Classic New Orleans Hurricane

Yield: 10

Hurricane’s are classic New Orleans Mardi Gras cocktails.  They might look tame with their inviting pink hue, but be warned they will knock you down just like a real hurricane!  Make these in large batches and serve guests out of a pitcher.  It will save on time and space!

10 oz white rum

10 oz Jamaican Dark rum

10 oz Bacardi 151 rum

30 oz orange juice

30 oz pineapple juice

5 oz Grenadine syrup

preparation

Combine all ingredients and mix well.  Serve in large glasses over crushed ice with an orange slice as garnish.

Advertisements

Art & Science Behind Stocking Your Bar

Stocking your bar before a party can be tricky.  There’s no definitive formula, but here are some tips to help keep you on track.

Do What You Can Ahead of Time

• Purchase all your liquor and wine in advance.  It will cut down on party day stress. You might even consider having it delivered if you live in an area where that is available.
• Cut and organize your garnishes like lemons, limes, olives, cherries, onions the day before.  Store them in plastic bags and pop them in the fridge.

Alcohol Fun Facts

• One bottle of wine is equal to 750 mL or 24.4 fluid ounces.  There are about 5 servings in a bottle.  Most bartenders recommend 1/2 bottle per person.
• One fifth of liquor is approximately 750 mL or 25 fluid ounces.  There are about 13 two-ounce shots in each bottle.  It’s safe to say a fifth will serve 12 people.
• At a dinner party, assume guests will have one drink before dinner, two glasses of wine with dinner and one drink every hour after that.
• For a cocktail party, assume guests will have two drinks in the first hour and one to one and a half drinks every hour after.

The Art

• Think about the profile of your guests.  Do they like wine? Any big beer drinkers? Prefer vodka over whiskey? You know they love to party.  Adjust your bar set up accordingly.
• Consider the season, time of day and day of the week.  In fall/winter, guests are more likely to go for red over white. Spring/summer will be the opposite. Afternoon parties lend themselves to lighter consumption, stock up on wine and beer over the hard stuff.  Friday and Saturday night parties will often last longer than Monday night affairs.
• When purchasing mixers like soda, juice and tonic water, opt for liter bottles instead of cans.  This saves you money, cuts down on waste, and will reduce your clean up time.

The Science

The table below should help you plan for your next party.  Keep in mind this is just a guide, feel free to adjust based on you and your guests preferences.

BEVERAGE	6-10	11-15	16-20	21-24
Red Wine	4 bottles	7 bottles	10 bottles	12 bottles
White Wine	4 bottles	7 bottles	10 bottles	12 bottles
Beer	1 case	2 cases	2-3 cases	3 cases
Vodka	1 fifth	1-2 fifths	2 fifths	3 fifths
Gin	1 fifth	1-2 fifths	2 fifths	3 fifths
Rum	1 fifth	1 fifth	2 fifths	2 fifths
Tequila	1 fifth	1 fifth	2 fifths	2 fifths
Whiskey	1 fifth	1 fifth	1 fifth	1-2 fifths
Mixers  (Soda/Tonic/Etc)	Five 2-liter bottles	Six 2-liter bottles	Eight 2-liter bottles	Eight 2-liter bottles

Cranberry Cosmo Punch

This is a great recipe and open to interpretation.  Feel free to play with the ingredients – add some orange or lemon juice.

4 parts citrus vodka

4 parts sparkling water

2 parts triple sec or Cointreau

2 parts cranberry juice

1 part fresh lime juice

preparation

Mix everything together in a pitcher.  Add sparkling water as needed.  Serve with slices of limes.

Queen of Hearts Sangria

Yield: 12 servings

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

1 cup brandy

1 cup Cointreau

1 -2 cups sparkling water

1-2 cups orange juice

2 bottles dry red wine

3 cups red grapes

2 apples, diced

2 oranges, sliced

3 limes, sliced

preparation

Mix brandy, Cointreau, sparkling water, orange juice and wine together in a large pitcher. Add in fruit and stir well.  Serve.

Warm Spiced Cider

This is a fan favorite! A quick tip, if you have a slow cooker, combine all the ingredients in it and let it simmer.  You can even serve the cider out of the cooker for the party.  Saves time and dishes! Try topping it with some whipped cream.  Yum!!

Yield: 12

Cooking Time: 30

2 quarts good apple cider

1 tablespoon allspice berries

6, 4 inch cinnamon sticks

8 whole cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Rum or brandy to taste

preparation

In a large saucepan over medium heat combine the cider and all the spices.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 30 minutes.  Strain the cider to remove the spices.

Add in rum or brandy to taste.  Garnish with whipped cream and serve warm.

*If you choose to use a slow cooker, combine all ingredients and heat on low for 3-4 hours.