Halloween Drink Suggestions

Since today's Halloween, I thought I'd give you some suggestions for drinks you might want to serve at your costume party tonight. They aren't very difficult to make and the ingredients are readily available.

The first drink up on our menu is the Fallen Angel Martini. Fill a mixing glass with ice, and pour in equal parts vanilla vodka, Irish cream, hazelnut liqueur and chocolate liqueur and a dash of cream (half&half or milk works). Shake it and strain it into a chilled glass. To go top shelf on this drink, my suggestions would be to get Stoli Vanilla, Frangelico (hazelnut) and Godiva (chocolate) and I'd always use Bailey's, but that's me. St. Brendan's, Carolan's and even McCormick's will work.

Next up on the menu is the Banshee (aka White Monkey). Pour 1/2 oz. each of white creme de cacao and banana liqueur into your mixing glass full of ice and add 2 oz. of milk or cream. Shake it and strain it into a rocks glass half full of ice.

Number three on the list is the Bermuda Triangle (spooky place, right?). Fill a tall (pint) glass with ice and pour in 1 oz. of spiced rum (Captain Morgan's as an example), 1 oz. of peach schnapps and fill the rest of the glass with orange juice. Shake it and serve it.

I've saved my personal favorite (for looks and taste) for last. It's called the Bloody Brain, and if you do it right, it'll taste good, but it'll look disgusting. I've made those for people and when they say that it looks disgusting, I say, "Thank you," because I know I did it right. This is one of those drinks where you probably want a pour spout on your bottles and why will become apparent in a minute. This glass also works best in either a pony glass or Dutch cordial glass for the looks. Fill the glass 3/4 full of strawberry schnapps. Next, you want to fill the rest with Irish cream, but a little bit at a time. Hold your finger over the big hole on the pour spout and pour it out of the air hole. To get it to pour this way, you may have to rock the bottle back and forth. What you want is to get a lava lamp effect going with the Irish cream. Stop there and you have a Brain. To make it bloody, you start pouring in grenadine, drop by drop. Pour it the same way you did the Irish cream. When there's enough grenadine in it, it will drop to the bottom of the glass, producing the "Ugh!" factor you're looking for. It may look bad, but it tastes like strawberries & cream with a touch of cherry.

Have a happy Halloween and remember, please drink responsibly.