February 17, 2023 — Toast to Mardi Gras on Tuesday, February 21 with unique New Orleans-inspired cocktails that let the good times roll! Mardi Gras is a day full of exorbitant celebration with no shortage of iconic libations — See the below recipes, all hailing from Philadelphia hotspots, from the likes of Rex at The Royal, the hub for elevated Lowcountry cuisine housed in the recently rejuvenated Royal Theatre, Art in the Age, the home bar supply, bottle shop, bar and tasting room owned by spirits maverick Steven Grasse, and New Liberty Distillery, the craft distillery known for reviving the heritage Kinsey brand.
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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:
- 25 oz. Saint Luna Moonshine Infused with Graham Crackers, Cacao Nibs, and Local Mushrooms*
- 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
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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
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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:
- 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
-Hannah Church
