World's Largest Party?

Whether you call it Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, Carnivale, Shrove Tuesday, or anything else, the day before Lent unites much of the world in a festival. New Orleans, Rio and Venice are just three of the notable destinations. Well, even if we can't get to one of those more exotic locations, we can bring some of their exotic cocktails home. Please enjoy these responsibly.

The Hurricane

If you've been to New Orleans, you know how closely this cocktail is associated with that city. Here's a tested recipe:

Ingredients
1 (1.5 fluid ounce) jigger Amaretto liqueur
1 fluid ounce light rum
1 fluid ounce Meyers dark rum
6 fluid ounces orange juice
6 fluid ounces pineapple juice
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 dash grenadine syrup
1 orange, sliced into rounds
1 maraschino cherry

Fill a 16 oz glass with ice. Pour in amaretto, light rum and dark rum. Pour in orange juice, pineapple juice, and lemon juice. Stir, top with a dash of grenadine, garnish with an orange slice and a cherry. Serves one.

Cocktail a la Louisiane

This is named after an old restaurant in New Orleans

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups ice
1 fluid ounce Wild Turkey rye whiskey
3/4 fluid ounce Benedictine® liqueur
3/4 fluid ounce Martini & Rossi sweet vermouth
3 dashes aromatic bitters
1 Maraschino cherry for garnish

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour in whiskey, Benedictine, sweet vermouth, and bitters. Cover shaker and shake several times to combine. Stir well and strain into a cocktail glass; garnish with a cherry. Serves 1.


Next, let's turn to Rio for a recipe:

Caipirinha

Ingredients
1 lime, quartered
2 tsp fine sugar
2 oz Leblon Cachaca

Plase lime wedges and sugar in an Old-Fashioned glass. Muddle well. Fill the glass with ice cubes. Pour in the cachaca, stir well and serve. This is one serving.

Finally, Venice might be more associated with wine, but this is a fun cocktail.

Venetian Sunset

1 shot each: gin, Campari, Grand Marnier, Martini & Rossi Sweet Vermouth, orange juice

Mix and pour into large chilled glass and garnish with an orange slice and a mint sprig. Serves one.