Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler! Where to go, what to drink and how to celebrate Mardi Gras in Philly.
Are you making plans for Mardi Gras in Philly and need a few suggestions on where to go and what to sip? We’ve got you covered. Several local hots spots are hosting celebrations and some have even been gracious enough to share a selection of drink recipes if you were so inclined to enjoy your cocktails in the comfort of your own abode.
Join Rex at The Royal on Tuesday, February 21st from 5 to 10 pm to celebrate Mardi Gras with New Orleans-inspired dishes and drinks plus live music by Charlie Hall of the War on Drugs.
Joshua Scheid, Beverage Manager at the Rex will be creating a stunning sipper for you – the Working Lunch. This modern-day twist of Moon Pie and RC Cola combo popular during the 1950s is now infused with Saint Luna Moonshine combined with graham crackers; cacao nibs and local mushrooms sweetened by Partida Creus MUZ Vermouth and an RC Cola reduction topped off with a marshmallow.
To tantalize your taste buds, why not try a classic New Orleans Hurricane. Enjoy these masterfully crafted rum-based drinks with Falernum, orange juice, lime juice, cranberry juice and homemade grenadine. Food offerings include the Rex at The Royal’s luxurious King Cake Burger, made up of their popular Rex burger topped off with a sweet glazed King Cake bun.
On February 18th, beginning at 9 pm, Xfinity Live! will be transformed into a lively Bourbon Street for one epic night at Mardi Gras Live!, Philly’s biggest bash. Enjoy live music from special guest DJs Riggi and Piros at NBC Sports Arena, while 1100 Social provides a silent disco experience. At Broad Street Bullies Pub, there will be karaoke and mechanical bull riding at PBR Philly.
A musical performance by GoGo Gadjet is set to electrify Victory Beer Hall as well as tarot card readings that could grant cash prizes or door prizes of festive goodies including koozies, t-shirts, and beads – all courtesy of Xfinity’s Shopping Cart Parade. Don’t forget to enjoy one (or two!) classic New Orleans cocktails – Grenades or Hurricanes – which provide just enough party fuel throughout the night.
Tickets to the 21 and up event are available online for only $10 each, or you can purchase them at the door for $15.
The Twisted Tail, calling all guests to join in their upcoming Blues Jam. On February 19th from 5 pm to 9 pm, vocalist and harmonica player Mikey Junior will lead the pack as everyone participates in singing and dancing along or playing their own instruments (or borrowed ones).
Immerse yourself in the holiday festivities with authentic Southern comfort dishes like Crawfish Mac n’ Cheese and Beignets, all while savoring New Orleans’ drinks such as Sazeracs and Hurricanes.
But what if you want to get your Mardi Gras Philly on, on your own vibe? The good folks at Rex at The Royal, Art in the Age, and New Liberty Distillery have delivered a short list of three New Orleans cocktails that you can make at home and enjoy the night responsibly: the Working Lunch, the Nordic Sazerac, and the Creole Cocktail.
Working Lunch
Recipe courtesy of Joshua Scheid, Rex at The Royal’s Beverage Manager
“Inspired by the “working man’s lunch” of Moon Pies and RC Cola, popular during the 1950s, a period in which Philadelphia’s Royal Theater (where Rex at The Royal is now housed) was in full swing, this libation is a boozy and earthy twist on the quintessential Southern combination.”
Ingredients:
1.25 oz. Saint Luna Moonshine Infused with Graham Crackers, Cacao Nibs, and Local Mushrooms*
1.25 oz. Partida Creus MUZ Vermouth
.5 oz. RC Cola Reduction**
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
1 Marshmallow
Glassware: Coupe
Instructions: In a mixing glass, combine the bitters, moonshine, vermouth, and cola reduction. Fill with ice and stir until diluted and chilled. Strain into a glass. Place a skewered toasted marshmallow on top.
*How to prepare: Infused Moonshine
Combine one bottle of Saint Luna Moonshine with one sleeve of graham crackers, 1/3 cup of cacao nibs, and 3-5 dried matsutake mushrooms.
Leave overnight in a sealed container.
Strain through cheesecloth.
**How to prepare: RC Cola Reduction:
In a sauce pot, combine 24 oz. RC Cola, 1 tablespoon of whole black peppercorns, 2 teaspoons of satl, and 1 sprig of fresh rosemary over medium heat.
Simmer and reduce volume by half.
Strain and allow to cool
Garnish: Toasted marshmallow
Nordic Sazerac
Recipe courtesy of Jackie Nevin, Art in the Age Mixologist
“To honor Mardi Gras, this sipper is a unique riff on the official cocktail of New Orleans, the Sazerac — using acclaimed small-batch aquavit!”
Ingredients:
2 oz. Tamworth Distilling Skiklubben Aquavit
.5 oz. Art in the Age Dande Jack Brandy
1 Dropper Bennet Wild Hunt Bitters
1 Dash Absinthe
Glassware: Coupe
Instructions: Rinse a chilled rocks glass with absinthe, discarding any excess, and set aside. In a mixing glass, add the Skiklubben Aquavit, Art in the Age Dande Jack Brandy, and Bennet Wild Hunt Bitters. Strain the mixture into the cooled, absinthe-rinsed glass.
Garnish: Dill
Creole Cocktail
Recipe courtesy of Jacob Looney, New Liberty Distillery’s Director of Visitor Experience
“An ode to NOLA, imbibers can indulge in this reinvigorated classic best described as a lovechild between a Manhattan and Sazerac.”
Ingredients:
1.5 oz. Millstone Rye Bottled-in-Bond
.75 oz. Sweet Vermouth
.5 oz. Liberty Belle American Picon
.5 oz. Honey Cola Cordial
Glassware: Rocks
Instructions: Chill a mixing glass and coupe in the freezer before assembling the cocktail. When ice cold, add the Millstone Rye and Honey Cola Cordial to the mixing glass and stir without ice. Add the vermouth and Picon, then stir more to incorporate. Strain into the prepared coupe and garnish.
Garnish: Lemon Peel
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