The dangerous thing about a Hurricane is the sugar masks the alcohol and you have a tendency to not realize how much alcohol you’ve consumed until you’ve had too much.

And you feel like you’ve been hit by a Category 5 Hurricane. I think the ones served at Pat O’Brien’s (the bar in New Orleans that made them famous) have something like 4 ounces of rum per drink. They are often described as alcoholic Kool-Aid. And frankly that’s exactly what they taste like. A homemade Hurricane is so much better.

But if you do visit New Orleans, it is practically mandatory to visit Pat O’Brien’sin the French Quarter and drink a Hurricane. They serve them in tall curved glasses that look like hurricane lamps. They are best sipped in Pat O’Brien’s famous courtyard next to the flaming fountain which has fire emerging from the center.

The Hurricane was created during World War II when whiskey was in short supply. In order to get whiskey, bar owners were forced to buy large quantities of rum. The Hurricane was born as a way to get rid of this unwanted rum.

Hurricanes were originally made from Passion Fruit juice, but now Pat O’Brien’s makes them with a powdered mix that is redder than red. You can make your own at home by ordering Pat O’Brien’s Hurricane Mix online.

Passion Fruit Juice can be hard to find. I found some at Whole Foods. You can also order Passion Fruit Juice online.