RECIPE

© John Kernick

Bubbling Cauldron Cocktails

• Recipe by Grace Parisi

In the ghoulish Halloween spirit, the two pear balls garnishing each drink are studded with currants so they resemble eyeballs.

• Fast

Ingredients

1. 1/2 lemon
2. 2 ripe Bartlett pears
3. 1 tablespoon dried currants
4. 1/2 cup pear nectar
5. One 750-ml bottle Champagne or other sparkling white wine

Directions

1. Fill a medium bowl with water and squeeze the lemon half into it. Peel the pears and add them to the lemon water. Using a small melon baller, scoop out balls from each pear; return the balls to the lemon water. You will need 16 pear balls. Using a toothpick, make a small hole in each pear ball and tuck a currant into each hole.
2. Pour 1 tablespoon of the pear nectar into each of 8 Champagne flutes. Fill the flutes with Champagne. Spear 2 pear "eyeballs" on a toothpick, put in each flute and serve at once.