Cocktails in the New Orleans spirit

[Malawry]

I'm giving a party soon. It's pretty casual and has a dinner component as well as a cocktail-hour component. I'd like to offer a single premixed cocktail in pitchers in addition to the usual beer, wine, and nonalcoholic beverages.

The menu has a strong New Orleans and Southern bent to it, centering on a huge pot of gumbo. It's still in development. I am not a stickler for authenticity.

What sort of cocktail do you think I should make? Here are the requirements:

1. I need to be able to mix it in advance, so there should probably be no carbonated component.

2. No orange juice. I am allergic to it. I'd prefer a drink I can enjoy. Lime, lemon and grapefruit are OK; clementine, tangelo, and other such fruits are not OK.

3. I'd prefer something fun and party-like, but I'm a little old to be drinking something supersweet like a hurricane. (As are my friends, I hope )

4. I prefer rum to bourbon as a base liquor, but I'll drink either

Oh, and just as a random ingredient note, I have passionfruit and mango purees in the freezer--it might be fun to use one.

[slkinsey]

According to Gary Regan, a "New Orleans Sour" consists of a base spirit, triple sec (e.g., Cointreau) and lemon or lime juice. Famous examples include the Brandy Crusta, Sidecar, Classic Cocktail, Cosmopolitan, Between the Sheets, Pegu Club and Corpse Reviver #2. The most famous example being the Margarita.

The Sazerac is a classic NO drink, but doesn't exactly lend itself to pitcher deployment.

There are a number of drinks with "New Orleans" in the name over at cocktailDB.

[Mayhaw Man]

Ramos Gin Fizz

And then, although it is more along the lines of an adapted New Orleans Specialty, The Pimm's Cup, most famously served at the Napoleon House.

Napoleon House's Pimm's Cup

Listed below is the recipe for Sazerac's. Although Sam is right, it doesn't lend itself to pitchers very well.

The Original Sazerac Recipe

[Jason Perlow]

What about that cocktail that they serve at Brennans? Its kind of milky.

The Bloody Bull, which is a bloody mary with beef stock in it, is also very New Orleans.

[Mayhaw Man]

Brennan's Milk Punch

These things are great. You'll need silver beakers (if you get married here, you get a ton of them as gifts, we must have a dozen).

[Jason Perlow]

I'm pretty sure that the Milk Punch is served at all the major Brennan restaurants, including Commanders, Palace Cafe. and Mr. B's.

Its milky and sweet (but not over the top sweet like a hurricane), which makes it ideal I guess at Brennan's to accompany their breakfast. Its defintiely a drink that can be made in large amounts, so it fits that requirement.

[slkinsey]

Pableux Johnson, bon vivant, writer, and cocktail lover, has the recipe for Ramos Gin Fizz on his website and I highly reccomend it.

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Dude. A cocktail that you have to shake by hand for five minutes can't possibly be a good/easy choice to serve out of a pitcher. Kind of a funny recipe you linked to as well. Confectioner's sugar? No lime juice? Vanilla extract? Two egg whites for one drink? Half and half instead of cream, and more of it than gin? Try this one here instead, and try shaking it with ice for 2-3 minutes instead of blending it.

[Jason Perlow]

There's also all the absinthe cocktails made with Pernod or Anisette (of which the Sazerac is one):

http://www.the-night.net/absinthe/cocktails.htm

[fatdeko]

I'd go with Hurricanes for a couple of reasons: It satisfies your preference for Rum and it utilizes that passion fruit puree that you've already got. You can dial down the sweetness/punch up the tartness pretty easily. Gary and Dale both have good/authentic recipes in their books (neither of which I have in front of me at the mo')

Other options could be any of the many, many Planter's Punch recipes out there, many of which will suit your taste. Again, they're rum based and use citrus juices other than orange, and their sweet:tart ratio can be easily adjusted. A dash of Peychaud's (as called for in some recipes) ties up this drink's New Orleans affiliation with a neat little bow.

Myers

[Malawry]

Thanks for the suggestions! I am considering the milk punch for dessert--though I have already purchased coffee with chicory as an after-dinner beverage, a little milk punch never hurt anybody.

I like the pimm's cup and sazerac, but they don't seem like good pitcher drinks. Same for the ramos fizz. Keep the ideas coming, guys.

[rabidscottsman]

Brennan's Milk Punch

These things are great. You'll need silver beakers (if you get married here, you get a ton of them as gifts, we must have a dozen).

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IM going to try this Milk Punch recipe for when i watch the football games on Sunday...i cant wait to try it. I will post my thoughts on it.

[fatdeko]

Thanks for the suggestions! I am considering the milk punch for dessert--though I have already purchased coffee with chicory as an after-dinner beverage, a little milk punch never hurt anybody.

Audrey, Robert, Dale, ready?--on "3"

1...2...

CAFE BRULOT!

And the great thing is, it doesn't have to be a big pain-in-the-ass production either. While Pyrotechnics are always cool, after hosting a big-ish, boozy-ish meal, the last thing I want to do (besides clean up) is start playing with fire (indoors). Luckily Cafe Brulot can be done behind the scenes and pretty easily. Done this way, most of the prep can be done the day before and even makes it taste a little better. That said, assemble the following, for 10 people (@ 4-6 oz portions):

1 1/2cup Brandy (Rum can be used, Cognac is better)

4-6 Tbsp sugar (or to taste. Brown sugar, Turbinado, Movado etc can also be used. Just be mindful of the differences. I kind of like Movado, but I dial it way down near the 3 Tbsp mark)

3oz (6 Tbsp) Cointreau, Grand Marnier, or Triple Sec (Taste and Adjust)

10-15 whole cloves

5 cinnamon sticks, broken into pieces

Zest of 1/2 an orange, preferably prepared with a vegetable peeler, or 1 orange Microplaned or grated

Put all of the above into a sauce pan and stir under med high heat. As soon as you see steam or some bubbles, turn off the heat and pour into another container and cover with Saran wrap. Leave it on the counter and let it steep.

When it's time to serve, toss some hot water into your coffee cups and place in a slow (200-250F) oven. Make a strong pot (3-5 cups) of coffee. While that's brewing, put your brandy mixture back on the stove under high heat. Stir till it boils, then cut the heat to low. When the coffee is ready, pour on top of the Brandy mixture, 1 pint at a time, tasting as you go. Adjust, Adjust, Adjust. BUT: if the coffee is sufficiently hot and the brandy mix is too, turn off the heat. Applying more heat will make it bitter.

Take the heated cups out of the oven, add 1 dash of Angostura to each and ladle out the Cafu Brulot. Garnish if you must with either a twist of orange or a stick of cinnamon.

Myers