Mardi Gras 2015 {King Cake and Coffee Cocktail}

We caught our first parade of the season over the weekend.

 
 The Krewe of Rio made it's way down the streets of Lafayette, LA.

While not as large and showy as the more famous New Orleans parades, the parades in Lafayette have become much more elaborate than when I lived there in the 90s.

Bellydancers or butterflies?  Both?

I'm not sure, but their twirly, light-up wings looked cool coming down the street.

~~~~ ** ~~~~  ** ~~~~  **  ~~~~ **  ~~~~
So last week when I was all running my mouth about
 "hot buttered spiced rum is the unofficial official drink of Mardi Gras..."
...well, that was before experimenting with King Cake Vodka.
(And before we suddenly got up to almost 80 degrees.)

 

I've changed my mind.  And I'm absolutely allowed to do that.

Just so you know.

In all honesty, King Cake Vodka is difficult to drink on it's own.  It's a strange mix of sugary hyper-sweetness (like king cake) and tear-up-your-throat it's so rough going down.

But it's good for mixed drinks.  (And another trick I have saved up my sleeve for next week.)

While I sipped it straight, I noticed cinnamon and almond flavors.  Something told me it would make a good creamy, cold drink.  Like a White Russian, made with cream, vodka, and coffee liqueur.

And really, what's better with king cake than coffee?
Nothin' that's what.

King Cake & Coffee Cocktail 

made with King Cake Vodka, 

half & half, and coffee liqueur

Print It!

King Cake & Coffee Cocktail

2 oz Pinnacle King Cake Vodka
1/2 oz coffee liqueur
2 oz half and half
Ice cubes

Mix or shake together all of the ingredients.  Pour into a glass and serve.



Linking with:

Mardi Gras 2015 {Hot Buttered Spiced Rum}

There are little signs of Mardi Gras showing up.
Flags hanging on main streets.

Floats out of storage.

Barricades ready to line parade routes.

Last year Mardi Gras was cold and rainy.
There were icicles hanging from my mask.

This time of year you never know what you're gonna get in Louisiana.  Could be warm and sunny...hot even.  Could be cold and rainy.

Beer is the unofficial official drink of Mardi Gras.  

But incase it's cold and icy like last year, I'm thinking Hot Buttered Spiced Rum might be my unofficial official drink of Mardi Gras.

Bayou Rum out of Lacassine, LA produces a spiced rum that is good for buttering up and mixing with brown sugar and cinnamon.

It comes in a really cool bottle too.  I like the raised state of Louisiana just under the neck.

And the old fashioned cork embossed with a man in a pirogue is my favorite design feature.

A warm mug of hot buttered spiced rum sounds like a good way to start Mardi Gras.

Note: Bayou Rum has not compensated me in any way, shape, or form.  They know nothing of this blog.  I just like their rum.  FYI: they make a satsuma rum too.


Print It!

Hot Buttered Spiced Rum

1/2 cup Bayou Spiced Rum
3/4 cup water
2 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp lemon juice
cinnamon
2 Tbsp butter, divided

Add rum, water, sugar, lemon juice, a pinch or two of cinnamon, and 1 tbsp butter to a saucepan.  Simmer until bubbling.

Divide between 2 mugs.  Add a pinch of cinnamon and 1/2 tbsp butter to each mug.

 More Mardi Gras...

Linking with:

It's a Party Down Here {Top 10 Party Recipes of 2014}

I admit it.  

I'm a sucker for those "Year in Review" segments 

highlighting the best songs, best books, best movies, and best moments of the past year.

Of course, I've usually never heard the songs, 

read the books, 

or seen the movies.  

But when it comes to laissez les bons temps rouler
...over the past year, apparently I had it covered!

Out of the Top 20 most viewed recipes of 2014, half of them were party foods.

Thank you for visiting over the past year and rolling through the good times with me.

TOP 10 PARTY RECIPES OF 2014

(based on reader's views)

10. Puff Pizza w/ Collard Greens (or Spinach)
Elegance from leftovers.  Who da thunk?

9. Canialle Bleu Cocktail

(Sneaky Blue Cocktail)
For the sneaky trickster in all of us.

8. Crab Artichoke Squares
Parties, breakfast,
or just because crab.

7. Snakebite
Don't worry, beer.  You can be turned into a cocktail too.

6. Cape Codder
One of my favorites too.
I drank the hell outta this all summer long.
Or something less incriminating.

5. Who Dat Hot Wings
Why Who Dat?
Because Louisiana ingredients go into the sauce.
One of our favorites--we ate tons of these while watching the Saints lose play.  
The Boy mastered the sauce mid-season.

4. Roasted Poblano & Corn Dip
Because I firmly believe roasting all vegetables rocks.

3. Lemon Drop Martini
Technically not a martini.
But after a few, will it really matter?

2. Crab Rangoon
Because more crab.
And fried. And creamy.

1. Cuba Libre
Because everyone needs to get their pirate on
from time to time.

Linking with: