Diá de los Muertos, or The Day of The Dead, is a Mexican holiday that dates back hundreds of years to an Aztec festival dedicated to the goddess Mictecacihuatl (Queen of Mictlan, the Underworld in Aztec mythology). It is a holiday celebrated throughout the world that remembers friends and family members who have died with prayer, favorite foods of the dearly departed and gatherings in homes, churches and cemeteries. The festivities start on October 31st and continue through November 2nd.
Alters (ofrendas) are erected, foods are shared and colorful sugar skulls and skeletons join the party from the beyond. Generally November 1st is dedicated to children and infants who have died (Día de los Inocentes, "Day of the Innocents" or Día de los Angelitos, "Day of the Little Angels") and November 2 is reserved for the adults (Día de los Muertos or Día de los Difuntos, "Day of the Dead").
The three-day fiesta is filled with marigolds (the flowers of the dead), muertos (the bread of the dead), sugar skulls, cardboard skeletons, decorations, fruit and nuts, incense, fireworks, and the sharing of gifts, favorite foods and drinks of those who have passed on with both the living and the dead.
To celebrate my loved ones from beyond I have created this lively and delicious craft cocktail:
GRINNING SKULL
Day of the Dead Cocktail
INGREDIENTS
1-1/2 Oz. Tequila
3 Oz. Pineapple Juice
1-3/4 Oz. Orange Juice
1 Oz. Lime Juice
1 Oz. Triple Sec
Dash of Chipotle Sauce
Splash of Grenadine
Garnish: Orange Slices, Black and White Sprinkles, Day of the Dead Gummy Skulls
DIRECTIONS
Dip your glass rim into Pineapple juice, then into the sprinkles. Chill your glass in the freezer. Fill a fun skull glass with ice then add the tequila, triple sec, juices and chipotle sauce and stir well. Pour in the grenadine which will sink to the bottom. Add your gummy skulls and orange slices to a cocktail pick and set this across the rim. Enjoy as you celebrate your dear departed.
Hay más tiempo que vida.
There is more time than life.
Updated Nov. 2017
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One of the scariest movies I saw as a little kid was "The Mummy" starring Boris Karloff. One of the most fun movie series I've seen as an adult is "The Mummy -The Mummy Returns" starring Brendan Fraser. I like mummies! Don't ask me why, I suppose I have mummy issues.
When I happened on some adorable gummy candies in the shape of a mummy I knew I had to do a cocktail using that as the garnish. I have my cute black and white hand painted martini glasses that I made a few years ago and decided a black martini was required.
That meant sacrificing my very last bottle of Blavod* Vodka. But then I had hoarded two cases for years** just for Halloween cocktails so what was I silently kvetching about? I pulled the last bottle of my beloved black spirit from the box and cracked it open. I swear a cold wind passed through my body and a sigh whispered past my ear as that bottle opened . . . or maybe the gummy mummies were coming back to life. But I digress.
The recipe also had to be fruit based because the gummy candies are fruity and I always repeat the flavors of my cocktails in their garnish. I didn't want to desaturate the black color so I pulled out my Chambord and Blue Curacao. These not only added a deep purple depth to the black but they brought citrus and black raspberry flavors to play! A bit later I grabbed my Homemade Blueberry Simple Syrup to add a bit more fruit and some extra body and sweetness to the cocktail then squeezed a bit of lime in for a dash more acidity.
A few tears over lost vodka, a few cocktails to get the balance right, a few more shakes of my trusty Boston andThe Mummy Returns:
REVENGE OF THE
MUMMYTINI
INGREDIENTS
2 Oz. Blavod Black Vodka
(Yes, you can color plain vodka if needs be)
1/2 Oz. Blue Curacao
1/2 Oz. Chambord
1 Tbsp. Blueberry Syrup
1 Tsp. Fresh Lime Juice
GARNISH: Gummy Mummy
DIRECTIONS
Chill glass in the freezer. Add your Blavod Vodka, Blue Curacao, Chambord, the blueberry simple syrup and the lime juice to a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake until chilled. Pour, rub the rim with a bit of lime zest, garnish the drink with the gummy mummy and enjoy by the light of a Halloween moon.
VOICEOVER VIDEO WITH INGREDIENTS AND DIRECTIONS:
Have no fear of creatures that go bump in the night, your mummy will protect you.
*A Little 411 on Blavod Vodka:
Blavod is a premium vodka distilled in the UK which uses the herb Black Catechu to achieve their black colored vodka. The company's media states this herb is used because it doesn't add flavor and it fosters a smoother taste (less burn) from the herb's tannins. The herb itself, particularly the deep black variety, has a slightly sweet acerbic taste and, though I've tried, I have never been able to detect the taste in the straight vodka, let alone in a cocktail. The color is truly a deep black and it is a superior vodka, suitable for sipping unadorned, especially when ice cold from the freezer!
