When I was little, my family hosted the annual father-daughter Halloween party. Imagine a gaggle of pop-culturally-aware 8-year-olds dressing up their dads as variants of Dennis Rodman (including the neon spray-painted hair).
We replaced our guest bathroom light bulb with a black light (so spooky!) and my dad and I convinced the local seafood department to give us a big chunk of dry ice to put near the punch bowl.
I still love Halloween just as much but now I’m trading the Butterfinger, Twix, and punch bowl for pinot noir and mandarin blossom vodka (is this what they mean by #adulting?!)
This fall-inspired sangria strikes a perfect balance of tricks and treats—it’s loaded with figs, apple, and cinnamon, and is topped off with a creepy floating ice-hand for a good-spirited spook!
A quick note from Jennifer, our resident bartender, on this fun recipe she helped us create: Traditionally, sangria is a mix of wine, booze, sugar, and fruit. Use the ingredients below as suggestions, and stick to the proportions, but substitute with ingredients you have on hand (like a different type of red wine, cointreau instead of orange vodka, or homemade simple syrup instead of date paste)
Q& A with Jennifer:
What’s your most memorable Halloween costume? I once dressed up as a ninja in a blowup outfit as I was bartending. And it was HILARIOUS! I couldn’t work properly and would constantly knock everything over. I had to change halfway through my shift because I knocked too many things over.
Tricks or treats? Tricks. I love playing pranks on people. My best work involved hiding in a trunk and lots of silly string.
What’s your favorite Halloween candy? Anything chocolate!!
Do you have any secret talents? I’m a classically trained upright bassist (and I can juggle)
Favorite cocktail? A Brooklyn. It’s like combining a Manhattan with an Old Fashioned. A perfect balance of booze and sweetness.
FOOD LA LA RECIPE: Spooky Sangria
Ingredients:
1 bottle (750 ml) pinot noir
5 oz brandy
2.5 oz mandarin blossom vodka (or Cointreau, or Grand Marnier)
5 oz date syrup (or simple syrup)
8 figs, sliced lengthwise
½ apple, thinly sliced
2 cinnamon sticks
2-3 star anise
For decoration: 3 plastic gloves
Steps:
To make ice hands, fill plastic gloves with water, tie ends off and freeze overnight.
Combine all liquid and whisk together in a punch bowl
Add cut fruit and spices then chill for 2 hours-overnight
When ready to serve, add ice hand(s) and ladle into individual wine glasses with a large ice cube