Skip to Search Skip to Live Player Skip to Content Skip to Footer

Eric Johnson

Eric Johnson

Eric Johnson

Deanna Marie and Eric Johnson Take On Mardi Gras Hurricanes

Author Chris Leonard

Our staff doesn’t take Mardi Gras lightly.  Including our resident bartenders Deanna Marie and Eric Johnson.

Before Deanna and Eric could indulge in their bartending skills, they had to learn a little history about the start of Mardi Gras and the creation of the Hurricane.

Thanks to our friends at Murph’s Irish Pub, we learned all about the history and how to make the best Hurricane in town.

Pictures and video below from today’s visit.

 

 

 

History Of Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras dates back to the 17th and 18th centuries as medieval Europe passed through Rome and Venice to the French House of the Bourbons.  From here, the traditional revelry of “Boeuf Gras,” or fatted calf, followed France to her colonies.

Fast Forward to 1718 New Orleans was established by Bienville.  By the 1730s, Mardi Gras was celebrated opening in New Orleans.  A parade might not have been the main attraction at that point in time, but it was the start of a tradition.

Only took a few years, or more, to make it to what it is today.  In 1872 a group of businessmen invesnted a King of Carnival, Rex to preside over the first daytime parade.  But why the colors of Purple, Green, and Gold as the official Carnival colors?  Well to honor the visiting Russian Grand Duke Alexis Romanoff, the businessmen introduced Romanoff’s family colors of purple, green and gold as Carnival’s official colors. Purple stands for justice; gold for power; and green for faith. This was also the Mardi Gras season that Carnival’s improbable anthem, “If Ever I Cease to Love,” was cemented, due in part to the Duke’s fondness for the tune.

Hurricanes for the Win

But you may ask, where did the Hurricane, the official drink of Carnival, come from.  In the 1940s Pat O’Brien introduced the new drink.  This cocktail consists of a double serving of rum, suite of fruit juices, and sweeteners.  The Hurricane was created due to a surplus of rum.  In the 1940s, rum was easier to acquire than whiskey and other liquors, so Pat O’Brien’s began experimenting with the spirit, eventually landing on the Hurricane. The fun-loving bar continues to sling the cocktail in droves, selling more than half a million glasses every year at its New Orleans location.

This high-octane fruit bomb is an excuse to sip from a Hurricane glass, the tall, curved, wide vessel which was inspired by the hurricane lamp.

And what better way to celebrate Mardi Gras, then to have our talented resident bartenders Deanna and Eric make some hurricanes.  But little did we know that Deanna had a little trick up her sleeve.

Here is the recipe and step by step of what we were taught today at Murphy’s Irish Pub in Wilmington.  Be sure to stop in for an awesome cocktail, or make one at home.  And if you stop in, you have to check out the food as well.  It was so good.

Ingredients

  • 3 ounces light rum
  • 3 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

Steps

  1. Add the light and dark rums, lime and orange juices, passion fruit puree, simple syrup and grenadine into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.
  2. Strain into a large Hurricane glass over fresh ice.
  3. Garnish with an orange half-wheel and a preserved cherry.

 

How did Deanna Marie and EJ do?

 

10 New Orleans-Inspired Recipes To Make For Mardi Gras

  • King Cake

    Perhaps the most quintessential Mardi Gras food, king cake is a flaky, bread-like pastry in the shape of a ring, decorated with green, gold, and purple, colors which represent faith, power, and justice, respectively. Check out this recipe for authentic New Orleans-style king cake, and don’t forget to hide a small baby figurine inside the cake—whoever finds the baby in their slice of the cake is the host of the following year’s celebration.

  • Jambalaya

    A classic Creole and Cajun dish, jambalaya consists of flavorful rice combined with smoky andouille sausage, seafood or meat (or both), vegetables, and spices. The rice is cooked in broth with the rest of the ingredients, and becomes imbued with the spices and flavors of the dish. This recipe combines andouille sausage and chicken but is adaptable to adding other proteins like shrimp.

  • Gumbo

    The name “gumbo” originates from a West African word for okra. The dish is as cross-cultural in origin as Louisiana itself, with African American, Indigenous, and French influences. This recipe for classic Cajun chicken and sausage gumbo starts with a roux to thicken the soup.

  • Red Beans & Rice

    Red beans and rice represent a dish historically prepared on Mondays in New Orleans, the city’s laundry day. The dish’s lengthy cook time but relatively hands-off preparation was well suited to the all-day affair of washing and repurposing ham bones from Sunday night’s dinner. Today, red beans and rice are enjoyed throughout the week. This recipe benefits from slow preparation, as well as spending 24 hours in the fridge so the flavors can continue to develop.

  • Crawfish Etouffée

    Étouffée comes from the French verb “to smother.” Crawfish, Louisiana’s favorite tiny, prehistoric crustacean, is smothered in a buttery roux and melded with Creole spices, but this recipe allows for shrimp to be used in place of crawfish if they’re not in season, or if crawfish aren’t available.

  • Po’ Boy

    Po’ boys, or “poor boy sandwiches,” originated during the 1929 New Orleans streetcar strike as a nourishing and cheap meal for striking laborers. The sandwich, served on french bread with remoulade sauce and some kind of deep fried protein, persists in popularity in the city today. This recipe uses catfish, but substitutions of shrimp, oysters, or even fried chicken are not uncommon.

  • Crawfish Boil

    As much an excuse for New Orleanians to gather in their backyards as they are a culinary experience, crawfish boils are at the heart of social and food culture in the Crescent City. While boils are usually cooked outdoors in massive vats, this recipe is a slightly scaled down version of the classic boil, which features a massive amount of crawfish, fresh corn, potatoes, sausage, and more, all boiled in spicy broth. Best enjoyed in a sunny backyard.

  • Beignets

    Perhaps no New Orleans food is more famous than beignets and a steaming cup of café au lait from the legendary French Quarter institution Café du Monde. The crispy, hole-less doughnut is covered in a snow of powdered sugar and eaten warm. This recipe uses mostly pantry staples and is home-cook friendly.

  • Shrimp & Grits

    Few dishes are more comforting than shrimp served over creamy grits. Though its precise origins remain mysterious, one food historian opines that the dish’s birthplace was Mozambique. This recipe employs andouille sausage for smokiness and two types of cheese in the grits for maximum luxuriousness.

  • Maque Choux

    Maque choux is a vegetable side dish consisting of fresh corn, peppers, and onions braised in bacon fat. Thought to have Cajun, Indigenous, and Spanish influences, the original maque choux would have used seasonal vegetables grown in Louisiana’s gardens. This recipe also uses garlic and celery for additional flavor.

Sign Up For The Mix Newsletter Sent To Your Inbox

Have the latest celeb and music news, local happenings, fun games, exclusive contests, and more delivered to your inbox.

*
By clicking "Subscribe" I agree to the website's terms of Service and Privacy Policy. I understand I can unsubscribe at any time.
Author Chris Leonard
Category:
Tags:
,,,,

More WJBR

Load More