Spook-tacular Halloween Cocktail Recipes and Pumpkin Carving Tips

WARNING: These frightening delicious cocktails may cause a BOO-zy night!

With Halloween festivities creeping up on us, fear not because Carnival Cruise Line have all the tricks and treats to kick start a spook-tacular night!

Whether you're preparing for a spooky soiree or a night in watching scary movies and carving pumpkins, these fang-tastic recipes and tips are fear-inspiring for a great evening!

Carnival Cruise Line's Vice President, Jennifer Vandekreeke, shares with you her favourite four spine tingling cocktail recipes, while the cruise line's Chief of Pumpkin Carving tells his top pumpkin carving tips.

Green Goblin

Eat, drink and be scary... This cocktail will ensure your friends hang around for a spell!

Ingredients
35mL Skyy vodka
15mL Malibu
30mL Midori
60mL Pineapple juice
10mL Blue Curacao

Method
Combine all the ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake vigourously. Pour into a petit cuvee glass and garnish with a pineapple wedge.


Witches Brew

Indulgingly sinful... that's what Halloween is all about right?

Ingredients
35mL Bacardi
15mL Dekuyper Razzmatazz
90mL Ginger Ale

Method
Combine ice, Bacardi and ginger ale into a tall glass. Top with afloat of Razzmatazz and garnish with a lime wedge.

Ghostly Spirits

Spending Halloween trick or treating with the lil' monsters? This mocktail is kid friendly...

Ingredients
45mL Strawberry puree
45mL Raspberry puree
30mL Cranberry juice
15mL Grenadine

Method
Combine all ingredients in a vitality mixer with ice and blend. Pour into a glass and serve with a strawberry garnish.

Pomegranate Potion

 

What seems like witchcraft, this cocktail will be the favourite among your ghosts.. oops, we mean guests.

Ingredients
60mL Cuervo Traditional Silver Tequila
30mL Pama Pomegranate liqueur
30mL Lime juice
15mL Agave nectar

Method

Shake all ingredients and strain into a martini glass, rimmed with Cuervo Black Volcanic Salt. Insert two chilli stuffed filthy olives (chilli stem out) into the middle using a cocktail pick, to create a devil horn look when placing the garnish on the edge of the glass.

Top Tips from the Chief of Pumpkin Carving

Question: Can you use any type of pumpkin?

Chief Of Pumpkin Carving: Any type of pumpkin can be used for carving, however, ensure it is fresh, has a flat bottom and a stern stem.


Question: What is the most common mistakes you can make when carving a pumpkin?

Chief Of Pumpkin Carving: Cutting the fingers rather than the pumpkins!! Pumpkin skin can be very hard so make sure you use a sharp kitchen knife to make the task easier - and be careful!

When carving pumpkins with the kids, let them do the scooping of the flesh, while the parents handle all the sharp cuts or supervise very closely.


Question: Do you have a secret tip on pumpkin carving you can share?

Chief Of Pumpkin Carving: If you're pumpkin is starting to looking life-less and wilted after a few days, soak it in cold water overnight. This will help rehydrate the pumpkin!

Using your imagination draw an image of what you would like your pumpkin lantern to look like before starting. This, along with patience, will help make your carving look its best.


Question: How quickly can you carve a pumpkin?

Chief Of Pumpkin Carving: Time taking depends on the artist and the level creativity involved, however, it can take 30 – 40 minutes on average.


Question: How many pumpkins do you carve onboard for Halloween?

Chief Of Pumpkin Carving: On Carnival Cruise Line we carve 15 or so pumpkins for our buffets and Halloween festivities.