A Spooky Soirée

No longer a holiday reserved for children, Halloween is catering to a rapidly widening demographic. After the kids have been put to bed, tummies filled with the sugar fixes of an evening’s trick-or-treating, it’s time for adults to play. Invite the grown-ups to an evening of spooky sips, snacks and fun.

Lifestyle invites you to our Halloween party this year, complete with fabulous drinks and a seasonal treat your guests won’t wait to taste — and try themselves for Thanksgiving!

COSTUME
Orange is the new black this Halloween — unless you’re planning on wearing black, that is!  Your guests’ attire determines the tone of the get-together, so plan ahead to determine whether you’d prefer the refined elegance of a cocktail soirée or a costume party for your friendly neighbourhood ghosts and ghouls.  Be sure to inform your guests a few weeks prior to the big night so that they can shop for a suitable costume.

If vampire capes and ragged ghost gowns aren’t your style, opt instead for the classic black and white party, inviting all of your close friends to whip out those timeless LBDs — little black dresses. 

COCKTAILS 
Get creative with your drinks menu by drawing on the spooky and the scary — without compromising on taste, of course. Lifestyle suggests the following cocktail recipes.

Bloody Mary
Could there be a more appropriate Halloween cocktail than the Bloody Mary? Serve with an olive “eyeball” on this especially gory evening and indulge in the familiar spiciness of this classic cocktail. 

Add vodka, tomato juice, hot sauce, Worchestershire sauce, lemon juice, pinch of salt, pinch of pepper. Mix well.
Strain into an ice-filled highball glass.
Garnish with celery stalk or skewered olive “eyeballs” for a touch of the spooky.

Black Cat Martini
This superstitious cocktail is sure to bring your tastebuds luck. It’s easy to prepare two with just two ingredients. Be sure to buy black vodka, as the dark colour is what sets the tone of this spooky cocktail. 

Combine in a shaker with ice, strain and serve plain in a martini glass. The black colour of the drink doesn’t need adornment!

Italian Fruit Punch
Food Network star Giada di Laurentiis brings you this blood-coloured punch. Make it Halloween-appropriate by garnishing with a twist of black licorice. 

Combine all ingredients (except the licorice) in a large pitcher. Place piece of licorice in each glass to serve.

TASTY TREATS 
After a night of trick-or-treating with your costumed kids, chances are that parents are going to be hungry for something sweet of their own — and we aren’t talking about gummy bears and chocolate bars. Take this opportunity to capitalize on the beautiful colours and seasons of fall with this unique holiday presentation.  

Individual Halloween Pumpkins
Stuffed with a bewitching blend of savoury and sweet, these pumpkins are sure to satisfy grown-up taste buds and deliver on spookiness and seasonal freshness. 
(Makes 16 small pumpkins)

Place the pumpkins whole in a baking pan surrounded by 1 inch of water. Bake at 350 F (180 C) for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a knife slices easily into the pumpkin’s flesh.
Cool, slice top off and scoop out as you would a full-sized pumpkin. Conserve the flesh.
Boil raisins and sauté onions in butter.  Combine pumpkin flesh, raisins, onion, butter, rice, nuts and beaten eggs. 
Season with cinnamon, salt and pepper to taste.

Photo by sxc / barbituric