Hauntingly Good Spirits: New Orleans Cocktails to Die For by Sharon Keating and Christi Keating, Reviewed

  

Considering how anxious I was as a child every year Halloween rolled around, it’s surprising that I now celebrate it with such unbridled gusto. Perhaps that’s because I don’t have to worry about going from house to house, and be pressured to entertain in exchange for a morsel of food, no matter how sweet and delicious that morsel be.

Because I now enjoy celebrating Halloween so much (and the spooky season, in general) I get great pleasure in reading books that help me do that. This recently released volume, Hauntingly Good Spirits: New Orleans Cocktails to Die For by Sharon Keating and Christi Keating is a wonderfully macabre tribute to the drinks culture of New Orleans, and those who make it happen. Here you will find beautifully photographed, unique cocktail recipes, all of which are Gothic, spooky, and hauntingly delicious. The book is divided into five sections:

Reverence and Revelry

Tomb Time

Ghosts & Haunted Libations

Vampire Bars with Killer Cocktails

Voodoo & Witchcraft

Each is fascinating in its own right, and where you will find cocktails like Axeman’s Ball, Ghostly Embrace, Corpse Reviver, and many more. This book has struck me as being as much about exploring New Orleans, as it was about making the cocktails. It did get me quite eager to experiment before the spooky month of October arrives, not to mention lay in a good supply of ingredients. I’d be lying if I said I haven’t tried a good number of these cocktails already. I’d also be lying if I said I didn’t have a good time doing it.Anyone interested in libations, the macabre, New Orleans, or serving something special on a dark and stormy night needs this cookbook. I highly recommend!

Many thanks to NetGalley, the authors, and Wellfleet Press for providing me with a digital advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

 As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Strawberry Syrup

Sometimes my zealousness gets the better of me. I tend to tackle absolutely everything I do with such zeal, that it’s not unusual for me to get a tiny bit carried away. Such was the case when I was in the market the other day shopping for strawberries. I had such a craving for them that I had to have the biggest box available. I bought 4 pounds of them. Four pounds is a lot of strawberries. I ate as many of them as I could, but they were ripening faster than I could keep up with them. I had to do something that would use up those that remained, and yet give me the most use out of those berries.

Obviously, the absolute best thing for me to do was to make strawberry syrup. That may not seem all that obvious to you, but think about it. If you turn your strawberries into strawberry syrup you can flavor all kinds of things. You can make a delicious strawberry lemonade (something I have been wanting to do) without mashing up a bunch of strawberries to do it. You simply make regular lemonade and add this syrup. You can make strawberry ice cream by stirring this into your recipe for vanilla ice cream, you can make yourself delicious strawberry frappes and shakes, and, hello strawberry margaritas! You can also pour this on top of pancakes, waffles, or French toast for breakfast in the morning, or drizzle it over cheesecake for dessert at night. Bottled attractively, it makes a wonderful gift. (I use these bottles.) The list is absolutely endless. Nothing is more versatile. 

I used it in a smoothie and the flavor was intense!

There are a number of recipes for strawberry syrup online, and, essentially they are all pretty much the same. You clean, hull, and cut up strawberries, throw them into a saucepan, cover them with water, simmer them until all flavor is extracted, strain them, put the juice back into the pan, add sugar, simmer, and Bob’s your uncle. It’s absolutely delicious, has the most beautiful jewel tone color, will keep in the fridge for 10 days to two weeks, and surprise and delight you at every turn.

Strawberry Syrup

1 pound of fresh strawberries
2 cups of filtered water
1 cup granulated sugar

Clean, hull, and dice strawberries, and place them into a medium/large sauce pan. Pour 2 cups of water over them and bring to a low boil. Turn the heat down slightly, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat, strain, and return syrup to a clean saucepan. Add sugar, bring to a low simmer, and simmer 5 to 6 minutes until sugar is dissolved. Cool, decant into bottles, and store in the fridge. Use as you see fit. Be sure to share your ideas with me.

PRINT RECIPE

If you prefer sauce to syrup, you will love this alcohol-infused Fresh Strawberry Sauce.

This post is linked to:

Full Plate Thursday

Thursday Favorite Things
 Funtastic Friday
Pink Saturday
Snickerdoodle Create Bake & Create

Grace at Home

Friday at the Fire Station
Create, Bake, Grow and Gather

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Vintage Bar Guides & Boozy Recipes

My dad was doing a bit of spring cleaning in his bar and gave me all of these cool bar guides. Some of these date back to the early sixties, and all of them are just oozing with charm.

As far as I know my dad still has and uses this malt mixer. I remember, as a kid, thinking it was so neat to be able to make a malt at home. I grew up with this.

Malt Mixer Guide Interior

I think a cola malt sounds awesome!

I love the text and drawings in this bar guide.

Remember slide rules? Here's one with cocktail recipes. Check out number 43! I never remember hearing of a drink called a Bosom Caresser!

STORMY WEATHER
2 ounces gin
1 ounce Italian Vermouth
3 dashes Curacao
1 dash orange juice

Stir. Strain. Enjoy.

POET'S DREAM
1 ounce gin
1/2 ounce French Vermouth
2 dashes Benedictine
2 dashes Orange Bitters

Stir. Strain. Enjoy.

BOSOM CARESSER
2 ounces whiskey
1 ounce Curacoa
Splash of Grenadine
Yolk of an egg (Ew!)

Shake. Stir. Try to choke it down. 

This post is linked to:

Metamorphosis Monday 

Amaze Me Monday

Teach Me Tuesday

Inspire Me Tuesday

Wake up Wednesday

The Homemaking Party

It's a Party

You're Gonna Love it Tuesday

Creative Ways

Cookbook Wednesday

Create It Thursday

Full Plate Thursday

Foodie Friday

Friday Finds