October 6: Devil’s Blood

This drink is a bit complicated in construction but well worth it for the presentation.

Taste profile: primarily sour and astringent with a touch of sweet.

Ingredients:

• Sugared rim with black or red sugar.
• 2 parts vodka with 1 or 2 drops of black food coloring to make it black – or simply purchase one of the many fine black vodkas on the market.
• 3 parts Chilled cranberry syrup.

Making the Cranberry syrup:

• ½ cup sugar
• 1/3 cup water
• ½ cup cranberry juice

Combine the sugar and water. Heat on medium until the sugar is dissolved and then lower the heat and cook until the mixture starts to thicken. Cool to room temperature and Mix in the cranberry juice. Chill until it’s as thick as a corpse’s blood.

Making the black or red sugar:

• ½ cup sugar
• Black or red food coloring

Add several drops and mix the color into the sugar and mix with a silicone spatula. Continue adding several drops at a time until you achieve a smooth color.

Assemble:

Moisten the rim of the glass and dip it in the bowl with sugar to coat the rim. Fill with ice, add the cranberry syrup and allow it to settle for a moment. Then gently layer the vodka by pouring it slowly into the glass over the back of a spoon.