Try the official cocktail of the 2013 Red Stick Revelry

Belle of Baton Rouge hosted the Red Stick Revelry cocktail contest last Friday. At the event, area bartenders competed to create the official cocktail of the 2013 Red Stick Revelry New Year’s Eve celebration. Samantha Carroll of Hot Tails Restaurant in New Roads won the contest for her Istrouma Buzz cocktail. The drink mixes orange juice, lime juice, strawberry fig preserves, bitters, candied ginger, and a bit of gin, Vermouth, champagne and a splash of Cognac.

Istrouma Buzz
1 oz. fresh Louisiana navel orange juice
1 oz. fresh lime juice
2 Tbsp. strawberry fig preserves
5 dashes Creole bitters
1 medium piece candied ginger
2 oz. Oryza gin
1 oz. Aperol
1 oz. Rouge Vermouth
2 oz. Swamp Pop Ginger Ale
2 oz. dry champagne
Splash of B&B Cognac
Garnish with honeycomb and raw cane sugar

Directions: Dip the side rim of the glass in honey and roll in the raw cane sugar. Slice a piece of honeycomb and set on the rim of the glass. Squeeze the orange and lime wedges into a shaker and drop the remaining rind into the juice. Add strawberry fig preserves, bitters and candied ginger and muddle together. Measure in Oryza gin, Aperol and Rouge Vermouth. Fill shaker with ice and shake well. Strain into a glass and top off with Swamp Pop Ginger Ale, champagne and a splash of cognac.