Cucumber Hurricane Twist: A Mardi Gras Cocktail

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Ring in Mardi Gras New Orleans-style with a chic and fresh twist on a classic Hurricane cocktail. 

Mardi Gras is fast approaching and since I won’t be enjoying the festivities on Bourbon Street, I’m bringing the extravagance, elegance and opulence right into my home for a fun midwinter get-together with friends.

Bright, vibrant colors in a signature palette of green, purple, and gold along with iconic masks, beads and even peacock feathers are what we come to expect for a Fat Tuesday gathering. It’s a time to go big, exaggerate your party decor, serve spicy Cajun food and blast some New Orleans jazz.

Of course, no proper party, especially a Mardi Gras one, would be complete without tasty libations and a signature drink. And if you’ve been reading my blog, you know how much I love to create a signature drink for a special occasion.

New Orleans is where cocktails, like the Hurricane, were born. But the older I get, the less desire I have for a hurricane glass filled with sweet, red, boozy rum, so I set out to create a fresh and chic twist on this Big Easy drink.

Meet my Cucumber Hurricane Twist. It’s a brilliant looking and light tasting approach to the original Louisiana Hurricane.

I’m swapping out the heavy rum for lighter vodka and I’m saying so long to the sugar bomb flavors of juice and syrup that traditionally make up this stormy French Quarter concoction.

Instead, fresh squeezed lime juice and melon liqueur are combined with vodka to fill up my cocktail shaker. Shaken together and poured in a tall glass, this drink recipe is already a stunning green jewel-tone hue that adds elegance to the royal ambience of my get-together.

For me, no mixed drink is complete without a little effervescence and 7UP® is the perfect way to get that fun fizz. 7UP kicks up any party spread and adds an exciting but light twist to otherwise standard drinks.

My vibrant drink gets topped off with this lemon-lime soda. It’s not overpowering to the other ingredients in this recipe but just gives it a refreshing, lightly sweet and bubbly punch.

A signature drink needs a little garnish too. My DIY: Miniature Mardi Gras Mask Drink Toppers hold my cucumber ribbons and make this drink scream Mardi Gras.

I love how the 7UP bubbles just cling to those cucumbers as they twist in the glass!

In my typical party-decorating-obsessed-fashion, I also can’t ignore the familiar green 7UP can as it contributes to the traditional colors of a Fat Tuesday party. The cans work double-duty as decoration and I’m adorning my bar with them!

It’s a classic that never goes out of style and I’m always sure to stock up on it when I visit my local Walmart. It’s easy to find right in the soda aisle.

7UP’s versatility is perfect for any social gathering because its citrus taste pairs well with any liquor staple, should my guests choose to mix up something else. It is a tasty carbonated addition to an adult mixed drink, but for a bright non-alcoholic drink of choice, guests can pour it over some ice, add a lemon or lime and join in on the toast.

The stunning jewel-tone of my Cucumber Hurricane Twist is anything but average, but the sparkling and crisp flavor is what will really impress.

Do you have a favorite 7UP cocktail?  Find more festive 7UP inspiration here.