Witchy Cocktails: Over 65 recipes for enchantment in a glass, including classic cocktails, magical mocktails, pagan punches, and more

Introduction:

Enchanted Cocktails and Magical Atmosphere

When I arrived in San Francisco years ago, shockingly, I was not yet drinking coffee and I had not yet had the experience of a crafted cocktail. I have always been a great lover of tea, and quite inadvertently, I was a teetotaller. San Francisco’s vast array of classic bars and marvelous coffee shops lured me in and I gingerly began exploring. Within the first month of moving, I became a daily coffee drinker and have been starting my days with triple lattes for years now, oat-milled preferred.

One of my then new and now dear friends, Kimberly, loved the old-fashioned bars and lounges and charming oceanside joints in San Francisco’s North Beach, which is how I came to discover the world of cocktails. One such place was the Persian Aub Zam Zam. Bruno, the late and great proprietor of this legendary establishment, was endearingly judgmental about what he served, preferring guests to order martinis. If you ordered something he considered beneath his dignity, he would instruct you to go to the fern bar on the corner; we don’t make that here. Luckily for me, my friend was aware of Bruno’s rules so we knew exactly what to order. The décor of the Aub Zam Zam made you feel as if you had walked into an Arabian dream. Art and murals covered every inch of the small but well-appointed bar. While Sinatra and other members of the Rat Pack crooned softly in the background, it seemed like a beautiful dream.

I loved living in the San Francisco’s fabled Haight Ashbury district, replete with charming small businesses, including the Aub Zam Zam. Right down the street, even closer to my humble dwelling, was a small shop, Curious and Candles. I was drawn in, literally, by the exotic incense they burned at all times. Once inside, I instantaneously felt at home. It was a tiny metaphysical store, but every inch was filled with witchy essentials, including crystals, jewelry, wands, books, tarot decks, posters, herbs, and everything you can imagine. A plentitude of curiosities! I was there every weekend and asked a lot of questions, which the patient and generous shopkeepers explained at length. Eventually, we became friends and I was invited to become a tarot reader at the shop if I passed muster with the owner. Thankfully, I did pass and became not only a tarot reader but also an astrological consultant for customers—I was in heaven!

After a Saturday shift in the store, Kimberly would pop over to peruse the shelves before the shop closed for the evening, and then we would walk up Haight Street, eager to compare notes on lore we had discovered. Often, we were studying a new astrology book and would have deep discussion of topics such as synastry (astrological compatibility), decanates (subdivisions of signs), and astrocartography (combining birth charts with geographical locations)—and we discovered that the Aub Zam Zam was the perfect setting for delving into these mysteries of the universe. The murals on the wall depicted Sufis and other seekers of answers to the meaning of life. Sipping one of Bruno’s expertly crafted martinis was our companion on our journey into the supernatural.

My hope with this book is that one of these lovingly crafted cocktails may be the same for you, accompanying and inspiring your witchcraft. Whether you are seeking something to enjoy with a friend or partner, to sip solo, or to serve at a gathering of your coven, you will find the perfect recipe within these pages.

Chapter 1

The Magical Art of Witchy Mixology

Witchcraft requires certain tools for magical workings and the same is true for crafting witchy cocktails! I accumulate mine over time and still keep my eye out for charming cocktail accoutrements. Vintage bar tools are often the most charming of all. My pride is a set of astrological barspoons, one for each sign.

This section also offers a brief guide to some of the magical associations of the ingredients you will be using for these delectable libations.

Your Witchy Cocktail Toolkit

You may have a few essential bartending tools already, but you will doubtless need to acquire some more of them. I have found many of mine at yard sales for pennies. These lucky finds just need a good cleaning and cleansing to remove the remaining energy of those who used them before (see page 18).

The Basics

Barspoons: Proper stirring of cocktails cannot be accomplished with just any spoon—you need the longer, slimmer style.

Cocktail shaker: Many cocktails have several ingredients, best enjoyed by mixing with a good shake. Get a shaker that has a built-in strainer.

Jiggers: These, used by bartenders, are a must for measuring the exact amount of ingredients, which makes for a balanced cocktail. They are available in different sizes, ranging from ¾ oz (25 ml) to 1½ oz (45 ml) and 2 oz (60 ml).

Ice: Ice is an essential in many cocktails and mocktails. As well as cooling ingredients in a cocktail shaker and chilling glasses for greatest enjoyment of the drink, it can greatly enhance the tastes of certain recipes. One of my favorite uses for ice is with a neat shot of a great scotch or other liquor. First, taste the straight scotch in the glass and savor for a few sips. Then add one ice cube and taste. The difference in taste is remarkable—try it! I also suggest freezing fresh herbs in ice cubes to add a healing and savory note to your cocktails and mocktails. To make double-frozen ice, which takes longer to melt, freeze water in an ice-cube tray as normal; once frozen, allow it to thaw completely (which forces out any tiny oxygen bubbles), then re-freeze. Repeat this process for triple-frozen ice.

Other essential tools: A corkscrew, zesters and peelers, an ice bucket and ice pick, and kitchen cloths you can use as bar towels.

Glassware

The taste of your concoction will depend on the glass, so you will need to create a collection of barware. Very few of my cocktail glasses were purchased new; I picked them up for a few pence at thrift stores and the vintage designs add much charm. Some of them include:

Balloon/copa: This is a bulbous, rounded stemmed glass.

Collins: A tall and slim glass that can contain 10–14 oz (300–400 ml) of liquid, and used for a Tom Collins cocktail among others.

Coupe: A small bowl that is stemmed. It is used to serve cocktails such as daiquiris and an Aviation. You can also use it to serve Champagne.

Flute: A slim, fancy, long-stemmed glass, used for mimosas and Champagne. It can contain 6–10 oz (175–300 ml) of liquid.

Heatproof: For hot cocktails, heatproof glasses can be a stylish alternative to cups or mugs.

Highball: Akin to a Collins glass, the highball can contain 8–12 oz (235–350 ml) of liquid. It is used to mix and serve drinks such as iced tea drinks and tequila sunrise.

Hurricane: This glass looks a bit like an hourglass, inspired by hurricane lanterns used in storms.

Margarita: A margarita looks similar to a coupe glass, but contains two curves.

Martini: This glass