The U. S. MARINE CORPS MARTINI

At the Marine Corps base in Quantico, Virginia there sits an exact replica of the original Tun Tavern, the birthplace of the United States Marine Corps. In this present day Tun Tavern they have served the U.S. Marine Corps Martini for over 50 years. This cocktail is sometimes also referred to as a 5:4:3:2:1 Martini because of the ingredient ratios.
On this day, the birthday of the United States Marine Corps, it seems appropriate to serve this cocktail honor of those who served and those who continue to serve our country as proud Marines.
Semper Fi and Cheers!
The U. S. MARINE CORPS Martini
INGREDIENTS 5 parts Vodka 4 parts Gin 3 Ice Cubes 2 parts Pale Dry Sherry 1 part Water
DIRECTIONS Place all the ingredients in a mixing glass and freeze several hours. The water and ice cubes allow for some dilution and should create a slight freezing of the ingredients. Do not shake or stir. Strain into chilled martini glass and serve. No garnish is served with this cocktail.

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IDEAL COCKTAILS for DAY OF THE DEAD, DIOS DE LOS MUERTOS!

October 31st is the official start of an annual three day, Mexican holiday Diá de los Muertos aka Day of the Dead.
It's my favorite time of the year, first Halloween and Diá de los Muertos. I have a thing for both holidays as knell as the skeletons, skulls and cocktails that go with them. In fact, I've done quite a few skeleton and skull themed drinks in my tenure as The Martini Diva. I just love a cocktail with good bones. Make no bones about it, these are the best cocktails for the Halloween, Day of the Dead Season.
Pardon the bone puns. I'll stop now.

DAY OF THE DEAD COCKTAILS for DIÁ DE LOS MUERTOS BLOODY BOILERMAKER CORPSE REVIVER LIVES AGAIN DEM BONES, DEM BONES SHAKE DRUNK SKELETONS IN THE CLOSET GRAPEFUL DEAD MOJITO GRINNING SKULL NAKED SKULL MARTINI RATTLED SKULL COCKTAIL SKELETON'S DELIGHT MARTINI SPARKLING SKELETON SANGRIA ZOMBE ANEURYSM SKULL SLUSHY

Updated November 2017

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FrankenStein of Horror Cherry Cola Ale & Rum Halloween Cocktail

It's Halloween! Let's party like monsters!!

I found two adorable Frankenstein tapas plates and just had to do one more Halloween themed cocktail to use them as props. Being the lover of bad puns that I am, I also had to do a drink that played on the "stein" in Frankenstein. That meant some kind of beer and I just recently reviewed Best Damn Cherry Cola Ale and had a bottle left. A little help from some black rum, a bit of chocolate and monstrous mixings were afoot. Think Dr. Victor stirring up a reanimated Rum and Coke instead of a man.
Sad, cobbled together monster that he is, Frankenstein could probably use a good drink.

"Look! It's moving. It's sha — it's... it's alive. It's alive... It's alive, it's moving, it's alive! It's alive, it's alive, it's alive! It's ALIVE!" Frankenstein, 1931, Universal Pictures

FrankenStein of Horror Halloween Cocktail A Flagon Full of Frightful Fun
INGREDIENTS 1-1/2 Oz. Captain Morgan's Black Spiced Rum 1 Oz. Dark Crème de Cacao 6 Oz. Best Damn Cherry Cola Ale
Garnish: Gummy Candy Hand, Halloween Straws
Glass: Beer Mug
DIRECTIONS Add the rum and crème de cacao to the cocktail shaker and shake these ingredients until chilled. Pour into an ice filled stein and top off with the cherry cola ale. Garnish with something fun and serve.
VOICEOVER VIDEO WITH INGREDIENTS AND DIRECTIONS:

"You have created a Monster and he will destroy you." Frankenstein, 1931, Universal Pictures

Updated 10-2021 PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

A BERRY, BERRY BLACK CAT COCKTAIL

October 29th is National Cat Day, National Black Cat Day is October 27th and Black Cat Appreciation Day is August 17th so I had to do this cocktail. Not that I haven't given a cocktail homage to black cats before with my classic Black Cat Martini, but I found this pretty cool cat-face bucket that was perfect for a decent sized on-the-rocks drink and I just had to use it.
For this particular cat themed cocktail recipe I went "berry" over the top with deep, blackish, berry liqueurs and a black vodka base. I was inspired by the fact that my cat wingman, Bailey, won't let me eat a berry without sharing with him. (No, sorry he's not a black cat, he's a blond.)

