There is nothing better than the upcoming summer season. Whether it’s an after-work happy hour or an al fresco lunch, a patio restaurant certainly knows how to bring the masses together for a sip, a snack and a breath of fresh air in the summer sun. While you may enjoy taking a sip of your favorite seasonal cocktail, do you really know the story behind it?
The famous New Orleans hurricane
If you’ve ever wandered around South New Orleans, you couldn’t have missed the red drinks in the hands of tourists. With its hot and humid summers, you’ll have a hard time resisting the thirst-quenching lure of a sugar-coated alcoholic concoction in New Orleans. O’Brien, the owner of Pat O’Briens Bar and patio restaurant in the French Quarter, is believed to have invented this cocktail in 1944. The name comes from the glass into which the drink is poured, which was shaped like a glass hurricane. If you do venture to NOLA, it will be hard to miss a hurricane.
Take your cocktail shaker and add all the ingredients along with ice into the container. Shake well and strain contents into a tall glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with fresh fruit if desired. Enjoy!
Kentucky Derby Mint Juleps
As you head east, you’ll come across even more historic sips. While the Kentucky Derby takes place during prime time before summer rolls around, the Mint Julep remains a seasonal favorite. According to the Derby Museum, Churchill Downs designated the Mint Julep as the official drink in 1938. At the time, they were served in souvenir glasses and sold for 75 pence. The popularity of this drink is rumored to have started in the agricultural East and Southeast, when farmers began their days using it as a morning beverage. While you may not have that much spirit, you can certainly make one of these when it’s 5 o’clock somewhere.
Long Island Iced Teas
With a name derived from its appearance, Long Island Iced Tea isn’t as innocent as it seems. Packed with tequila, vodka, light rum, triple sec, and gin, Long Island iced tea certainly leads to good times. There is a bit of controversy when it comes to the origins of this cocktail. One tale places its creation in the 1920s during Prohibition, while another claims it was created in a 1970s cocktail contest. However you say it, this drink has certainly made a name for itself. Get ready to make one yourself!
First, fill your cocktail shaker with ice. Then layer all the ingredients. Shake well and pour the mixture into two glasses filled with ice.
Once you know a little more about the cocktail you’re drinking, you may have something new to talk about during your next patio restaurant outing.
