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Article By Jason Rogers
The night that we all dread and love is fast approaching: Halloween. A night for ghosts and strong spirits, if you catch my drift. As a fan of the holiday, I’ve hosted many a party to great success. The key to bringing your Halloween party to life is the cocktails (cue evil laugh). For those of you hosting your own party this year I will share with you some great cocktails for your fright night, one for every occasion.
For a formal party:
If you are thinking of a masquerade type party or a murder mystery party, try this classy number, the Kir Royale. A blood red drink served in a champagne glass. It’s to die for (sorry, not sorry).
Kir Royale
In a champagne glass add 15 to 30ml of raspberry/currants liqueur (Creme De Cassis). Then fill rest of glass with champagne or sparkling wine and serve.
For a scary party:
Go for something deliciously creepy with a gross/cool shot like the Brain Hemorrhage.
Brain Hemorrhage
Fill a shot glass 2/3 of the way with peach schnapps. Next slowly pour Bailey’s Cream on top of the schnapps (use the back of a spoon to help you layer the cream). Finally pour a few drops of grenadine on top to create a beautifully horrifying shot.
For a magical party:
If you are itching for a reason to host a Harry Potter themed party…again, you can use this trick as an excuse. Much like witchcraft, this requires a little work. By using Butterfly Pea Tea, which you can buy on Taobao, you can create gorgeous sapphire drinks but the magic happens when you add a splash of citrus to the drink, the color actually changes to purple. It’s an awesome party trick and a little tea goes a long way so don’t steep for very long. Try adding some to a classic Gin and Tonic.
Magic G&T
Fill a glass with ice, then add 60ml of gin. Add 15ml of butterfly tea, then fill the rest of the glass with tonic. Just before serving add a splash of lime juice. Stir and be amazed.
For a night in:
If you are planning a scary movie night or just want something warm and low maintenance try either of these Autumn-appropriate drinks: Mulled Wine or Hot Apple Cider.
Mulled Wine
In a large pot add 1-2 bottles of cheap red wine. Then add 2 sticks of cinnamon (broken in half), 4-5 whole cloves, 2-3 whole star anise and 1-2 oranges sliced (optional). Turn the pot on to a low heat and let simmer for a minimum of 30 minutes, but you can let it go for an hour. Occasionally check and stir the pot then turn off the fire and let it sit for 2 minutes. Serve warm in your favorite mug and get cozy.
Hot Apple Cider
For the cider the recipe is exactly the same as the mulled wine, minus the oranges and instead of wine you just use apple juice. When you are finished add a shot or two of whiskey to your mug and you are ready to enjoy. This drink has the bonus of being kid friendly if you don’t add the liquor.
With this arsenal of drinks you can face any zombie horde or just get really drunk. It’s a choose-your-own-adventure kind of thing. Happy Halloween, and may your parties be spooky. Cheers!
Jason Rogers is a mixologist extraordinaire living in Xi’an.