Halloween Spirits

On Monday, the kids will go out and bring home candy by the bucket full. They will run around all of Dayton, princesses and heroes, having a good time and asking us all for tricks and treats.

Adults are allowed to have a good time for this holiday as well. Some adults have already had a great time dressing up for Masquerage (Editor’s note:  Brian managed the bars there this year), and if they missed that grand soiree, they have the Hauntfest to look forward to this weekend. While you are bouncing around the Oregon District, or at home throwing a party of you own, try offering (or asking for) these more adult candy treats. Some of these candy-based cocktails have multiple recipes, so the simplest recipe was used whenever possible. Also, specific brands of liquor have been removed unless that particular liquor’s flavor is required for the drink. Let’s begin with the fact that it is fall, and this is the best time of year for caramel covered apples.

Caramel Apple Martini

1 oz. tequila
1/2 oz. butterscotch schnapps
1 oz. apple cider
1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Shake vigorously with ice and strain into martini glass. Garnish with Apple Slice

Fall also brings bags and bags of candy corn. Some people love it (that would be me), and some people who don’t. Either way, it makes a tasty little shot.

Candy Corn Shot

1 part Licor 43® liqueur
1 part orange curacao liqueur
1 part cream

Carefully layer on top of each other to resemble the halloween candy. Lay down a layer of Licor 43 on the bottom of a shot glass. Then, over the back of a spoon, add the layer of orange curacao. On top, add the layer of cream (not milk. Milk does not layer all that well.)

While you are in a layering-candy-shots mood, here is another one for you to try out.

Bailey’s Chocolate Cherry

1/2 oz grenadine
1/2 oz coffee liqueur
1/2 oz Irish cream
Pour a layer of grenadine at the bottom of a shot glass. Then, over the back of a spoon to disperse and control the pour, add a layer of coffee liqueur. Finally, layer the Irish cream on top.

It is apparent you can use Peeps for anything. Even as the basis for, and garnish of, a sweet martini.

Peeping Halloween Martini

Scary for so many reasons

1 oz. milk
1 oz. vanilla vodka
1/2 oz. white crème de cacao
1 Halloween Marshmallow Peep

Pour the milk, vodka, and crème de cocoa into a mixing glass with ice in it. Shake vigorously and pour into a chilled martini glass. Use the Peep as a garnish

There are plenty of delicious candy bars out there, and good bartenders across the country have been trying to recreate them in liquid form for many years. Fortunately, they have been very successful going about it.

Liquid Snickers

1 oz. dark crème de cacao
1/2 oz. Irish cream
1/2 oz. Frangelico
1/2 oz. light cream

Pour the crème de cacao, Irish cream, and Frangelico over ice in an old-fashioned or other taller glass. Top with the light cream, give it a stir, and enjoy.

Almond Joy

1/2 oz. coconut rum
1 oz. amaretto
1 oz. crème de cacao
2 oz. cream

Fill a mixing glass with ice, add all of the ingredients. Shake, then strain it into a highball glass filled with ice.

Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker. -Ogden Nash

Butterfinger

1 1/2 oz. butterscotch schnapps
1 1/2 oz. Irish cream
2 parts milk

Fill glass with ice. Pour Butterscotch Schnapps and Bailey’s into the glass. Fill with Milk. Shake. Serve with sip straw.

Milky Way Martini

2 oz vanilla vodka
2 oz chocolate liqueur
1 oz Irish cream

Fill a mixing glass with ice, add all of the ingredients. Stir it up and serve in a chilled cocktail glass without ice.

Tootsie Roll

2 oz. coffee liqueur
2 oz. orange juice

I know how it reads. Pour the coffee liqueur over ice in a shorter glass. Fill the rest of the glass with the orange juice. Believe it or not, it will taste like a Tootsie Roll.

Peppermint Patty

1 oz. crème de menthe
1 oz. crème de cacao
Splash of vanilla vodka or vanilla schnapps

Fill a mixing glass with ice, add the ingredients. Shake it up, and pour it over ice in a short glass.

With an array of cocktails like that for your weekend, you should have no shortage of shots, martinis, and other liquid confections for your guests or your travels this holiday weekend. However, the phrase we hear is “TRICK or treat”. If you are feeling a little feisty, or are looking to play a trick on someone who has been particularly mischievous, here is a little something that is not sweet. Not a treat in the least.

The Graveyard

1 oz. hot sauce
1 oz. tequila
Lemon lime soda

Pour the hot sauce and tequila over ice. Fill the rest of the glass with lemon lime soda. Stir a little, and then serve to your unsuspecting victim.

Cheers!