[PHOTO_129572]Superbowl Bound?  If so, lucky you.   But New Orleans' most famous drink - the hurricane - and the bar in which it was invented years ago, are a must during at least one visit to The Crescent City.   Football or no football, you need to have your picture made with a hurricane.  We think even Drew Brees would agree.

The world-famous Pat O'Brien's bar is your destination for this liquid experience.  Only a small green and white sign marks the bar's door on St. Peter Street, but a hospitable doorman will be waiting to usher you inside the historic building.   

The repeal of prohibition in 1933 allowed Mr. O'Brien to convert his former neighborhood speakeasy into a full-fledged drinking establishment.  Pat O'Brien's bar was enormously popular, but about a decade later, World War II tried to put a cramp on business.   Certain commodities became nearly impossible to find:  scotch, bourbon and whiskey among them.   Caribbean rum, however, was constantly being run up the Mississippi River.  

O'Brien made a business decision to invent a rum drink.  He paired this smart move with an even smarter idea:  a signature glass.   O'Brien chose a tall, curvy glass which resembled a hurricane lamp, and thus, the drink got its name.  (Bet you thought it had to do with tropical storms . . . we sure did). 

Today, those tall curvy glasses are brought to tables night and day, and patrons often opt to buy one or more as a keepsake.  In fact, they're probably the most popular souvenir in The Big Easy.   The drink mix is also available for sale, so yours will turn out as tasty as the ones in the bar.   

Recipe for a Pat O'Brien's Hurricane

In a 26 oz. Hurricane glass, mix

• 4 oz. of Pat O'Brien's Hurricane Rum or any good dark rum
• 4 oz. of Pat O'Brien's Hurricane Mix

Fill with crushed ice.   Garnish with an orange slice and a cherry.