Calling all witches and warlocks, my favorite holiday is approaching: Halloween!
If you are like me, you’ve been spending the last few weeks decorating and preparing your own Spooktacular. Or maybe you’re smarter and plan on being a guest to a Monster Bash.
Either way, we’ve got you covered with easy drink recipes that will impress and fabulous treats that are just an uber ride away.
The (Boo)ze
Hocus Pocus Punch
2 (750-milliliter) bottles of your favorite mild red wine
1 cup orange juice (pulp free)
1/4 cup of Grand Marnier
24 ounces club soda
2 oranges, thinly sliced
1 cup fresh blackberries or fruit of your choosing
2. Combine sugar mixture, red wine, orange juice, and Grand Marnier in a large container; cover and chill for 4 hours. Stir in club soda, oranges, and fruit just before serving. Serve over ice.
Black Magic
1/4 cup ice
1/2 cup orange juice (pulp free)
1 1/2 ounces of your favorite vodka
2 drops of black food coloring gel
1/2 ounce triple sec
Orange wedge (optional for garnish)
1. In a cocktail shaker, add orange juice and triple sec over ice. Shake well, and strain into a glass.
2. In a separate container, pour vodka and two drops of black food coloring. Mix it up until vodka is black. Now you have black vodka!
3. Using the back of a spoon, pour black vodka slowly into a glass so that the vodka sits atop the orange juice and triple sec mix.
4. (Optional) Carefully dip one edge of the orange wedge into the vodka for presentation and place it on the rim of the glass.
The Treats
A favorite of Hungry Lobbyist staff, Centrolina’s pastry chef, Caitlin Dysart has created a Halloween dessert menu featuring: a devil’s food cupcake with mocha ganache and devil horn garnish, a ghost-themed lemon cupcake with raspberry jam and coconut frosting, spider web pizzelle cookies, a chocolate witch’s hat shortbread topped with chocolate-covered marshmallow, and caramel popcorn balls. Are you done drooling? Okay, good. The items will be available from October 26-31 and range in price from $2-$3.50. Pick up a dozen of these treats and be the hero of your Halloween party.
Want to go even bigger? Buttercream Bakeshop has also joined in on the ghoulish fun offering skull king candy bars sprinkled with magical vodka-mixed gold dust and stuffed with meringue and caramel, 3D mini chocolate skulls stuffed with devilishly decadent red velvet Oreo cookies & cream filling, and pumpkin and ghost-shaped sugar cookies with hand-painted faces, gold edging and rosy tinting.
Going to a party across the river? No worries! Buzz Bakeshop’s Ballston and Alexandria locations will be offering a limited assortment of halloween cupcakes and cookies that will be available starting October 18. All cookies are $4 and the cupcakes are $4.25.