Creepy Cocktails

Oct 8th, 2010

The kids get candy on Halloween and we get cocktails. Sounds fair to me. In keeping with my Friday Halloween theme, here are 5 spooktacular drinks to enjoy from now until the big day…

Black Widow

Cream de Cassis, Vodka, triple sec, fresh lemon juice, Pomegranate juice, licorice strings

For two cocktails (or one cocktail shaker): 2 parts cassis, 3 parts vodka, 1 part triple sec, 1 part lemon juice, 1 part pomegranate. Just think in fractions: for the Black Widow, your shaker is 8 parts. Go from there. Too much of this, too little of that: trust me, the spider really won’t care one way or another.

Really, the key here is using the black liquorish strings as a garnish. - savvyhousekeeping.com

Eyeball Highball

14 medium radishes, 7 pimiento-stuffed olives, halved crosswise, 16 ounces gin or vodka, 1 ounce vermouth

Trim stem and root ends of radish. Use a paring knife to scrape red skin from radish, leaving just enough to give a veiny appearance. With a small melon baller, cut a hole in radish, about 1/2 inch in diameter. Fit an olive half, cut-side facing out, into hole. Place radish in ice-cube tray. Repeat with remaining radishes. Fill tray with water; freeze.

Mix vodka or gin with vermouth; stir with ice. Divide eyeball ice cubes among four glasses. Strain martini; pour into glasses, and serve. -Martha Stewart Recipes

Dark & Spooky

Black decorating sugar, for the glass, Juice of 1 lime, plus 1 lime wedge, 1/4 cup dark rum, 1/4 cup ginger beer or all-natural ginger ale, 1 black gummy spider

Spread out the black sugar on a small plate. Rub the lime wedge around the rim of a rocks glass; dip the glass in the black sugar, then fill with ice. Spread out the black sugar on a small plate. Rub the lime wedge around the rim of a rocks glass; dip the glass in the black sugar, then fill with ice. Combine the rum and lime juice in a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice and shake well. Carefully strain into the glass, minding the sugar on the rim. Top the drink with ginger beer and add the gummy spider. - foodnetwork.com

Shrunken Head Cider

2 cups lemon juice, 2 tablespoons coarse salt, 8 large Granny Smith apples, 32 whole cloves, 2 gallons apple cider, 2 (12-ounce) cans frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed, 2 cups spiced rum (optional)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. In a medium bowl, mix together lemon juice and salt; set aside.

Peel apples and cut each in half through the stem; remove seeds and core. Using a sharp paring knife, carve a face, as desired, on the rounded side of each apple half. Place apples in lemon mixture for one minute; transfer to paper towels to drain.

Place apples, face-side up on prepared baking sheet and transfer to oven. Let bake until apples are dry and begin to brown around the edges, about 90 minutes. Remove apples from baking sheets and press cloves into the “eye” sockets.

Combine cider, lemonade, and rum (if using) in a large punchbowl; float shrunken heads on top.

Martha Stewart Recipes