This cocktail is sister to my Green Fairy, another concoction whipped up to celebrate Halloween without the sugary additives and fake colorants used in most drink mixers.  This drink has a lovely pale green color, much like its absinthe-infused sister. This title comes from the idea that all cocktails or liquors act as proverbial potions in one way or another: inspiring courage, brewing up love or acting as unconventional oracles of a sort.  Thus, this drink was born.

I used apples this drink because they are long considered an integral part of Samhain, Halloween's pagan ancestor.  Apples symbolize immortality and so, on the night where spirits can walk the earth, are a perfect offering to the powers that be.  I also added ginger, a heating root, purported to ensure success when spell working; lime is added for its healing properties. 

So what is this spell then?  Let's think of it as a longevity-inducing-healing-good-vibe-making potion spiced up with whatever (benevolent) intentions you add as you blend the ingredients.  At the very least you'll have a refreshing drink to enjoy with friends!

Ingredients:

1/2 green apple, juiced*

1/2 oz ginger, juiced* 

1/2 lime, juiced

2 oz gin or vodka

ice

Muddle ginger and lime juice in a shaker, then add apple juice, vodka or gin, and ice.  Shake thoroughly.  Pour into chilled martini glass.  Enjoy!

* I juice the apple by grating it and then putting the grated pieces in a cheesecloth and squeezing out the juice, much like I do to remove excess moisture from my shredded zucchini for my zucchini fritters.  You can purchase ginger juice at your gourmet grocery store or simply shredded about 1/2 inch fo ginger and strain it through the cheesecloth like you do the apple.