Can’t make it to New Orleans for Mardi Gras this week? Break up the end of winter blues with a good ol’ celebration featuring these seven cocktails. Don’t forget the bead strings, jazz music, and a big pot of jambalaya (Emeril’s recipe is after the drinks).

Smoke Stack Sazerac
1 ½ parts Monkey Shoulder whiskey
1/5 part sugar syrup
dash Peychaud’s Bitters
dash absinthe
top with Peach Smoke

Add all ingredients to mixing glass. Add cold dry ice and stir. Once dilution is reached, strain into a glass. Top with Smoke and garnish with peach smoke.

Hudson Storm King
2 parts Hudson Baby Bourbon
1/2 part St. Agrestis amaro
5-6 parts Succession sparkling hard apple cider
2 dashes Fee Bros. barrel-aged aromatic bitters
nutmeg

Build over ample ice in rocks glass: first bitters, amaro, and Baby Bourbon, then top with apple cider. Finally, grate fresh nutmeg on top.

Reyka’s Lavender 75
1 ½ parts Reyka Vodka
1 part fresh lemon juice
¾ part lavender syrup (1/2 cup water; ½ cup sugar, 2 Tbsp. lavender; if you don’t have fresh then use the dried lavender from the spice aisle of the grocery store. Put in a small pan and boil for at least five minutes or until mixture becomes syrupy in texture. Strain out the lavender before using the syrup.)
dry champagne

Combine all ingredients in a shaker except the champagne. Shake and strain into a glass; then top with champagne. Note: you can add a dash of lavender bitters if you like for an additional lavender flavor.

Hop ‘til it Hurts
by Billy Armijo at Cafe Adelaide and the Swizzle Stick Bar
1 bottle IPA beer
1 1/4 oz. Alto del Carmen Pisco
¾ oz. grapefruit juice
1 dash rhubarb bitters
1 dash simple syrup

Put all ingredients except for the beer into a shaker. Shake all ingredients on ice for 7 seconds, strain into a chilled coupe glass. Top with the IPA. Garnish with expressed grapefruit twist.

Epiphany Milk Punch
by Laura Belluci at SoBou
1 1/2 oz. King Cake Infused brandy
½ oz. Frangelico
½ oz. cardamom syrup
3 oz. milk
2 dash angostura bitters
candy sprinkles or colored sugar for garnish

Shake without ice and strain into a coup glass. Add sprinkles on top before serving.

Sailor Jerry’s Ginger Daiquiri
1 ½ parts Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum
¾ part homemade ginger syrup (1/2 cup water; ½ cup sugar, fresh ginger slices. Put in a small pan and boil for at least five minutes or until mixture becomes syrupy in texture. Remove ginger slices before using.)
½ part fresh lime juice

Add all ingredients to empty mixing glass then fill with ice. Shake vigorously. Double strain into chilled cocktail glass and garnish with candied ginger.

Citrus Aisle Party
by Apartment Bartender
2 oz. tequila
3/4 oz. lime juice
3/4 oz. cinnamon syrup
pinch of salt
Q Grapefruit soda

Shake all ingredients and strain into a glass filled with ice. Top with grapefruit soda. Garnish with a lime and grapefruit wheel.

What to pair with any of the above? Why, this of course:

Cajun Jambalaya
by Emeril Lagasse
24 medium peeled, deveined and chopped shrimp, about 1/2 pound
1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, diced
1 Tbsp. Emeril’s Original Essence
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped green bell peppers
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. chopped garlic
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
3 bay leaves
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. hot sauce
1 1/2 cups long grain rice
3 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/2 pound Andouille sausage, sliced
chopped green onion for garnish

Combine the shrimp, chicken and Essence in a bowl and toss to coat evenly. Set aside. Heat the oil over in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onions, peppers and celery, salt and pepper and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic, tomatoes, bay leaves, Worcestershire and hot sauces. Stir in the rice and slowly add the broth. Bring the rice to a simmer, cover and reduce heat to low and cook until most of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the shrimp and chicken mixture, and the sausage. Cover and cook for 10 minutes longer. Turn off the heat and allow the jambalaya to continue to steam 10 minutes longer before serving. Stir in the green onion.

Note: if you want to add to the party, we recommend adding a ½ cup of bourbon with the Worcestershire.

Emeril’s Original Essence
2 1/2 Tbsp. paprika
2 Tbsp. coarse salt
2 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. onion powder
1 Tbsp. cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp. dried oregano
1 Tbsp. dried thyme

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl; stir until well combined. Transfer mixture to an airtight container and store in a cool, dark place.

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