I like a good cocktail when I’m out and about with friends. However, when I have friends over for dinner or drinks I usually stick with wine and beer for simplicity’s sake.
These days, the ingredients list in the average cocktail at a restaurant/hotel is as long as the closing credits to an action film blockbuster. Mastering the complicated ingredients and techniques may be fun for a professional mixologist, but to the rest of us it’s just intimidating and time-consuming.
It’s far more important to spend time getting the costume right for the Carnaval than to slave away in the kitchen making fancy cocktails.
Here are a few ideas for Halloween cocktails with just a few ingredients:
Black Vodka Martinis — Perhaps the easiest way to theme up your cocktails is to get your hands on a bottle of black vodka (Blavod is the most prevalent brand, but there are others out there as well). Served straight up in a cocktail glass, it’s good to go. Alternatively, regular vodka and a bit of blackberry brandy will also give you a ghoulishly dark drink.
Black and Orange — Make a mimosa with half orange juice and half sparkling wine. Then float a bit of black vodka on top (pouring slowly over the back of a spoon) for a two-toned Halloween cocktail.
Tequila “Sunset” — Using tequila (or substituting rum if you prefer), pour a shot over ice, then fill the rest of the glass with orange juice. Now add a shot of grenadine by using a spoon and pouring it between the spoon and the glass wall to get it to the bottom without mixing it in too much. Alternatively, or in addition, you can rim the glass with grenadine for a look of blood dripping down the glass.
Bloody Mary — This drink is not only very popular and easy, it’s already Halloween-themed!
Finally, it’s all in the Garnishes — You can turn just about any regular-old cocktail and give it a Halloween twist with some creative garnishes.
- A piece of black licorice serves nicely as a swizzle stick.
- Make some black ice cubes with water and a bit of black food coloring.
- Lychees (from a can) make a great “eyeball” to float in a drink if you stick a cranberry or blueberry into the hole of the lychee.
- Decorate the rims of the glass with colored sugar.