REVIEW OF BLAVOD VODKA
I usually hoard my Blavod black vodka for Halloween (and those oddly multiplying requests for a creating signature Goth or Vampire wedding cocktails.) First of all, it wasn't easily available for a few scary years here in the United States. Secondly, it's the only black vodka I will use in my Halloween cocktails because it's black color is created with natural, organic ingredients. I live in fear of not having it available at Halloween so when I restock I don't buy a bottle of Blavod, I buy a case.

Blavod Vodka is black because of the infusion of Black Catechu, which, supposedly, adds little flavor to the vodka.  However, along with some mild berry notes and slight hint of anise (licorice) there is a tiny bite of something akin to allspice or maybe clove at the end which I would attribute to the Catechu. However, when mixed with other ingredients these mild flavors will disappear. All in all, it's a very decent vodka with only a slight burn going down and very worthy of the higher end price, if only for the deep black and completely natural black color. It's a Halloween freak's best bar buddy.

The BERRY, BERRY BLACK CAT Cocktail
INGREDIENTS 2 Oz. Blavod Black Vodka 1 Oz.  Briottet Crème de Cassis Blackcurrant Liqueur 1 Oz. Chambord Framboise (Raspberry) Liqueur 1 Oz. Blue Curacao 2 Oz. Pomegranate Juice 1/2 Oz. Fresh Lemon Juice 1/2 Oz. Fresh Lime Juice Ice
Garnish: Frozen raspberries and a lime wheel in half a lemon shell. If you can get blackcurrants, add a few to the lemon boat as well. I added a few, fun eye ball ice cubes as well.
Tools: Cocktail Shaker, Fun Matching Straws Glass: Tin Cat Bucket. (I found mine in the party department at Walmart by the paper plates and napkins.)
DIRECTIONS Add the ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake until well chilled. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice, garnish and serve.
TIP: Keep both the Chambord and Crème de Cassis refrigerated for longer shelf life.


Updated 10-2025 PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY

SPARKLING SKELETON SANGRIA A Raspberry and Strawberry Sangria for Halloween and Day of the Dead

Halloween (Oct. 31st) and Day of the Dead (Nov. 1 - 3) come very close together, which is fortunate for me because I like to celebrate each with special, bespoke cocktails.
This time I got to combine the two in one cocktail because I found a fun Day of the Dead Cabernet Sauvingon to play with at World Market aka Cost Plus. I knew the minute I saw that skeleton bedecked wine that I was going to do a sparkling skeleton themed sangria recipe.

I had also found some "limited edition" raspberries and late harvest strawberries just begging to go swimming in some fruity Cabernet.
I love it when a plan comes together.

SPARKLING SKELETON SANGRIA A Raspberry and Strawberry Sangria
INGREDIENTS 1 Bottle La Catrina Vino "Bride and Groom" Cabernet Sauvignon 1 Split of Prosecco, chilled 1/4 Cup Honey Ridge Farms Raspberry Honey Crème 4 Mexican Lime Slices  1 Pint Fresh Raspberries, whole 1/2 Pint Fresh Strawberries, sliced Ice
Garnish:  Fresh berries, slice of lime
Tools: Mixing pitcher, Serving Carafe
Glass: Wine Goblet or Cocktail
DIRECTIONS Warm half a cup of the wine with the Raspberry Honey Crème in the microwave for 20 - 30 seconds to make a quick simple syrup that will mix into the sangria easily. Combine all the ingredients together, except the Prosecco and ice, in a mixing pitcher. Cover and let sit for a minimum of 2 hours. (Overnight is fine too, but the delicate berries will break down more which also means you get more berry flavor.) Just before serving transfer the Sangria to a serving carafe filled with ice, leaving enough room to add the chilled Prosecco. After adding the Prosecco, pour into individual glasses, garnish and serve.
SERVING TIP: Frozen berries make ideal ice cubes. You can also freeze berries in the ice cubes.

