Happy Fat Tuesday! Traditionally, this is a day to eat heartily, drink heavily and celebrate on this last day of Carnival before the start of Lent, or 40 days of fasting, which for many means giving up meat (“carne vale” or farewell to meat), giving up drinking or some other wonderful indulgence.
So, to enjoy this last day of festivities fully, great cocktails are required, and what is better than the most traditional flavors from the land of Mardi Gras in the US, New Orleans, as well as Brazil, Peru, even Mexico? Mix one up and raise your glass high to toast this Fat Tuesday.
Pat O’Brien’s is perhaps the most well-known bar in New Orleans, famous for its hurricane. It has been a staple of the community since the early 1940’s when Pat O’Brien was trying to use up a large supply of rum he had bought and then created what has become the very famous hurricane.
The Hurricane
2 oz light rum, like Ron Brugal Blanco
2 oz dark rum, like Ron Abuelo Anejo
2 oz passion fruit juice
1 oz orange juice
juice of a half a lime
1 Tbsp simple syrup
1 Tbsp grenadine
orange slice and cherry for garnish
Directions: Squeeze juice from half a lime into shaker over ice. Pour the remaining ingredients into the cocktail shaker. Shake well. Strain into a hurricane glass. Garnish with a cherry and an orange slice.
The Sazerac was originally created using cognac, but over the years that has changed to using rye whiskey or bourbon. This one, using Marker’s Mark 46, adds depth, smoke and sweetness from the aging of the bourbon with toasted French oak staves.
On the Mark Sazerac
3 parts Maker’s 46
¾ part simple syrup
Peychaud bitters to taste
Absinthe rinse
Lemon twist
Directions: In a mixing glass, add simple syrup, bitters and Maker’s 46 with ice and stir and set aside. In a chilled rocks glass, add absinthe and rinse by swirling liquid and then dumping it out.
Strain the Maker’s 46, simple syrup and bitters into the rocks glass and add the twist.
Interesting that Fat Tuesday falls the day before National Margarita Day on February 22, so if you need to enjoy your Margarita before giving up tequila on Ash Wednesday, try this tasty one from Camarena Tequila infusing fresh rosemary into the tequila for a fresh, herbal flavor.
Rosemary Lemon Frozen Margarita
10 oz Rosemary-infused Camarena Silver Tequila*
1 pint of Lemon Sherbet
4 oz Lime Juice
Rosemary Sprig for Garnish
Directions: In a blender with ice, blend all ingredients. Pour into a margarita glass and garnish with a sprig of rosemary.
*Rosemary-infused Camarena Silver Tequila – Place 3-4 sprigs of fresh rosemary into a 750 ml bottle of Camarena Silver Tequila, and allow to sit for 24-48 hours. Remove rosemary sprigs when desired flavor has been achieved.
From the heart of Peru, Pisco Porton creates a cocktail for all sinners and saints on Mardi Gras.
Portón Spicy Halo
1.5 parts Pisco Portón
¾ part Triple sec
¾ part Lime juice
¾ part Blood orange juice
Directions: Rim a martini glass with a mix of cayenne pepper and salt. Shake all ingredients with ice and pour into glass.
Head south to the land where Carnival has become as much of a way of life as breathing. Brazilians embrace Carnival as if it was their birthright, celebrating throughout the season with festivals, dancing and heavy drinking, especially the national drink of Brazil, the Caipirinha, made with the national spirit of Brazil, Cachaça, or sugarcane alcohol often called Brazilian rum. If you can’t find Cachaça you can substitute a Puerto Rican rum like Don Q, just don’t tell a Brazilian….they don’t believe there is a substitute for Cachaça.
Caipirinha
1 lime, sliced
2 ounces of Cachaça
sugar to taste
ice cubes
Directions: Place the sliced lime and sugar in a rocks glass and muddle well. Add Cachaça and ice and stir. Garnish with a slice of lime.
All this mixing too much for you? Let Twisted Shotz do the work for you with their pre-made layered shots ranging in flavors like Sex on the Beach, Stawberry Sundae, Whipped Orange (whipped cream vodka and orange cream liqueur), Buttery Nipple, Miami Vice (Strawberry Daquiri and Pina Coloda) and more, each with 20% alcohol and available in packs of 4 or a party pack of 15 shots, priced at about $1.50 each. Twisted Shotz can be found at Spec’s.