**There was a disruption in the importation of Blavod to the United States back in 2015, disrupting my black cocktails for a few years. These days I lay in a good supply of favorite spirits just in case there's some kind of import SNAFU or some fool in Beancounterville decides to pull a product I love just because it doesn't make them profits!
Updated 10-2021
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The HALLOWEEN VISITATION
A Cocktale of Horror and Vodka
By The Martini Diva
Once upon a late night dreary,
as I sat most weak and weary,
to sip some Crystal Head alone
and rest my soul and ease my bones,
there came a knocking at my door.
Knock, knock, knocking at that door,
They kept on knocking evermore!
I dragged my feet across the floor,
(while under breath I softly swore.)
Upon my stoop were birds galore;
at least a gang of ten or more!
Raven black and swathed in gore,
they whispered from their spectral corps,
"We cannot find a liquor store,
would you share your vodka pour?"
Shocked was I, and very leery,
Black birds begging booze? 'Twas eerie!
So to these specters this I said,
"Be gone you crows, you spirits dread!
You cannot have my Crystal Head!
So do not beg, do not implore,
I share this Vodka NEVERMORE!"
They took no heed, they would not stop!
So at their heads an ax I chopped.
Feathers flew and squawks arose,
it froze me right straight to my toes!
When at last their cries grew still,
I threw their corpses on the grill.
Some lemon juice, some herbs, fine ground;
my dinner soon began to brown.
When they were done, most nicely roasted,
With Crystal Head to them I toasted.
©2014 by TheMartiniDiva.Com
The
RAVEN'S WING COCKTAIL
Thanks to Crystal Head Vodka and BevMo for the inspiration.
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I've already done several Candy Corn Martinis, including my original, my Sparkling Candy Corn Martini and my Candy Corn Creeptini as well as my Candy Corn Vodka. But when I happened on some fun, over sized candy corn gummy candies, and remembered that October 30th is National Candy Corn Day, I had to add this recipe to my Halloween cocktail line up, cocktail being the operative word since this old family recipe won't fit in a martini glass!
In fact, it doesn't go in a glass at all, it goes in a jar! Serving cocktails in jars is a trending thing lately. I think it has to do with the popularity of modern day moonshine and, since this is made with homemade candy corn moonshine inspired by my Granny's recipe, it's a perfect fit. After all, it is Corn Moonshine!
First, you have to distill your
Candy Corn Moonshine!
(Since I don't have Granny's still anymore and can't brew up some real corn likker, I've had to make some modern day adjustments to the old family recipe.):
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Candy Corn Gummy Candy
1 Bottle of Vodka
DIRECTIONS: Combine together in a 2 quart canning jar and let this sit a spell while the candy dissolves. A good 24 hours ought to git 'er done. Shake the bottle up good whenever you pass by. Once your candy has mostly dissolved, strain the whole passel of 'shine through a clean cloth into a nice clean mason jar. No need to age, Granny never did.
GRANNY MARTINI'S A'SPESHUL
CANDY CORN COCKTAIL
1/2 C. Candy Corn Moonshine (Vodka)
1/4 C. Pineapple Juice
1/4 C. Orange Juice
Juice of Half A Lemon
1 Tablespoon Grenadine
Orange Sugar Crystals
Candy Corn Gummies
Half Orange Slices
Dip your glass rim into some of that there candy corn moonshine then into the orange sugar crystals then chill in the ice box. (The good 'un in the house, not the old 'un on the porch) Add the lemon juice, orange juice, pineapple juice and candy corn moonshine to a large jar filled with ice and shake 'er up 'til chilled. Pour into a nice cold jelly jar filled with some fun ice cubes, float the grenadine (which will sink to the bottom) and make it right purty with the candy corn gummies and slices of orange.
Sit on yer porch and enjoy but put yer shotgun in the cupboard. Ya'll don't want to mistake the li'l Trick or Treaters for the revenuers while yer in yer cups!
FYI, here's just a few other names for moonshine:
White Lightening, Kickapoo Juice, Blue John, Cat Daddy, Hooch, Happy Sally, Mountain Dew, Red Eye, Rot Gut, Tennessee White, Wild Cat
Another bit of moonshine trivia:
NASCAR grew out of moonshining! Yep, those good ole boys who learned their driving skills on the backroads of moonshine country took the souped up cars they designed to outrun Johnny Law to the racetracks after Prohibition and so began the start of NASCAR! Read more about the beginnings of NASCAR and Junior Johnson here.
