Pat O’Brien’s Cyclone and Hurricane Punch (1979)

Happy Fat Tuesday!

Since no one is going out to a parade or party today, I thought I’d bring a little bit of Mardi Gras home with the Cyclone Cocktail and Hurricane Punch from Pat O’Brien’s in New Orleans.

The recipes are from one of my favorite cookbooks, Benson & Hedges 100’s Presents Drink Recipes from 100 of the Greatest Bars (recipes selected and edited by Playboy Clubs International–1979).

Unlike so many of the other bars in this book, Pat O’Brien’s is still there. I know because I was there in 2019 with Mr. Sauce, Esq. We had a gift card, and it was his birthday, so we ended up with multiple free Hurricanes!

Free Hurricanes! (and a Pinot Grigio for the lady–because I detest rum)

In the courtyard. Yes, I am wearing a sparkly turban. Yes, I know I look stupid. But it did ensure that Mr. Sauce was able to find me among the throngs of people on Bourbon Street.

Back to the cocktails!

I was so glad that there was a vodka version because, as I’ve mentioned, I dislike rum.

I had no idea where to get passion fruit syrup (I don’t even know quite what it is), so I used some sort of GOYA passion fruit cocktail from a carton.

It got the job done.

Cyclone:

The Cyclone was good. Fruity. Intoxicating. Much like yours truly. LOL.

Hurricane:

I didn’t drink any of the Hurricane–but don’t let my anti-rum stance sway your opinion on Hurricane Punch–Mr. Sauce thought it was delicious. So much so that I made two for him. And in an actual Hurricane glass to boot!

Why we own a Hurricane glass: on that same trip, we were in Atlanta and had drinks at the Sun Dial Restaurant, Bar & View. I demanded we go because I am a sucker for a rotating restaurant. Like, if there is one in town I. AM. GOING.

I should say that the Sun Dial is a formerly rotating restaurant. The Sun Dial no longer spins because a small child was crushed to death by the turning mechanisms. Of course, as soon as we found out why the restaurant wasn’t moving, we spent the majority of our time not looking at the skyline (72 stories up!), but trying to figure out how it happened. Because we are morbid as fuck.

Anyhoooooo–Mr. Sauce ordered some frou-frou frozen drink and we got to keep the glass from the Restaurant of Death.

Damn, I ended this post on a bit of a bummer.

HAPPY MARDI GRAS!

4 thoughts on “Pat O’Brien’s Cyclone and Hurricane Punch (1979)”

Pat O’Brien hurricane glasses were a thrift shop staple in my grandmother’s town for many years.

Thanks for sharing your recipes, photos and stories. I also googled about the rotating restaurant because I was morbidly curious as to how it happened. I’m fascinated by rotating restaurants, too. I remember eating in one in The Land pavilion at Epcot center when I was a kid. My family’s big trip every couple years was from Pittsburgh to Orlando!😀

In exchange for my orange trees hanging partly over the fence and into my neighbor’s yard, he’s sent some tendrils from his passionfruit vines into mine. I may have to figure out how to make passionfruit syrup just to make these drinks. And the turban looks lovely on you — very mid-century glamour.

Here in Mobile, AL, the home of the oldest Mardi Gras, we’re not rolling but the bars are open & the party is on!! How did that child get crushed? Aren’t the mechanisms under the restaurant? Where in the hell were his parents? I’ve got to Google that.

S S February 21, 20214:01 am Reply

Pat O’Brien hurricane glasses were a thrift shop staple in my grandmother’s town for many years.
amycondit February 20, 20219:19 pm Reply

Thanks for sharing your recipes, photos and stories. I also googled about the rotating restaurant because I was morbidly curious as to how it happened. I’m fascinated by rotating restaurants, too. I remember eating in one in The Land pavilion at Epcot center when I was a kid. My family’s big trip every couple years was from Pittsburgh to Orlando!😀
Marty K February 16, 20219:41 pm Reply

In exchange for my orange trees hanging partly over the fence and into my neighbor’s yard, he’s sent some tendrils from his passionfruit vines into mine. I may have to figure out how to make passionfruit syrup just to make these drinks. And the turban looks lovely on you — very mid-century glamour.
Suzanne Simmons February 16, 202112:34 pm Reply

Here in Mobile, AL, the home of the oldest Mardi Gras, we’re not rolling but the bars are open & the party is on!! How did that child get crushed? Aren’t the mechanisms under the restaurant? Where in the hell were his parents? I’ve got to Google that.