It’s always great to join my friends at Living 757 with all the good eats and good drinks going on in Coastal Virginia.
October is a favorite time of month of mine, and Halloween is the icing on the cake. In today’s segment we put on our Gross Out Gourmet toque with a Kitty Litter Cake for your spooky soiree, we shake up a Bloody Mary with Dracula in mind, and we raise a glass to Virginia Cider Week.
EATS | KITTY LITTER CAKE
For a grossed-out Halloween
Halloween is not just a time for being spooked, it’s the season to be grossed out, too. Well, grossed out in a kinder, gentler way, perhaps.
Folks will look twice when you put out on the party table our Kitty Litter Cake. Now, it’s not made of kitty litter, but at first glance, it will make people think twice.
Start by baking a two-tier white or yellow cake, or a few pounds or a sheet cake; do not frost. Once cooled, cut the cake into 1/2-inch cubes and set aside. You can use a store-bought cake, as long as it’s not iced.
In a small, new, never-used kitty litter box add half the cubes of cake randomly covering the bottom. Drizzle on 2-3 cups white/cream-colored pudding, like lemon or vanilla. Add the remaining cake cubes and drizzle on one additional cup of litter. Place 2 dozen unwrapped Tootsie Roll minis randomly in the cake. Serve with a new, never-used kitty litter scoop.
More recipes at VirginiaEatsAndDrinks.com
DRINKS | STEAK-IN-THE-HEART BLOODY MARY
For Spooky Season
We love Bloody Marys any time of year, but the name really lends itself as a perfect Halloween cocktail.
Following a vampire theme, we substitute the usual Worcestershire or soy sauce in a Bloody Mary with steak sauce, playing on the steak in the heart that legend says slays the Prince of Darkness.
What’s another foil for vampires? Garlic, and our Steak-In-The-Heart Bloody Mary is garnished with pickled garlic on a rosemary skewer.
Here’s how to make the drink:
In a shaker filled with ice, add 4 ounces tomato or vegetable juice, 2 ounces vodka (we always use local, like Chesapeake Bay Distillery’s Spirits of the Blue Ridge from Virginia Beach), 2 teaspoons steak sauce, 1 teaspoon grated/ground horseradish, a few dashes hot sauce, a dash of celery salt, and a dash of crushed red pepper.
Shake until thoroughly mixed and pour into a pint glass with a seasoned rim. Garnish with pickled garlic and olives on a rosemary skewer or a celery stick. Makes 1 drink.
You can use store-bought pickled garlic; if you’d like our recipe on how to make it homemade, email PatrickEvansHylton@gmail.com with “pickled garlic” as the subject.
Vodka comes from Chesapeake Bay Distillery in Virginia Beach, www.ChesapeakeBayDistillery.
DO | VIRGINIA CIDER WEEK
November 11 through 20
Celebrate Virginia ciders just in time for the crisp, autumn days in mid-fall.
Virginia Cider Week takes place Nov. 11-20, with activities across the state. It takes place every year the full week before Thanksgiving.
Look for festivals, tastings, pairing dinners, workshops, and open houses at venues.
On our blog at www.VirginiaEatsAndDrinks.com we’ve got more information on the history of cider, cider tasting and links to curated events.
More, www.VirginiaCider.org/cider-
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