Halloween is coming up and it’s not just for kids. It’s also a chance for adults to indulge in the fun – haunted houses, spooky costumes, and of course, parties! And what’s a Halloween party without something spooky to sip on?
To get you in the spirit, try a fun cocktail like the Blood Sucker – vodka, BLOOD orange juice or syrup, and fresh lemon sour, shaken, and then topped with splash of wine. And to stick with the vampire theme, go to a costume store or check out Amazon for glow-in-the-dark fangs – -whaa haa haa!
For a monster mash, make a batch of my Cauldron Punch. It mixes rum, blackberry puree, fresh juices, and is topped with sparkling berry water. For an added fun, top with a float of blue curacao and stick in a skeleton arm swizzle stick – perfect for a ghoulish good time.
Black Cat Old Fashioned
Photo by Kathy Casey Liquid Kitchen®
Don’t think of it as bad luck if my Black Cat Old Fashioned crosses your path. No, this spin on a classic Old Fashioned cocktail mixes bourbon, mescal, homemade Orange & Black Coffee Syrup, and a few dashes of chocolate bitters.
So cheers to a devilishly fun Halloween bash! –Kathy
Blood Sucker
Makes 1 cocktail
1 1/2 oz vodka
1 oz blood orange juice or 1/2 ounce blood orange syrup
1 1/2 oz Fresh Lemon Elixir (recipe follows)
3/4 oz red wine – FLOAT
Garnish: plastic fangs hanging on the side of glass
Measure vodka, blood orange, and Fresh Lemon Elixir into a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice, cap, and shake vigorously. Pour into a tall glass, adding more ice if necessary. Float red wine. Garnish.
Fresh Lemon Elixir
2 cups fresh lemon juice
2 cups simple syrup*
Combine ingredients in a pitcher and stir. Store refrigerated for up to 7 days
Recipe by Kathy Casey Liquid Kitchen – www.LiquidKitchen.com
Cauldron Punch
Makes about 8 servings
1 1/2 cups silver rum
1/2 cup blackberry puree
1 cup orange juice
1 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup simple syrup*
——————–
1 can LaCroix Berry Sparkling water
Garnish: blue curacao for floating, plastic skeleton arm swizzle stick
Measure rum, puree, juices, lemon and simple syrup into a pitcher. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Right before serving, add LaCroix Berry Sparkling Water to the punch. Serve over ice in goblets. Float with a splash of blue curacao. Garnish with skeleton arm.
Recipe by Kathy Casey Liquid Kitchen – www.LiquidKitchen.com
Black Cat Old Fashioned
Makes 1 cocktail
1 1/2 oz bourbon
1/2 oz mezcal
1/4 oz Orange & Black Coffee Syrup (recipe follows)
1-2 dashes chocolate bitters
Garnish: fat orange peel
Measure the bourbon, mezcal, syrup and bitters into a mixing glass. Fill three-quarters full with ice. Stir with a bar spoon until well chilled. Serve strained over a large ice cube in an old fashioned glass. Express the orange peel over the drink to release the oils, twist, and add to the drink.
Orange & Black Coffee Syrup
Makes about 12 ounces
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1 Tbsp. finely minced orange zest
24 coffee beans
3/4 cup water
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2 cups sugar
Combine ingredients in a small saucepan. On medium-high heat, bring liquid to a boil, once it has boiled add the sugar and stir to combine well, continue to boil for about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and steep for 1 hour. Strain and store refrigerated for up to 30 days.
Recipe by Kathy Casey Liquid Kitchen – www.LiquidKitchen.com
*To make Simple Syrup: combine 1 cup boiling water with 1 cup sugar. Stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Cool and store refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
