Halloween is quickly approaching and it’s the perfect time to get creative with your garnishes and turn your regular cocktails into festive, Instagram-worthy drinks. Here are a few ideas to add some frightfully fantastic garnishes to your menu this Halloween.
Olive and Lychee Eyeballs
Use large, pitted green olives stuffed with a small piece of red pimento or bell pepper. These can sit on top of the drink on a cocktail pick or can float on top of martinis or Bloody Marys, mimicking a hauntingly realistic eye.
For a sweeter version, take canned lychees, stuff them with a blueberry or cherry, and serve them with clear drinks or punch bowls. The lychee’s texture and colour make it look like an eerily realistic eyeball, and the burst of fruity flavour adds a surprising twist.
Bloody Rim Sugar or Salt
A simple yet visually striking garnish, a “bloody” rim can transform any drink. To create this effect, mix red food colouring with either sugar (for sweet drinks) or salt (for savoury cocktails). Dip the rim of the glass in lemon juice, then in the coloured sugar or salt for an eye-catching, dripping blood effect. This works particularly well for margaritas, Bloody Marys, or even spiked lemonades.
Icky Ice Cubes
To make floating brains, freeze water mixed with cranberry or raspberry juice for a blood-red brain, perfect for drinks like zombie cocktails, sangria, or rum punches. You could add pieces of fruit for an added effect and texture or even go for a neon green look by using lime juice for a Frankenstein-inspired touch.
If you want to create floating “eyeballs,” you can use round ice moulds. Place a blueberry, cherry, or olive in the centre of the mould before freezing the water to create the iris and pupil. Once frozen, these ice cubes will look like creepy eyeballs floating in your cocktail, making them perfect for Halloween-themed martinis or spiked punches.
Making Halloween Memorable
Beyond the garnishes, focus on using ingredients that naturally evoke Halloween colours, like black vodka, blood orange juice, or activated charcoal. Pair your spooky garnishes with clever drink names to enhance the theme. A “Bloody Brain Martini” with lychee eyeballs, for example, or “Witches Brew” with misty dry ice will boost the experience.
Embrace the spooky season with these fun, gory, and frightful garnishes. With the right decorations and a lineup of Halloween-themed drinks, your venue will be the place to be this October 31st!
