Mirkwood’s Enchanted Forest Cocktail

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Mirkwood’s Enchanted Forest Cocktail… A deliciously enchanting cocktail with notes of pomegranate and orange liqueur. Based off of the writings by J.R.R Tolkien, this cocktail is inspired by the grim, dark forests of Mirkwood. Take a step deep into the mysterious forest and sip from this deliciously enchanting cocktail this season.

Interrupting your Friday evening with the spookiest drink yet: Mirkwood’s Enchanted Forest Cocktail.

Those who know me well know I am a huge Lord of the Rings fan. So while I was brainstorming ideas for a ‘spooky’ October themed cocktail, it just hit me to base it off of Tolkien’s darkest forest ever mentioned in Middle Earth: Mirkwood.

“and all the forest of the northward slopes of that land was turned little by little into a region of such dread and dark enchantment that even the Orcs would not enter it unless need drove them. The trees that grew there were black and grim, and their roots were tangled, groping in the dark like claws; and those who strayed among them became lost and blind, and were pursued to madness by phantoms of terror.”

(Silmarillion, p. 180)

The lore of dark, enchanted forests in Middle Earth always intrigued me.

Mirkwood is dark, unfriendly and very hostile. It bewilders and constantly watches the trespassers passing through. The characters in the book grow to hate Mirkwood and the forest seems to hate them back. The sense of it being never-ending, going on and on just makes the image of Mirkwood even more dreadful.  The forest reminds us of a labyrinth more than anything else. To make matters even worse not only do travelers lose their way, but also their track of time. Those passing through never know how long they’ve spent in the endless maze of tangled forest, or if they will ever be freed from it’s clutches.

So while I wouldn’t want to be trapped in an endless enchanted forest for long, this drink might be worth the risk, if you’re willing to face giant spiders and trees with watchful eyes.

Or maybe not.

Mirkwood’s Enchanted Forest Cocktail Details:

What you will need:

• Pomegranate Juice: For the best results, I recommend finding the highest quality pomegranate juice you can get. We love to use POM Wonderful! Their pomegranate juice is rich, complex, and has the perfect amount of tangy sweetness that is truly addicting. And of course, make sure you find 100% pomegranate juice without added juices.
• Vodka: Vodka is so versatile and compliments the pomegranate juice and Grand Marnier so well.
• Grand Marnier: Probably one of my favorite spirits, Grand Marnier is a French brand of liqueurs made using a blend of Cognac brandy, distilled essence of bitter orange, and sugar.

Shake, shake, shake..

In a cocktail shaker, shake all the ingredients together for 30 seconds. Pour into serving glasses and serve!

For creating spooky Enchanted Forest fog:

If you want to take this Enchanted Forest Cocktail to the next level, dry ice is the way to do it.

Dry ice is the solid form of carbon dioxide. It is used primarily as a cooling agent, but is also used for it’s dramatic effects. Its advantages include lower temperature than that of water ice and not leaving any residue and is odorless.

Here are some important safety tips to keep in mind if you decide to add dry ice:

At temperature below -110ºF, when frozen carbon dioxide is placed into a liquid like water, or in this case a cocktail, it creates gas that looks like smoke. 

Because solid carbon dioxide is so cold, you need to take extra care when handling it, or you will get frostbite.

Always use gloves and tongs while handling dry ice. When you purchase dry ice, it will come in a large block. Using a hammer or a screwdriver, chisel the ice so that chunks break off.

Once you’ve broken up the ice, you’re ready for serving. Remember that dry ice will sublimate and disappear even when stored in a freezer – the freezer isn’t nearly cold enough to keep the dry ice for any length of time, so the best thing to do is buy the dry ice a few hours before you intend to use it.

Using tongs, drop the dry ice cubes into your drinks right before serving. A small cube will bubble for about five minutes before disappearing.

And that’s it! Isn’t this just the perfect spooky cocktail to make this season?!

I hope you love this fun Lord of the Rings Enchanted Forest cocktail as much as we did, and if you give this recipe a try, I would love to hear from you! Leave a comment and rating below and be sure to subscribe to the Butternut and Sage newsletter so you never miss a delicious recipe!

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