PLEASE DRINK RESPONSIBLY Updated 10, 2025

WICKED WITCH'S BREW Halloween Cocktail

"Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble." Shakespeare, Hamlet: Act 4, Scene 1

You can't do Halloween cocktails without at least one nod to a witch's brew, right?  Since I found a perfect drink sized witch's cauldron this year, I figured it was time to do my own version of a bubbling cauldron of witchy wassail.
My cocktail recipe is an adaptation of Charles Schumann's Apple Sunrise created at Schumann’s Bar in Munich in 1980. I thought it would make a great witch's wassail type brew, plus I had the Calvados and the crème de cassis at hand.

WICKED WITCH'S BREW A Calvados, Crème de Cassis and Apple Cider Cocktail
INGREDIENTS 1-1/2 Oz. Calvados (Apple Brandy) 1/2 Oz. Crème De Cassis  3/4 Oz. Fresh Lemon Juice 5 Oz. Fresh Apple Cider 2 Tablespoons Pasteurized Egg Whites Ice
Garnish: 2 Dashes Cardamom Bitters, Assorted Body Parts Gummy Candies, Dusting of Fresh Nutmeg, Straws
Tools: Cocktail Shaker
Glass: Witch's Cauldron or Rocks Glass
DIRECTIONS Shake ingredients without ice for a minimum of a minute to emulsify the egg white and build the foam. (Alternatively, you may use a blender for this step.) Shake cocktail with ice to chill then strain into the ice filled cauldron or an ice filled rocks glass. Tap the bitters onto the foam, add several of the body part gummies, a lemon twist, straws and serve.
If you really want to make this brew bubble, add a large chunk of dry ice to your glass before adding the regular ice. The regular ice will keep the dry ice from accidentally being sipped in. Handle the dry ice with tongs or gloves to prevent burns.
A Little About Witches
Since the beginning of time, man has had a fear of strong, powerful women. So much so that a name was invented to classify, imprison, torture and kill them. The term "witch" stems from the old English term "wicce", a word applied to those who practiced "magic" the occult and even those who practiced healing arts. In other words, abilities and practices people didn't understand were termed witchcraft and dealt with according to current religious beliefs. Though males were sometimes a target of this type of discrimination, most often the victims were female. In male-dominated societies, unusual power and abilities in women were seen as dangerous and evil and quickly dealt with so as not to upset the status quo. Though we no longer persecute witches, at least in a legal or societal area, the term is still applied to women as a negative and pejorative description.

   
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NOSFERATU'S REVENGE A Wine, Pomegranate & Ginger Halloween Cocktail

I've done a few Vampire cocktails for Halloween, a garlic infused Vampire's Kiss, a cherry and pomegranate True Blood Martini, a Bloody Mary style Dracula's Bloody Martini, and even a spiced grape and black vodka Transylvanian Cocktail; however I've not done a cocktail nod to one of the most ancient vampiric legends, Nosferatu.

This vampire became famous as Count Orlok in a 1922 film of the same name, but the legend goes back to the mists of time and Romanian folklore. The name itself comes from the Romanian Nesuferitu ("the insufferable/repugnant one") or Necuratu ("unclean spirit") and came into use sometime in the mid to late 1800's.

Since I stumbled on a very cool bottle of Vampire Red wine, in an even cooler coffin box package, I thought I'd make the poor blood sucking guy a drink to suit his mood.

Poor guy. Called unclean, reviled as repugnant, feared for his nasty nocturnal habits. He is probably incredibly thirsty by now and mad as heck.

NOSFERATU'S REVENGEA Wine, Pomegranate & Ginger Halloween Cocktail
INGREDIENTS2 Oz. Vampire Red Winemaker's Blend3/4 Oz. Blackberry Brandy1 Oz. Pomegranate Juice1/2 Oz. Ginger Simple Syrup
Garnish: Pomegranate Slice, Toy Vampire Fangs
Tools: Cocktail Shaker
Glass: Cocktail (Martini)
DIRECTIONSAdd the red wine, pomegranate juice, ginger simple syrup and blackberry brandy to a cocktail shaker filled with ice.Shake until chilled, strain into the chilled glass, garnish and serve.
VOICEOVER VIDEO WITH INGREDIENTS AND DIRECTIONS:

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Updated 10-2025