SUMMER! Summer in the deep south is a special time or the year. If you think you live in a hot place, come to New Orleans in June-September. Cooling off in the evening isn't an option! The 100% humidity lingers, it so thick you can cut it with a knife, you could almost hear it moving across the city. Perspiration, its a given. Glistening skin, as little clothes as you are comfortable (not) wearing is a must to survive in NOLA.
Whats also a must is an icy cold beverage. Weddings in the summer are a bit tricky for natives much less a group from... Michigan. When asked, and its always asked, how many/what type of red wines should we get? And my answer is always the same. 6 btls at most. (depending on size of the party of course) No one wants to drink room temp red wine in the summer down here in the deep south. But you know what they do want when its 11,000,000 degrees, SnowBalls or SnowCones, depends on who you are talking to. SnowBalls lends it self to a world of possibilities. However the most important one is icy and cold! So when we were asked to do an event for Race & Religious (one of our favorite venues in NOLA) in August we knew we needed to keep everyone cool and there taste buds happy. The theme of the party was "Havana Nights". The toss up between the two ideas were a Mojito of the Cuba Libre, we chose the Cuba Libre. Shaved ice, rum coke syrup, lime and Angostura bitter, BOOM!
The recipe took a bit of trial and error but in the end it seemed to be a hit. To be honest, you could have just given them shaved ice and they would have been happy. ...11,000,000 degrees remember. So next time you think about all the guest that drink room temp red wine, remember room temp in the deep south at 9pm is still hot as hell and no one really wants 89 degree alcoholic beverage.
And with no further ado the Cocktail+Creatives Cuba Libre SnowBall
(at home cocktail party style)
CUBA LIBRE SNOWBALL
serves 2
For the syrup
4 cups coke
2 limes zested
1 cup sugar
.5 teaspoon allspice
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon citric acid
3oz rum (1.5oz per cocktail)
Ango bitters
in a sauce pan add all except cornstarch, Ango and rum.
bring to a boil for 2 mins. make a cornstarch slurry, add to mixture, boil for 10 more seconds. turn off heat and let cool. once cool you can add the rum to the coke syrup and shake well to incorporate the two liquids.
pack a glass .75 of the way full with shredded or crushed ice, add the rum and coke mixture, top with more ice and more rum and coke mixture. 4 dashes of Ango and lime slice.
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