails and throw them on their beaded, feathery heads. 

Mardi Gras and Carnival Inspired Cocktail Recipes from our February Carnival Kits:

 


Greetings from Sao Paulo

This month's first cocktail is our take on a Caipirinha with an added twist thanks to seasonal ingredients like basil syrup & mint crystals. Add cachaca, white rum, or tequila to transport yourself straight to Brazil.

Ingredients

  • 2 oz cachaca or white rum/tequila
  • 3 - 4 lime wedges
  • .5 oz Xarope de Manjericao
  • .5 tsp Mint Crystals

Directions

  • Add Xarope de Manjericao & Mint Crystals to shaker.
  • Muddle until crystals are dissolved into syrup.
  • Add lime wedges to shaker & press with muddler, extracting all the juice.
  • Add Cachaça to shaker with ice, seal, & shake vigorously for 10 seconds.
  • Strain into rocks glass & top with fresh ice.

And Then I Woke Up In Venice

It's spicy, it's peachy, it's bubbly. There's Spicy Sweet Stuff. If a Bellini went to The Carnival of Venice, this cocktail would be born.

Ingredients

  • 1 oz gin/vodka/tequila
  • 1 - 1.5 oz Arbusto di Pesche
  • .25 oz Spicy Sweet Stuff
  • 2-3 oz sparkling wine or club soda

Directions

  • Combine all ingredients, except club soda, in a shaker.
  • Add ice, seal, & shake vigorously for 10 seconds.
  • Strain into wine or champagne flute.
  • Top with sparkling wine or club soda.

Same Storm, New City

An homage to the Hurricane, sans our traditional Passion Fruit juice. Instead, we're going more tropical picking pineapples off the bush and complimenting the dark, sweet tastes of the aged rum with Almond Orgeat. Nut allergies beware, but this orgeat is completely optional is Almonds give your immune system an unwelcome party. Drizzle in the Cherry Topping to get some red lightning bolts and taste those "bad decisions."

Ingredients

  • 2 oz aged rum
  • 1 oz pineapple juice
  • .75 oz fresh squeezed lime juice
  • .5 oz Almond Orgeat
  • .25 oz Cherry Topping

Directions

  • Combine rum, pineapple juice, lime juice and Almond Orgeat in shaker.
  • Add ice, seal, & shake vigorously for 10 seconds.
  • Strain into tall glass & fill with ice. Drizzle Cherry Topping over top of cocktail.

 

 

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