Thank goodness we don’t get Hurricanes in Utica, the stormy kind that is.   We do have a great recipe for Hurricanes from Category 1 to a Category 5 on page 21 of our Taste of Utica cookbook.

The recipes were posted by Mario in anticipation of the summer season coming around the corner.  Well we all know that on this November day, it’s Winter that’s right around the corner but that doesn’t make these rum based drinks any less inviting.  No way!  In fact, if you travel to New Orleans, it is known for the famous “hurricane” drink. 

Here’s a little bit from Wikipedia:

Hurricane Category 1:“…a weak storm…can a hurricane ever really be weak?”

• 1 oz white rum
• 1/2 oz dark rum
• 2 oz passion fruit juice
• 2 oz lemonade
• 1 oz orange juice
• juice from 1/2 lime
• 1/2 teaspoon grenadine syrup (Maraschino Cherry Juice)

Fill a cocktail shaker 3/4 full with ice. 

Add all the ingredients, cover, shake well.

Adding the Passion Fruit Juice (see below for making fresh Passion Fruit Juice.)

Adding Lemonade and Orange Juice.  *You can see at this point, I needed to switch to a taller shaker.  I doubled the recipe and ran out of room. 

Strain into a highball glass or hurricane glass with fresh ice.

1. Hurricane Category 2:  Increase the white rum from 1 oz to 1 1/2 oz.
2. Hurricane Category 3:  Increase white rum from 1 oz to 1 1/2 oz PLUS add 1/2 oz Crème de Banana.
3. Hurricane Category 4:  Follow Hurricane 3 directions PLUS 1/2 oz Peach Schnapps.
4. Hurricane Category 5: Increase white rum from 1 oz to 1 1/2 oz.  Increase the dark rum from 1/2 oz to 1 oz.  Add 1/2 oz Crème de Banana.  Add 1/2 oz Peach Schnapps.  You better sit down for that one.

Make your own Passion Fruit Juice (Makes about 1 cup)

• 2 Passion Fruit
• 1 cup water
• 2 tsp sugar

This is a passion fruit…

They can be found as a yellow colored fruit as well.  I found them in the “tropical fruit” section of the grocery store.

This is the inside of a passion fruit…

Directions:

Purchase wrinkled passion fruit. The wrinkled ones are the ripe ones.  Cut the fruit in half and scoop out the pulp (yes…seeds and all).  Place in a blender with 1/2 a cup of water.  Blend for about 1 minute.  DO NOT OVER BLEND.  You don’t want to grind those seeds. You simply want the blender to get the pulp off them. 

Pour the extracted pulp through a sieve to separate the seeds…

Add the extracted pulp back to the blender with another 1/2 cup to 2/3 cup water plus the sugar and blend.   Adjust sugar and water to taste.

Enjoy your Hurricane and, well you know, Drink Responsibly!