New Orleans cocktails to make for football watch parties | Food and drink

The Watermelon Mojito by Pirogue’s Whiskey Bayou.

Provided Photo

Gambit hit up a few New Orleans bartenders for their go-to cocktail recipes for game-day watch parties — because a good drink may be needed when you’re celebrating a win or, especially, trying to ignore a loss. We also asked local chefs for their food recipes, and you can read more about it here. Enjoy!

The Gater Hater at Tuff Break Loser’s Lounge.

Provided Photo

The Gator Hater

Tuff Break Loser’s Lounge

Tuff Break Loser’s Lounge may only be a few months old, but it’s already one of our favorite spots in town. While they may be utterly unpretentious, the staff still take their cocktails seriously, but never handle-bar mustaches and leather mixologist aprons serious. Take the Gator Hater, which comes from the twisted minds of bartender Jake Deiotte and co-owner Leighann Smith. It’s a perfect, refreshing drink to get ya through the season while keeping you well hydrated and chock full of electrolytes. Because Tuff Break Loser’s Lounge has what plants crave!

1.5 liter blanco tequila or vodka

.25 liter Cinque

.25 liter lemon juice (adjust to taste)

1 gallon Gatorade (orange is our preferred)

Combine ingredients and pop into the refrigerator until cold. Serve over ice with a fruit garnish. For an added zip, add a pony of Miller High Life as a chaser.

The Gold Run

Pal’s Lounge

The Gold Run cocktail by Pal’s Lounge.

Provided Photo

Pal’s is a Mid-City institution, and whether you’re looking for a simple shot and a beer or a fancy cocktail that won’t break the bank, ya can’t find a better spot. Case in point: The Gold Run, a delicious little concoction they came up with to help ya celebrate on game day. This one is best made one at a time, but we’ve also added some rough instructions for making a batch of 10.

1.5 ounces Chairmans Reserve Rum

.5 ounce Clement Bana Canne Liqueur

.5 ounce fresh lemon

4 dashes Bittermens Aromatic Bitters

spritz of Edible Gold Glitter

To make a batch of 10:

A scant 2 cups Chairmans Reserve Rum

A scant ½ cup Clement Bana Canne Liqueur

A scant ½ cup fresh lemon juice

40 dashes of Bittermens Aromatic Bitters

Serve in a rocks glass over ice, garnish with lemon and give it a healthy spritz of Edible Gold Glitter!

No matter what happens on the field, you might as well enjoy yourself.

Watermelon Mojito

Pirogue’s Whiskey Bayou

The ladies at Pirogue’s Whiskey Bayou are longtime friends of Gambit and absolute wizards behind the bar, and here’s one of their classic batch drinks, the Watermelon Mojito. And if you’re feeling lazy or just in rush, you can pickup premade batches of their Watermelon Mojito at the bar!

3.75 cups white rum

1.75 cup mint simple syrup (see recipe below)

1.25 cup lime juice

4 cups watermelon juice

Add all ingredients to a large container. Serve in tall glass, over ice and top with soda water, garnish with fresh mint leaf.

Mint Simple Syrup:

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

1 bunch fresh mint

Heat water to boil, turn off heat and add sugar, stirring till dissolved. Let the mixture cool to room temperature, chop mint and add to container. Refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours, then strain the mixture.