Here in moonshine country we don't hide crazy. We parade it on the porch and give it a cocktail!
~ Anonymous
National Candy Corn Day is October 30th
Updated 10-2025
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Every body's heard of a Dirty Martini but how many of you have tried a Dirty Bloody Mary? It's one of my favorite ways to enjoy a Bloody and I really like enjoying Bloody Marys. I love how the olive brine cuts the sweetness you can sometimes experience with bottled tomato juices. Plus it gives me a great excuse to load up on the olive garnishes.
This is also a great way to drink some "hair of the dog" (Ah heck, it's Halloween. Let's call it hair of the werewolf!) to combat the toxic waste of overindulgence! Which is why this glass with the skull and crossbones is a perfect vessel. It also looks really nice with my bottle of Crystal Head Vodka which is a great quality vodka for a great drink! And it's a pretty cool look for a Halloween cocktail.
Below is my personal recipe for a
DIRTY BLOODY MARY
2 Oz. Crystal Head Vodka
6 Oz. Tomato Juice
3 Drops Chipotle Hot Sauce
4 Drops Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 Tsp. Prepared Horseradish Sauce
Juice of 1/4 Lime
1 Tbsp. Olive Juice
1 Tsp. Celery Powder
1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder
Cracked Black Pepper
Sea Salt & Smoked Paprika for Rim
Assorted Garnishes, like celery sticks, olives, pickled green beans
Mix together the sea salt and smoked paprika in a flat plate. Dip your glass rim in some tomato juice then into the sea salt and paprika mixture. Fill glass with ice balls then tap the drops of chipotle hot sauce on the ice. Add the Worcestershire sauce, horseradish, celery powder, garlic powder, olive juice, sea salt to your taste and black pepper then pour in the vodka and tomato juice. Stir until well mixed, squeeze in the lime juice and garnish with a good bunch of edible snacks.
Try out all my other
BLOODY MARY RECIPES
Keep Calm and Drink A
Dirty Bloody Mary!
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Updated 9-2016
Halloween isn't complete without a worm or two to serve to your ghoulish guests. Your Halloween creep factor rises by serving some slimy but sweet little wriggling critters who met their demise by drowning in rum.
GUMMY RUMMY
First you have to make your Gummy Rum and you'll need a full day for the worms to decompose so plan ahead! To make your dead worm juice simply take 30 orange and red sour gummy worms and pour 8 ounces of white rum over them, shaking often to speed up the decaying process of the worms. Strain out whatever leftover worm carcasses are left, bottle and chill.
INGREDIENTS
1-1/2 Oz. Gummy Rum
1/2 Oz. Pineapple Juice
Black and Orange Cake Sprinkles
Gummy Worm Garnish.
DIRECTIONS
Dip the rim of a shooter into pineapple juice then into the sprinkles. Pour in the chilled Gummy Rum and top off with the pineapple juice. Lay a gummy worm over the rim.
Shoot or sip, watch out for the worm!
Pleasure only starts once the worm has got into the fruit, to become delightful happiness must be tainted with poison.
~ Georges Bataille
UPDATED 10-2018
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I can't let one more Halloween go by without a nod to my youth and one of the most iconic rock bands of the Flower Power generation, The Grateful Dead.
Yes, my fellow Deadheads, below is your passport back to the past, The Perfect Trip - cocktail style - Truckin' in just in time for All Hallows Eve!
THE GRAPEFUL DEAD MOJITO
1-1/2 Oz. Light Rum
Splash Purple Grape Juice
2 Fresh Lime Quarters
4 Oz. Club Soda
Tablespoon Agave Syrup
Fresh Purple Grapes, split in half
12 Leaves Fresh Mint
Lime Twist
Mint Sprig
Small Ice Block to fit glass
Chill your glass in the freezer. Pop the mint in between your palm to release the oils. Muddle the mint, lime quarters and grapes in the bottom of your glass to release grape and lime juice. Add your ice and pour the agave syrup over the ice, add your rum, soda and stir to mix. Top off with the grape juice and garnish with mint sprig, lime twist and a few full grapes. I slid my grapes onto the straw and then popped out the itty bitty grape meat cylinders after inserting each grape.
If you peek closely, you might spy Jerry's skeleton frozen in time in the ice.
(Yes, I froze a nicely cleaned skeleton in the ice block and as the ice slowly melts UP pops Jerry!)
Play Grateful Deads' "Friend of the Devil" - Skeletons from the Closet while you sip!
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