Avenue Vine: Two New Orleans Originals Bring Friends Together for Mardi Gras

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January 06, 2008

Two New Orleans Originals Bring Friends Together for Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras is celebrated with good friends, great beverages, and a lively spirit. And nowhere is Mardi Gras recognized more than in New Orleans, where a local bartender founded Southern Comfort (SoCo) in 1874. This year, SoCo will be a part of Mardi Gras celebrations, ranging from small groups of friends to large city-wide celebrations, throughout the U.S., from New Orleans to St. Louis to Buffalo to San Diego, among other great cities.

SoCo & Lime Hurricane is a Twist on the Classic Mardi Gras Cocktail...

“New Orleans is home to one of the greatest Mardi Gras celebrations in the world,” said Phil Cusimano, Southern Comfort Global Brand Ambassador and native New Orleanian. “While we know everyone can’t make it to New Orleans for our celebration we hope everyone gets to enjoy some Bourbon Street flavor wherever they are with their friends.”

"Mardi Gras is a time to get your krewe together to honor the spirit of Mardi Gras," said Laura Petry, Southern Comfort Brand Manager, U.S. "As a New Orleans original, SoCo is proud to be a part of Mardi Gras celebrations worldwide. We encourage friends to celebrate responsibly together."

A krewe (pronounced “crew”) is a group or organization that sponsors a ball, parade or similar activity related to Mardi Gras festivities. Krewes often have a hereditary membership.

Lagniappe – A Little Something Extra

Mardi Gras is traditionally toasted with a beverage first created in New Orleans called the Hurricane. The SoCo Hurricane, a combination of two New Orleans’ originals, is a refreshing Southern Comfort and fruit flavored cocktail served in a unique glass.

SoCo Hurricane:
1 1/2 oz. Southern Comfort
1 1/2 oz. sweet and sour mix
1 1/2 oz. orange juice
1 1/2 oz. pineapple juice
Splash of grenadine

Fill a hurricane glass, or whatever glass you have on hand, with ice. Add all ingredients to glass and stir. Garnish with an orange wedge and cherry. If you are making it for your group of friends, mix a batch in a pitcher in advance. Pour over an ice-filled glass and serve responsibly immediately.

For a twist on the Mardi Gras classic, try a SoCo & Lime Hurricane. It combines the sweet flavors of a traditional Hurricane with the sour notes of lime for a complex, flavorful, and fun cocktail.

SoCo & Lime Hurricane:
3 oz. Southern Comfort
1 1/2 oz. sweet and sour mix
1/2 oz. blue curacao
1/2 oz. sweetened lime juice

Fill a sugar-rimmed hurricane glass with ice. Add all ingredients and stir. Garnish with a lime wedge and cherry.

Mardi Gras is French for “Fat Tuesday.” Fat Tuesday always precedes Ash Wednesday, but can fall anywhere from February 3 to March 9. The floating date is always 47 days before Easter, which falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the Spring Equinox. This year, Mardi Gras will be celebrated on Tuesday, February 5.

Southern Comfort, a fruit, spice, and whiskey flavored liqueur, was founded in New Orleans by bartender M.W. Heron in 1874. Today, it is sold in 80 countries around the world and continues to grow as an icon brand. SoCo has won the “Adams Growth Brand Award” in the Established Growth Brand segment for six consecutive years. Start things up with Southern Comfort. Visit us at www.SouthernComfort.com.

Start and End Things Right. Please drink responsibly.