Mardi Gras Drinks

Oh Mardi Gras – the magical holiday of flashy parades, multi-colored beads, and overall drunken cheer. Okay, we admit that if you're a New Yorker you might be missing out on some of those flashy parades. In fact, Mardi Gras is pretty under-celebrated in the cold, grey Northeastern states. But that doesn't mean you have to shun it all together! This coming Tuesday, shake off the winter blues, grab some beads and drink your way to a happy Mardi Gras!

Baby Jesus Shooters

For those of you too lazy to bake an actual King's Cake, this is (almost) the same thing. You could even make this into a drinking game – whoever gets the baby jesus shot glass has to drink more?

Prep Time: 2 minutes
Servings: 2

Ingredients:
4 oz vodka
Green food coloring
Edible Gold glitter (available at Broadway Panhandler)
Water
Paper + Pen

Photo by Margaret Weinberg

Directions:
1. Cut a small square of paper (one that will fit on the bottom of a shot glass) and write Baby Jesus on it. Tape this piece of paper to the bottom of the glass, blank side up.
2. Wet the rims of your shot glasses. Pour edible gold glitter (note: get the explicitly edible kind, please do not consume real glitter) on to a small plate. Rub the rim of the glasses in the glitter until you've created an evenly-coated rim.
3. Pour 2 oz vodka into each shot glass and add a drop of green food coloring.
4. Take shots simultaneously, then flip your cup over to see who got the Baby Jesus. Whoever gets the Baby Jesus wins good luck (or has to drink more?).

Creole Lemonade

It's cold outside, but this drink will let you at least pretend it's maybe summer. The tabasco adds a spicy, warm kick to this ultra-refreshing drink.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1

Ingredients:
2 oz vodka
2 oz peach schnapps
Lemonade
Tabasco
Ice
Cilantro and lemon slices for garnish

Photo by Margaret Weinberg

Directions
1. Add 3 ice cubes to a glass. Pour in vodka and peach schnapps. Fill the rest of the glass with lemonade.
2. Add 5 dashes of Tabasco (or more if you're looking for a crazier kick).
3. Garnish with a few sprigs of cilantro and a slice of lemon.

Chocolatified-Fat Tuesday Punch

Lent's coming up! And hey, even if you don't participate in Lent there's no reason you can't embrace Fat Tuesday. This is basically a Brandy Milk Punch with chocolate. If you're going to do Fat Tuesday make it fatter.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1

Ingredients:
2 oz bourbon
Ice
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
Cocoa powder
2 tablespoons chocolate syrup

Photo by Margaret Weinberg

Directions
1. Wet the rim of a glass. Pour cocoa powder onto a small plate and rub rim of glass in it till an even chocolate layer is on the rim.
2. Add 3 ice cubes, milk, bourbon, and powdered sugar to cocktail shaker (if you don't have a cocktail shaker, use a travel coffee mug or protein powder shaker). Shake until frothy, then pour through a strainer into the cocoa-rimmed glass.
3. Mix in chocolate syrup.

Ramos Gin Fizz

This is one for the classy partiers. It's a classic New Orleans drink and with its gin and hint of orange blossom water it just tastes like Southern sophistication.

*Note: This does contain a (small) amount of raw egg whites, so if you feel uncomfortable with that...don't drink it. But hey, it's less raw egg than eating cookie dough, just think of it that way.

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1

Ingredients:
2 oz gin
1 tablespoon whole milk
1/2 an egg white
3 dashes of lemon juice
3 dashes of lime juice
1 teaspoon orange blossom water
Ice

Photo by Margaret Weinberg

Directions:
1. Add 5 ice cubes, gin, milk, lemon juice, lime juice, and orange blossom water to cocktail shaker. Crack an egg white into a small bowl and pour only half of the white into the cocktail shaker. Shake until very frothy. Pour through strainer of cocktail shaker and be classy.

Bourbon Street Basic

For those looking for an big easy, fun time. 

Prep Time: 30 seconds
Servings: 1

Ingredients:
Bourbon

Photo by Margaret Weinberg

Directions:
1. Pour bourbon into a shot glass (or large glass, we won't judge) and drink it.
2. Have a happy Mardi Gras!

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