Halloween. It’s just as much fun for adults as it is for children, and for all the same reasons – for one night, you can be someone or something else. So what’s the best costume you’ve ever seen? Last year when we were living in Atlanta, Mr. HNN and I walked to our local bar which was hosting a Halloween costume contest. We were sitting at the bar, having a few drinks, then in walked a tall and imposing figure. He was from ‘The Knights who say Ni’, from the cult classic film, Monty Python and the Holy Grail. The man wore a heavy robe, cut out an aluminum bucket for a helmut, and attached deer antlers to complete the outfit. By his side, was a woman dressed as a shrubbery. (Best couples costume, ever!) If you’re not a Monty Python fan, you may have no idea what what I’m talking about. But if you are, I’m sure you agree – you SO want to make this costume for yourself. If however, you have not seen Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and you enjoy satire, please, please see this movie – you are sure to love it! So what does this all have to do with the Black Devil Martini? Well, nothing really. Aside from the fact that this makes for a great Halloween cocktail and I just spent the last few minutes writing about the greatest Halloween costume I’ve ever seen. So grab yourself a Black Devil Martini and bring a shrubbery, it’s time for a Halloween party. 
- ¼ cup sugar
- orange or red and yellow food coloring
- 1 lime wedge
- dark rum (the color of the drink will be as dark as the rum you buy)
- dry vermouth
- blackberries
- toothpicks
- Place the sugar in a small zip-top bag. Add a few drops of orange food coloring, or a few drops of combined red and yellow food coloring to the sugar. Close the bag and shake vigorously to distribute the color. Spread the colored sugar out onto a plate. Run the lime wedge around the edge of each martini glass and dip onto the plate with the colored sugar.
- Add 2 ounces of dark rum and ½ once of dry vermouth to each glass. Garnish with several blackberries, serve and enjoy!
We’re total Python fans and what a great costume idea. We’ve taken notes.
Cocktail sounds yummy too!
Wow what a fun cocktail! Perfect for Halloween! I can’t wait to try this!
Kathleen, I love this!!! I’ve never really been into dressing up or Monty Python (sorry!) . . but recently I’m really into the Halloween cocktails so this is perfect! I also made a cocktail but yours looks scarier and cooler! 🙂 love that colored sugar. perfection!
Oh that’s ok, Alice – neither one is for everyone. But I’m glad you like the cocktail, we can always have fun with just that 😉
Being British I think it’s against the law to not like Monty Python, so I know exactly what you’re talking about. This drink is fabulous and love the spooky pics.
Isn’t watching it like a birthright? 😉
Ha! That Monty Python costume is EPIC! And so is this drink, girlfriend!! LOVE the color- so wickedly fun! I don’t have any plans for Halloween this year, but now I know of at least one thing I WILL be doing- downing this drink! Sheer perfection! Pinned! Cheers, doll! <3
Thanks, Cheyanne! Yeah… since we just moved and we’re still settling into our new digs, we’re having a quiet night on Halloween too. Maybe we dress up as the Knights who say Ni next year 😉
Gorgeous drink…and your story is fun! I’m a fan of Monty Python and would gladly watch it again while sipping on this martini!
Thank you my dear 🙂
These are SO perfect for halloween! Absolutely amazing, especially with the dark photography as well. I was never into Monty Python but I certainly remember my brothers watching it a few years ago and not really getting it … but I do remember that knight and it would definitely make a cool costume! 🙂
Thanks, Claudia! I think you either love Monty Python or you hate it. Either way, I hope you have a wonderful Halloween!
” ’tis but a flesh wound…” 🙂 These martinis are sinister awesome, Kathleen.
Lol, yes! ‘Your mother was a hamster and your father smelled of elderberries!’. Cracks me up every time 😉
This is sooo cool! I love how black this is!! Usually the cocktails for Halloween are orange or blood red…I love that this black – so spooky!! Also blackberries = yummy!! I’ve never seen Monty Python, but that costume is crazy awesome…I would totally love to see that in person! 🙂
Thanks, Beeta. But I must admit, the dense black is really more from the ‘spooky’ lighting. The drink is dark with the dark rum – just not black. But… if you’re serving it in a spooky Halloween setting, you definitely get more of that black look with the nice pop of orange around the rim 🙂
I have not seen the movie, but I will! This spooky martini looks so good! Love it! Pinning to my Halloween board!
Thanks, Mira! I happen to find the movie hilarious, but it’s the type of humor you either love or hate 😉
I can never say no to a martini so I’m all about this drink and making it this weekend. That guy’s Monty Python costume was so fantastic! The best one I ever saw was at a costume contest in Key West and a guy was dressed as a Sun Maid raisin box and as the girl sticking out of the box. Hahaha. It was pretty funny because he had this natural curly long brown hair and a big ol’ beard. Happy Halloween and cheers Kathleen 🙂
I’m with you girl! Give me a martini, and I’m happy 😉
Don’t you just love the creativity that comes out at Halloween?! Hope you have a good one 🙂
AWESOME drink! That cocktail color is really dark and perfect for Halloween! So fun!
Be honest, I have never dressed up in costume before. Halloween wasn’t popular in HK back in the days. When I arrived in the States for college, my Asian friends didn’t dress up either. By now, I am too old for that. Hahaha! I do like handing out candies though. 😉
Oh you are never too old to dress up for Halloween! 😛
This devil martini looks fabulous, Kathleen. Indeed that sounds like an awesome Halloween costume! I like Monty Python fan! 🙂
Thanks, Anu! Good to know another Monty Python fan 😉
That’s perfect for Halloween! Great idea! Pinned. I have to admit I haven’t dressed up for Halloween since I was a kid. Kinda sad, right? Mr. Salt isn’t exactly the Halloween type (originally from the UK where it didn’t even exist when he was growing up), and we don’t party much – ha. On Halloween I kinda wish we did. I think this Halloween we will at least watch something spooky on TV and hand out candy.
Oh I’ve already started watching the AMC horror marathons 😉 I hope you and Mr. Salt have a great Halloween – even quiet ones are fun with a cocktail in hand 😛
This is such a cool Halloween drink! And NO, I was never into Monty Python. I think possibly that is the first thing you and I don’t have in common?? 😉
Well I suppose it was bound to be something 😉 Of course my taste in movies is a bit strange… my favorite is Terminator 2. I seriously have every line memorized – I drive my husband nuts when we watch it 😛
I love the Terminator movies lol.
Yes! I’ve found a fellow female Terminator fan!