Halloween and Day of the Dead Cocktails

Halloween is a day of costumes and collecting candy for kids. Adults may prefer their sweets in cocktail form, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

This year I’ll be in Los Cabos, Mexico, for Halloween and Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), a festive holiday that takes place just after Halloween. It seems only fitting that I include some tequila-based libations to cover the Spanish celebrations.

Kahlua Pumpkin Martini

1 ½ parts Kahlua Pumpkin Spice*

1 ½ parts ABSOLUT Vodka

Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice.

Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass.

*Just tasted this recently and it’s delicious. Try some in your coffee!

Hocus Pocus Punch
1.5 oz Belvedere Vodka
1.5 oz Pomegranate Juice
1.5 oz Orange Juice
Dash Tabasco

Pour orange juice into a highball glass.
Shake rest of ingredients and layer over the top of the orange juice.
Garnish with a small orange disguised as a hallo-lantern.

Spooky Swizzle

2 oz Belvedere Bloody Mary

Pulp from one passion fruit

1 oz Blood orange juice

Dash Simple syrup

Build ingredients over crushed ice into a rocks glass.

Garnish with a slice of ruby red grapefruit.

Malibu® Skulls & Bones

1 part Malibu® Black

1 ½ parts Orange juice

1 ½ parts Pineapple juice

1 ½ parts Cranberry juice

Build in a pint glass with ice.

Garnish with black licorice.

Fright Night in the Grove

2 parts Jägermeister

½ part Reposado tequila

½ Part Simple Syrup

1 part fresh grapefruit juice

Combine ingredients in a shaker.

Add ice and shake well and strain into a rocks glass full of fresh ice.

Garnish with a grapefruit slice and a pinch of salt.

Jalisco Buck
2 oz Piedra Azul Blanco
1 oz Fresh lime juice
1 Large strawberries
3 oz Ginger ale

Muddle strawberries and lime juice at the bottom of a highball glass.
Add tequila and ice, and top with ginger ale.
Garnish with a lime wedge.
Optional: Use a salt rim.

P.S. Take a peek at my appearance this week on CILiving, a local CBS affiliate afternoon program. I made an indoor tailgating menu. Recipes for my Ciao! Guacamole, Almost Mole Chicken and Blackberry Passion Mojito follow the video.