Cocktail Magic

Like many modern witchcraft practices, the celebration of magic and ritual with infused potables extends deep into human history. Open the cover of any introductory witchcraft book, and you’ll find steps to extract the essence of rose to create a magical water for beauty, or advice on what type of wine is best to leave as an offering for a deity. A witch might use alcohol to create tinctures to manifest good communication with loved ones, or aromatic mists to balance a chakra that has been blocked. And what’s a coven gathering without a seasonal libation? 

 

In WitchCraft Cocktails, you’ll delve deep into the invaluable relationship between witchcraft and cocktails, as well as the magical properties of different spirits and how to blend them like a seasoned mixologist. Whether you are anointing a candle for financial prosperity or imbibing the energies of the moon for inner growth and transformation, there’s a corresponding cocktail to elevate your magical work. 

 

As the heat of summer wanes and the grain harvests begin, the earth slowly retracts her energy within her core. The last maturing herbs and fruits are plucked from the fields, and all life begins to slow down. Fall is a time of culmination, a period when the witch focuses on reaping the last of their manifestation efforts and begins to turn inward. It is a season of celebration and hard work—of death and transformation—and a time to recognize lineages and those who walked the earth before you. 

 

The Blood Moon of October welcomes the time of transformation, when witches and pagans alike honor the deceased and the cycle of life and death. This smoky, juicy drink’s red color connotes its meaning—a period of ancestral connection and the bounty of the earth.  

 

1 jigger (1 1/2 ounces) mezcal 

1 tablespoon pomegranate liqueur 

1 tablespoon agave nectar 

1 ounce lime juice 

1 tablespoon blood orange juice 

3 pomegranate seeds 

1 small flamed blood orange peel 

 

Add mezcal, pomegranate liqueur, agave nectar, and lime juice to a martini glass. Add ice to fill, and float blood orange juice on top. Stir briefly. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and flamed orange peel. 

 

 

Pumpkins are powerful abundance assistants, representing feminine energy and the earth’s bounty. Combined with the stimulating energies of nutmeg and cinnamon, and prosperity-associated bourbon, this dessert martini is perfect for fall money workings. 

 

1 tablespoon canned pumpkin puree 

1 1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup 

1 tablespoon half-and-half 

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, divided 

1 jigger (1 1/2 ounces) bourbon 

1 small dollop whipped cream 

 

Place pumpkin, maple syrup, half-and-half, cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, and bourbon in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake firmly to ensure the pumpkin puree is thoroughly mixed. As you do so, tune in to the stimulating energies of the spices, mixing with the pumpkin and cream, as all of the ingredients join together to activate abundance in your life. When the shaker is cold, strain the cocktail into a martini glass. Garnish with whipped cream and remaining nutmeg.