Mix it up for Mardi Gras!

Mardi Gras might be gone, but the celebration isn't over. We wanted to supply a fresh list of drinks to continue celebrating the popular French holiday at home. This special day is also known as Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday. Originally, participants used this day as a celebratory excuse to cleanse their houses of rich and fatty foods before practicing abstinence for Lent. As time passed, the tradition also began including other forms of foods, and more specifically, alcohol. Over centuries of practice and modernization, the holiday transformed into the massive celebration we most often see in New Orleans today.

Here are four classic Mardi Gras drinks you can make at home or order at the bar to keep the spirit of this energetic holiday around all year.

The French 75

The French 75 is a staple of Mardi Gras, especially in New Orleans. To make this cocktail, you'll need to add equal parts gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup to a shaker filled with ice. If you don't have a shaker, no worries! You can use glasses or cups you have at home to mix the drink with a few cubes of ice. Simply shake until the cocktail is completely chilled and pour it into your favorite glass! Of course, don't forget to top it off with Champagne and a lemon twist, or a small slice of lemon, to complete that classic French taste.

The Strawberry Daiquiri

The Strawberry Daiquiri is a classic when it comes to fresh, fruity cocktails. It's simple, sweet, and addicting. Come prepared, you'll want more than one of these! To make this cocktail, you'll need to blend a mix of a few ounces of a rum of your choice, frozen strawberries, and dashes of lime juice. You can mix and mess around with the proportions if the drink is too sweet or too bitter depending on your taste. To finish it off, simply garnish you drink with a strawberry, or any fruit twist of your choice, and enjoy!

The Hurricane

The Hurricane is a New Orleans classic. It was popularized by several small bars in the area, but came to fame from a pub called Pat O'Briens. It's a fan favorite as it's light, fruity, and easy to make. To stir up one of these, you'll need a few ounces of a light rum of your choice, 1 ounce of lime, orange, and passionfruit juice, and 1 ounce of grenadine to top it off. Simply mix this together over ice and garnish with orange twists and cherries.

The Cherry Sazerac

The Cherry Sazerac was quite literally made for Mardi Gras. It's considered the go-to drink in New Orleans, and we know why. It's got a great mix of bitters and sweets to round out an outstandingly balanced taste. To make this, you'll need a half ounce of absinthe, 1 tablespoon of cherry juice, bitters of your choice, 2 ounces of whiskey, and 1 ounce of cognac. Like the rest of the drinks on this list, you'll just need to give it all a quick mix over ice or in a chill glass. To garnish this classic drink, most opt for lemon twists and cherries, but some like to add orange peels and dashes of simple syrup to change it up!

If you ask anyone from New Orleans, they'd tell you these drinks never go out of fashion. For more recipes and recommendations, check out the Top Shelf's Pinterest board.