Working on the theory that it is better to be weeks too early than a day too late, I wanted to alert all of you who follow One Perfect Bite to changes that are in the wind. Come the 1st of March, Google will no longer support Google Friends Connect on any platform other than Blogger. This has major implications for those of you who have blogs on the WordPress, TypePad, Tumblr or Movable Type platforms. If you have been following One Perfect Bite through Google Friend Connect you will no longer receive automatic updates. That can be remedied by subscribing to my blog using RSS, Facebook, Twitter or email. You can do that by selecting from the buttons that you will find at the top of the column on the right side of the screen. You will also be able to add it to your Google homepage or reader of your choice. I have started to post each day's entry on Pinterest and I'd love to have you take a look at what we are doing there. Obviously, for those of you with blogs on the Blogger platform, nothing will change, at least for the time being. I want to thank all of you for your support and I think I've done everything I can to make this transition as seamless and trouble free as it can be for you. I hope that come the 1st of March, it will be business as usual. I'm just a click away.

Everyone knows that the signature drink of the Kentucky Derby is the Mint Julep. How about Mardi Gras? The beverage of choice in New Orleans this coming week will be the Hurricane Cocktail. I should be embarrassed to admit this, but I first sampled the Hurricane last year at a Fat Tuesday party, where it was the (only) beverage of choice. Were it not for that, I'd probably still be in the woods sipping cider through a straw. I'm not a cocktail person and, while I love wine, I don't seek out drinks that come with parasols. They are just too sweet to my taste and I usually take a pass. Actually, as sweet drinks go, this one is not too bad and lots of folks really love it. For the next few days, I'm going to be featuring foods associated with Mardi Gras and I thought this drink would be a fun place to start. I'm also including a recipe for grenadine. The Hurricane numbs you for what is to come. Here we go.

Hurricane Cocktail Photo Courtesy of PRZman

Ingredients:

4 ounces light rum

4 ounces dark rum

2 ounces grenadine, or passion fruit syrup

2 ounces fresh orange juice

2 ounces sour mix, or fresh lime juice

2 teaspoon superfine sugar

Orange wedges, for garnish

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker, and shake to dissolve the sugar. I used a mason jar. Add ice cubes to come halfway up the sides of 4 tall glasses. Divide the mixture between the glasses. Garnish each with an orange wedge and serve with a long straw. Yield: 4 servings

Grenadine:

Ingredients:

1 quart pomegranate juice

2 cups sugar

2 dashes orange flower water

Directions:

Bring pomegranate juice and sugar to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat and cover, allowing it to simmer for 10-15 minutes and stirring occasionally. Allow mixture to cool, then pour into a small decanter or bottle with a tight-sealing lid. Add a dash or two of orange flower water (don't overdo it). Seal the bottle and give it a few good shakes.

Cook's Note: This grenadine should be good for up to 3 weeks and makes about 1-1/2 cups. You can also add a small amount of overproof vodka as a preservative to give it a little longer shelf life.

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