Halloween Drinkin'

For those who know me I'm always up for a good drink and nothing is better than a Halloween themed drink!
Check out the excellent Halloween drink recipes on this site. As we all know, "Halloween started with the Ancient Celts. All Hallows Eve (which became the word Halloween) was the last day of their year. They believed November 1st (All Saints Day) was the start of the New Year and because it was Winter, it was the darkest time of the year. On this one night, October 31st, they believed spirits, ghosts, goblins and fairies came down from the hills into the towns. Some people believed if you left "treats" on the front porch for the spirits and ghosts, this would make them happy and they would not hurt you." Now, check out these recipes for some Halloween "Spirits" and enjoy yourself this Halloween.

Have fun and drink responsibly!

Mark Harvey (this is what I look like after a few drinks...)

Halloween Libations

Many people will have Halloween parties since Halloween is on a Friday this year (YES!). The majority of these parties will have spirits - high spirits, spirits of the dearly departed, and of course distilled spirits. So...I can't help you with the spirits of the dearly departed, but I found some solutions for the distilled variety and can tell you how to raise your spirits with said distilled spirits in the form of the noble pumpkin martini and some other recipes I've unearthed.

Pumpkin martini's might be a bit of an acquired taste (I wouldn't know - I'm not much of a fan). People either love them or hate them but they're more than worth making at your Halloween gathering as an expression of the season. This year I think I might try my hand at 'em since, what the heck...sounds like a good idea. Here are three pumpkin martini recipes that I found on the net.

Pumpkin Martini
1/2 oz. Drambuie Sylk Cream Liqueur
2 oz. Absolut Vanilla vodka
1/2 oz. pumpkin liqueur
1 tsp. whipped cream
Cinnamon stick for garnish

Pour the Drambuie Sylk Liqueur and vodka into a shaker filled with ice and shake well. Add the pumpkin liqueur and shake. Strain into chilled cocktail glass. Top with teaspoon of whipped cream. Garnish with cinnamon stick.

Pumpkin Pie Martini
4 oz. of Smirnoff vodka
1 oz. Stolichnaya Vanilla vodka
Cocktail Candy Vanilla Shake cocktail sugar
Pumpkin spice

Pour all of the liquid ingredients into a shaker 1/4 full of cracked ice and shake. Allow shaker to rest while rimming two iced martini glasses with Vanilla Cocktail Candy Rim Sugar. Strain martini into glasses. Garnish with a shake of pumpkin pie spice.

Everything Nice
2 oz. Modern Spirits Pumpkin Pie Vodka
1 oz. Heavy Cream
2 tsp. Maple Syrup
Splash of Orange Liqueur
Graham cracker crumbs
Combine all ingredients in shaker and shake hard. Strain into a graham cracker-rimmed glass.

For other Fall drinks visit the Modern Spirits website.

Check out The Webtender (http://www.webtender.com/specials/halloween/) and their Halloween list of drinks.

And here's a few more for your party...

WITCH'S BREW

Ingredients:

1 package orange Kool-aid

1 package grape Kool-aid

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 quarts water

Add 1 fifth vodka

A nice chunk of dry ice

Mix these ingredients well in large punch bowl or any large container

Enjoy!

BLOOD

Ingredients:

1 oz. bourbon

1/2 oz. lime juice

1 tsp. Tequila

Tomato juice

In a Collins glass pour bourbon and lime juice over ice

Fill remaining glass with tomato juice

Top with Tequila

BRAIN HEMORRHAGE

Ingredients:

1 oz. vodka

1 oz. gin

1 oz. tequila

1 tsp. Bailey's Irish Cream

2 drops grenadine

1 Cherry

In an Old Fashioned or rock glass, shake vodka, gin, & tequila with ice, strain, add cherry, spoon Bailey's then top with grenadine

Irish Ghost

Ingredients:
1 oz. Coffee Liqueur

2 oz. Cream

1 oz. Irish Cream

1 oz. Irish Mist

Mix together with crushed ice in a glass and garnish with mint leaves

Black Cat

Ingredients:
1 part Apricot Brandy

1 part Coffee Liqueur

1 part Sambuca

Serve in lowball glass

Black Witch

Ingredients:
0.25 oz. Apricot Brandy

0.5 oz. Pineapple Juice

1.5 oz. Amber Rum

0.25 oz. Dark Rum

Fill a mixing glass with ice and add all ingredients. Shake and strain into a chilled glass

Ghostbuster

Ingredients:

1 part Coffee Liqueur

1 part Irish Cream

1 part Vodka

Serve in lowball glass

The Green Ghost

Ingredients:

1 oz. Blue Curacao

1 shot Gin

3 oz. Orange juice

1 oz. Peach Schnapps

2 shots Vodka

The Gin MUST be a citrus gin to taste as it was intended. Pour orange juice over ice, then mix in the appropriate amounts of alcohol

And for those of you who favor beer - have no fear...this is Pumpkin Ale season! So many on the market these days (and I've tried most if not all of them). Still I go back to the local favorite from Buffalo Bill's Brewery in Hayward, CA (click here for their site). Good food, good beer...highly recommended.

Happy Drinking!

Mark Harvey