I'll Drink to That: King Cake-tini because it's Mardi Gras (or Fat Tuesday)!

It's Fat Tuesday!  I usually go the route of the Pączki (pron. POONCH-key - aka deep-fried dough filled with jelly or cream and usually dusted in powdered or granulated sugar or dipped in glaze), but this year I veered off course a bit.

I should interject and state the fact that I am not Catholic, so really the fact that I choose Pączki's today is more of a nod to the significance of Mardi Gras (which translates to Fat Tuesday) than an actual way to use up all of the richer, fattier foods in my cupboard before the season of Lent begins.  A practice which I admire the cultural and religious importance of.

I thought about perhaps making a King Cake instead - which would be a first (um, almost ashamed to admit that I've never even tried one).  But I've had a lot going on lately, and time has not been on my side. Cocktails, however, ARE on my side.  And I figured that a cocktail with the flavors of King Cake is the next best thing.  I'm also guessing that a lot of people choose to give up alcohol for Lent, so this can be a final hurrah, as well.

As it should be, these are far too easy to drink - so be careful.  They're pure alcohol.  Unless you count the pinch of cinnamon.

King Cake-tini {cocktail}

by Heather Schmitt-González

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: n/a

Keywords: beverage alcohol vodka Mardis Gras Southern

Ingredients (1 cocktail)

• 4 oz. Cake Vodka
• 1 oz. Cointreau, Grand Marnier, or Triple Sec
• 1 oz. Irish Cream

extras:

• cinnamon, for dusting
• green, purple, and gold/yellow sanding sugar, for rim

Instructions

Wet the rim of a martini glass. Dip a third of the rim into each color of sugar.

Combine all three liquors in a cocktail shaker with a couple cubes of ice. Shake well and strain into prepared martini glass. Sprinkle a small pinch of cinnamon over the top.

Enjoy!

slightly adapted from Food Network Magazine, Jan/Feb 2013

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Next year will be the year that I finally get my act together and plan accordingly... and actually make a batch of Pączki's. You know, so that I can cross them off "my list".

I hope.

Okay, it's official...I can't not get a Pączki on Fat Tuesday.  Check out this awesome tower made of Pączki - it was even leaning a bit. Totally hilarious!