Saturday night was your night. You got all done to represent cultural icons like Jerome from Martin and Salt-N-Pepa
You drank orange and purple and blue drank. You had a good time. You did the thing. But today is actually Halloween and you have to work—not just your job today and tmorrow, but handing out candy tonight. That doesn’t mean you can’t have a few neighbors over and sip (responsibly) on something nice while you wait to greet the kids at the door. Here are a few easy Halloween cocktail recipes that you’ll want to make, serve and enjoy all fall.
Blood Orange Connection
1.25 part Effen Blood Orange Vodka
.75 part Courvoisier VS Cognac
.5 part simple syrup
.5 part fresh lemon juice
Orange twist for garnish
Combine ingredients in a Boston shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into chilled martini glass with sugared rim. Garnish with orange twist.
Vampire’s Highball
2 parts London dry gin
splash of maraschino liqueur
2 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters
Q Tonic
Fill highball glass with ice, add ingredients in the order listed. Garnish with lime wedge and a gourmet maraschino cherry (like Luxardo)
Cruzan Dark as Night
1 part Cruzan Black Strap Rum
.25 part Falernum Syrup
.5 part fresh lime juice
6 parts cider
Combine Black Strap rum, Falernum syrup and fresh lime juice in a mixing glass. Pour cider into a rocks glass and slowly float mixture over top of cider. (For a more successful float, pour the mixture slowly over the back of a spoon suspended just above the glass). Finish with fresh grated nutmeg and a lime or orange peel.
Basil Hayden’s Spellbound Smash
Recipe by Stephen Cole (Chicago)
2 parts Basil Hayden’s Bourbon
.75 part Demerara Syrup*
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
2 dashes Orange Bitters
Half of a Lemon
5 Fresh Blackberries
3 Sage Leaves (2 for garnish)
1 sprig of Thyme (for garnish)
Place half of a lemon and the blackberries into a cocktail shaker and lightly press with the back of a bar spoon. Add remaining ingredients, including one sage leaf, to cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a rocks glass over ice. Garnish with remaining two sage leaves and a sprig of thyme.
*Demerara Syrup can be purchased, or homemade by combining a 1:1 ratio of Demerara sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
