Spooky Spirits: Halloween Cocktail Favorites

Devilish delights for any Halloween party!

By ERIKA TARANTAL
Updated 4:59 PM EST, Sat, Oct 31, 2009

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Don't let this "booze" scare you!  Here are four Halloween cocktail favorites courtesy of Jonathan Pogash, the head mixologist at Bookmarks Lounge in Midtown.

"The Candy Corn"

1 1/2 parts Kettle Corn-infused Bombay Sapphire Gin*

1/2 part Sauvignon Blanc wine

Halloween Cocktail Favorites

Halloween Cocktail Favorites
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Halloween Cocktail Favorites

3/4 part home-made citrus peel grenadine syrup**

Directions: Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake very well.  Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Garnish: 3 candy corns

*to make Kettle Corn-infused Bombay Sapphire: for every 750ml bottle of Bombay Sapphire, add in 1 cup kettle corn and allow to infuse in an airtight container for approx. 24 hrs.  Fine strain kettle corn and re-bottle.  Store in fridge.

**to make grenadine syrup: for every 1 cup of POM wonderful pomegranate juice, dissolve 1 cup granulated sugar over stove top.  Once dissolved, add in the skins of 1 orange and 1 lemon and simmer for 10 mins.  Remove skins and chill syrup.

"Vampire’s Delight"

2 oz. VeeV Acai Spirit

1 oz. Blood Orange Juice

5 mint leaves

1/4 oz. fresh lime juice

Directions: Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice (except for grenadine) and shake very well.  Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Garnish: grenadine soaked lime wheel

"Sour Witch"

1 1/2 oz. Lucid 

3/4 oz. Almond Syrup (Monin)

1/2 oz. fresh lime juice

3 or 4 pitted sour cherries

Sparkling wine or Champagne

Directions: In the bottom of a mixing glass, muddle the sour cherries in the lime juice and almond syrup.  Add the Lucid with ice and shake very well.  Strain into a chilled champagne flute.  Top with sparkling wine or champagne.

Garnish: freshly grated nutmeg 

"Jack-o-Lantern Punch"

2 oz. Flor de Cana 7-yr Grand Reserve

1 oz. Clove syrup**

1 oz. fresh lemon juice

1 oz. apple cider

1 lemon peel

1 pinch pumpkin pie spice

Chilled club soda

Directions: Combine all ingredients (except for club soda) with ice and stir until adequate amount of ice is dissolved.  Strain into punch glass or hollowed-out pumpkin.  Top w/ club soda.

Garnish: apple and pear slices and cinnamon sticks

**can be made in large format for multiple people.

**clove syrup: dissolve equal parts demerara sugar and water over heat, along w/ 1 tbsp. cloves.  Simmer for several minutes, then strain out cloves and chill. 

If you want to learn more about "the cocktail guru," check out his Web site.

First Published: Oct 31, 2009 9:10 AM EST

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