Creepy cocktails: Create some monster mixes this Halloween

Kate Lawson / Detroit News Food Writer

Hey, what are you going to be this Halloween -- ghost, ghoul, zombie or Zorro? Whether your costume is scary, funny, political or just plain off-the-wall, you won't have to fear going thirsty, especially if you're hosting or attending a Halloween party.

The big night for gore and goblins falls on Saturday this year, and that means spirits will be roaming freely throughout many a Halloween bash.

The holiday for all things spooky serves as the perfect occasion to transform your cocktails into something frightful and festive. And it's easy. Just use cool glasses and gory garnishes, along with vibrant-colored liquors.

At Iridescence restaurant in MotorCity Casino, fine dining manager Georges Mokbel is a seasoned pro when it comes to creating cool cocktails, and he offers a couple of recipes to make your monster mash a graveyard smash.

"I've always been a chef, so I like to incorporate food into my cocktails," says Mokbel, who studied culinary arts in France under renowned chef Paul Bocuse, catered food at the Cannes Film Festival and has done consulting for a number of restaurants in Miami and New York. "I like to include food elements such as juicing or muddling fresh fruit and adding herbs and spices."

Mokbel's cocktails are über sophisticated without being complicated, and he loves to get creative with colors and textures -- sparkling wine, beautiful fruit and a stylish presentation. His other favorite ingredients -- cognac, port, red wine and Champagne -- also add a touch of class and can be a frightening image when a roomful of monsters and mummies is noisily quaffing from champagne glasses.

But if you're pressed for time, serving a packed house and don't mind not being a purist, there are plenty of fruit-infused liquors on the market that will make mixing up a brew much faster than muddling or juicing.

For a colorful cocktail, choose from such fluorescent liquids as creme de menthe, cranberry or pomegranate juice, grenadine and Midori melon liqueur. These can easily evoke a vampire's bloody kiss or a ghoulish green gulp.

Spirits run the gamut from designer vodka -- look for a black vodka, called Blavod -- to a black-spiced rum called The Kraken. You can also choose orange, blue or green Curacao for some vibrancy.

For dramatic effect, add some floating eyeballs, vampire teeth, rubber fingers or plastic spiders (available at party stores) to the concoction.

Just be sure to know your limit and drink responsibly. You certainly don't want to wake up with a ghoulish morning-after face.

Halloween party tips

• For home parties, have plenty of nonalcoholic beverages, provide plenty of ice and don't let guests drive if they've overindulged.

• Instead of stocking a home bar with a multitude of spirits and mixers, select a couple of fun drinks and stock up on the ingredients.

• Be sure to include beer and wine for those not wanting mixed drinks.

• Keep a cooler or black plastic "witch's cauldron" of dry ice for chilling; don't let guests handle the ice, however.

• Carve a scary jack-o'-lantern and set a glass container inside for a punch bowl.

• Keep a variety of spirits on hand if guests want to create their own special cocktail.

Ghoulish recipes

Looking for other frightful drink recipes? Check out these Web sites:

• www.webtender.com

• www.barmeister.com

• www.drinkoftheweek.com

Black Widow

1 1/2 ounces SKYY Infusions Raspberry Vodka

1/2 ounce Triple Sec

2 ounces pomegranate juice

Squeeze of fresh lemon juice

Raspberry syrup

Draw a spider web on the inside of a chilled martini glass with raspberry syrup. Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into chilled martini glass. Garnish with plastic spider.

The Cranium

Try Dan Aykroyd's favorite cocktail for Halloween.

1 1/2 ounces Crystal Head Vodka

Cranberry juice

Grenadine

Pour Crystal Head Vodka and cranberry juice over ice in a tall glass. Add a splash of grenadine (unstirred) on the top. Garnish with blood orange slice.

Midori Halloween Harvest

1 part Midori Melon Liqueur

1 part dark rum

1 part light rum

2 parts white cranberry juice

1 part unfiltered apple juice

1 part simple syrup

Juice of one lemon

For a punch bowl (32 ounces), use this recipe times 8. Add the liquid ingredients and mix well. Top with apple slices, blueberries and melon balls.

Haunted Forest

This champagne-based drink is courtesy of Georges Mokbel, fine dining manager at Iridescence restaurant in MotorCity Casino. Note: Elderflower syrup is available at IKEA and specialty food markets.

1/4 ounce Hypnotic

1/8 ounce blue Curacao

1/4 ounce elderflower syrup

Champagne or sparkling wine

Pour Hypnotic, blue Curacao and elderflower syrup directly in a chilled champagne glass. Stir lightly before topping with champagne.

Jack-O'-Lantern

2 ounces SKYY Infusions Citrus Vodka

1 ounce mango nectar or juice

1/2 ounce orange juice

1/2 ounce fresh sour (see recipe below)

Combine all of the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and pour into a goblet. Garnish with a slice of orange and a mint leaf placed flat on top.

Fresh Sour

1/4 ounce fresh lime juice

3/4 ounce simple syrup

Combine.

Vampire's Elixir

Strawberry syrup

1 1/2 ounces SKYY Infusions

Raspberry Vodka

3/4 ounce white chocolate liqueur

1 ounce half and half

Drizzle strawberry syrup on the inside and rim of a chilled martini glass. Combine rest of ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into martini glass. Garnish with vampire teeth.

Wicked Witch Apple Punch

1 750-ml bottle SKYY Infusions Passion Fruit Vodka

1 750-ml bottle sparkling apple cider

1 64-ounce bottle cranberry juice cocktail

1 liter ginger ale

2 cups pineapple juice

Red apple slices

Combine all ingredients in a large black witch's cauldron with ice and stir. Garnish with large slices of red apple floating on top and dry ice.

Red Zombie

1 1/2 ounces SKYY Vodka

3 ounces tomato juice

1/2 teaspoon finely grated horseradish

1 teaspoon barbeque sauce

3 dashes Worcestershire sauce

3 dashes Tabasco sauce

1/2 teaspoon finely chopped Chipotle en Adobo

Pinch of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Generous squeeze of lemon juice

Pinch of celery seeds

1 celery stick

2 large green olives

2 lychee fruits

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into martini glass. Garnish with green eyeballs, laid across the rim of the glass (see note).

Note: Cut the end of a stalk of celery so it measures 5-6 inches long and split the stick in half lengthwise. Slide the green olives into two lychee fruits to make eyeballs and push the thin celery stick through both as garnish.

klawson@detnews.com (313) 222-6026