The only thing scary about most Halloween-themed cocktails is how frightfully bad they taste. From the ghastly Candy Corn (equal parts Baileys, vanilla liqueur and butterscotch Schnapps), to the merely gut-wrenching Jack-O-Tini (bourbon, sour-apple Schnapps and cranberry juice), devil’s night drinks tend to taste more like tricks than treats. Which is why I’d suggest you shake up one of the following concoctions. Unless, of course, you really are trying to poison your guests.
These cocktails can be enjoyed at any time of the year, despite their spooky sounding monikers. As with most parties involving more than a half dozen revelers, batching drinks beforehand means you get to spend more time with guests than slinging drinks. To batch these or most any cocktail, just multiple the amount of each ingredient by the number of drinks you want to make.
Blood Orange Margarita
A sanguinary take on the classic tequila-based sour that would be tasty year-round.
1 1/2 oz freshly squeezed blood orange juice
1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
1 ounce Combier or Cointreau (or 1/2 oz agave nectar)
2 ounce blanco tequila
Combine all ingredients, along with generous amount of ice cubes, in shaker and shake like the devil’s chasing you. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass or old-fashioned glass (either may be salt-rimmed, if you like) filled with ice. Garnish with a blood orange wedge and a sprig of fresh sage.
This article appears in Oct 21-27, 2010.