Thanks to a noticeably new crispness in the air, On the Sauce’s countdown to Halloween has begun. So in the spirit of the season, we’re making spooky drinks and shots leading up to the big day. (Check out last year’s tasty-meets-creepy Halloween recipe, the Evil Eyes Martini.)
The three-part series will spotlight beverages paired with suggested movies that I hope you’ll enjoy while sipping. Horror films are kinda my thing. This week’s theme? Vampires.
Vampires have enjoyed a major renaissance over the years through productions like True Blood and Twilight. But on screen, the undead beings date back as far as 1922, the release year of what some consider one of the best horror flicks of all time: Nosferatu.
A few vampire movies I’d match with the featured recipes: From Dusk Till Dawn (horror action thriller), What We Do in the Shadows (horror comedy), and the original Let the Right One In (horror drama). All three are worth your time.
Now, let’s get to mixing. Bleeding Heart Shots are crucial to any vampire’s eternal life. When there isn’t fresh blood to feast on, you’ve got to have reserves. Lucky for us, these boozy blood vials include Smirnoff and pomegranate juice. I picked up the vials, which act as your shot glass, from Target for less than $4, and — bonus — they come filled with sprinkles. Might as well bake some Halloween-inspired cupcakes for your watch party while you’re at it.
Our cocktail, called The Blood Sucker, is essentially a gin sour. You just need a bottle of your favorite gin (I used Beefeater London Dry Gin), lemons, sugar and some hibiscus tea. Look for the tea at your nearest grocery store, or buy dried hibiscus flowers from a Latin market and steep those instead.
Check back over next two weeks as we celebrate all the ghouls, goblins and libations of Halloween.
Makes 4
4 parts Smirnoff Sours Fruit Punch
4 parts pomegranate juice
4 splashes grenadine
4 splashes pineapple or orange juice
Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Add all ingredients and shake until chilled. Strain evenly into 4 blood vials.
The Blood Sucker
Makes 1
3 ounces gin (I used Beefeater London Dry Gin)
2 ounces fresh squeezed lemon juice
2 ounces simple syrup
2 ounces fresh brewed hibiscus tea
In a cocktail shaker filled halfway with ice, add gin, lemon juice and simple syrup. Shake until chilled. Pour into a chilled martini glass. Float a small layer of hibiscus tea on top. Garnish with a pair of plastic vampire teeth.
Follow @cfasick on Twitter, or email him at cdfasick@gmail.com if there's a cocktail or recipe you'd like featured.
This article appears in Oct 6-13, 2016.