Happy Halloween weekend everyone!

Spiders are one of the few creepy things I can handle. I’m not going to generalize and say all spiders, so please do not show up with a super-sized, poisonous one.  I’m talking about the spiders that show up in my house or garage on occasion. Maybe it’s from doing the whole, “Spiders crawling up your back, blood rushing down” chant when my sister and I were little millions of times, or maybe it’s because I’ve had a lot of practice killing them over the years (and unlike some moms and husbands, I’m fearless when it comes to taking on house spiders.).

I don’t generally welcome anything creepy into my house for Halloween. It’s supposed to be a happy holiday, hence the greeting “Happy Halloween!”  but I will make an exception if it’s a creepy cocktail.

Here is another Halloween-inspired martini that I’ll be serving tonight at our pumpkin carving party. Blavod vodka, the only truly black colored vodka, has intrigued me for the past few years. My curiosity got the best of me and I splurged on a bottle this year. There are a few vodkas out there, in which the bottles are black, which may lead the consumer to believe the vodka is also black. Some even have the word black in the name. The Blavod brand, however, is the only truly black vodka, and it isn’t very hard to find around Halloween.

The black coloring in Blavod comes from black catechu, an extract found in Uncaria Gambier trees in Asia. As far as taste, most people will not notice a taste difference in Blavod compared with other popular clear vodkas on the market. On the vodka spectrum, it may not be up with Grey Goose, but isn’t too far off. This is a high quality vodka.

What’s fun about this black vodka, is the ability to create layered drinks. Since I’m hosting a full dinner and dessert bar for 50+ people tonight, I won’t have the time to individually layer drinks. If it was a smaller group, or a cocktail party I would do it for the “wow” factor alone. If you layer cocktails, include a stirrer and remind your guests to stir up their cocktails before drinking, otherwise they’re pretty much drinking straight vodka. See recipes below for two layered drink recipes with Blavod.

Tonight, as guests arrive, they will be served this Black Widow’s Raspberry Martini. During dessert, they will have the opportunity to indulge in a totally different, but equally delicious pumpkin martini.

Black Widow’s Cran-Raspberry Cosmo

2 oz. Blavod vodka

1 oz. Raspberry-infused vodka

5 oz. Cran-Raspberry Ocean Spray Juice (adjust this amount to the tastes of your guest ~ some may like less, others more)

Pour ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously, pour, and enjoy! Garnish with plastic ring spiders, gummi spiders, or fresh raspberries.

Spooky Screwdriver
3 oz. Pulp-free orange juice

Black Widow
3 oz. Chilled cranberry juice

Instructions: 1. Fill a small cocktail glass with ice.

2. Pour your choice of cranberry juice (for a black widow Halloween cocktail) or pulp-free orange juice (for a spooky screwdriver) over the ice.

3. Gently layer black vodka over juice. Serve

Wishing you all a fabulous and safe Halloween weekend! Cheers!