And now the Bob Dylan anthem is rattling in my head, forcing my toe to percussively tap to its beat. The song has nothing to do with this cocktail, but the force and thrust of its rhythm feels right. Don’t let the saturated tropical colors of this cocktail fool you: it’s a mean one. Originally created as a cheap and effective way to offload a surplus of rum, this is the kind of drink you want to be sipping when the wind pushes in the walls and you’re holding onto a palm tree with one hand. It’s adult kool-aide, but with a kick. The balance of acidic lime and passionfruit cuts straight through the sugar cane sweetness of the very present rum. I mixed mine up with an aromatic simple syrup and added a touch of cayenne for heat.
DIY Note:
For some extra fun, I created my own Zulu Golden Nuggets to serve the Hurricanes in. The golden nugget (a coconut painted gold) is the most prized “throw” of all of Mardi Gras, so it only seemed appropriate to enjoy this classic Mardi Gras cocktail out of one. To make your own, grab some plastic coconut cups (I found mine here), put some tap over the back of the straw hole, and spray paint the exterior. Let them dry, and use them as festive cups.
INGREDIENTS
For 1 cocktail
2 ounces light rum
2 ounces dark rum
2 ounces strained passion fruit pulp
1 ounce lime juice
1 ounce orange juice
1 tablespoon aromatic simple syrup (recipe below)
1 1/2 teaspoons grenadine
1 pinch cayenne pepper
orange slice for garnish
DIRECTIONS
Combine all of the ingredients, except for the garnish in a cocktail shaker. Add ice, and shake for 15 seconds. Pour the drink and the ice into a glass (or golden coconut) and enjoy!
INGREDIENTS (AROMATIC SIMPLE SYRUP)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1 bay leaf
5 whole pink or black pepper corns
5 allspice corns
