Just when I thought I had tasted them all, I found a delicious new martini, named cryptini.

The cryptini is the perfect October martini for celebrating Halloween. A few years ago on October 31, somewhere near Belize, Maralyn and I dressed up in black with our tall Harry Potter Wizard hats.

Florida writer and reviewer, John Bancroft found this seasonal cocktail at one of my favorite steak houses, Flemings. I have devoured the excellent food and drink at many Fleming’s. However veteran mixologist, Benny Bowden, at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar in Sarasota, Florida, is my favorite spot to stop during the magic hour. Benny calls his innovative cocktail the “creepy cocktail,” but I will stick to the name cryptini. I tried it and found it addictive.

Cryptini Martini
Ingredients:
2 oz Kahlua
1 oz. Stoli vanilla vodka
1/2 oz. dark creme de cacao
1/2 demitasse fresh espresso

Mixology:
Shake all ingredients with ice.
Strain into a martini glass with a sugar rim.
Garnish with a lemon twist.


Brenda C. Hill
International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association
Books By Hills Success Log Global Log

Finalist in the Writing and Publishing category of the 2009 Next Generation Indie Book Awards, “$uccess, Your Path to a Successful Book”