Tonight is The Liquid Muse Cocktail Club's pre-Halloween Absinthe-laced "underground cocktail party" and literary salon.

October 2009 marks the 200th anniversary of Edgar Allen Poe's birth, so in addition to being led through an absinthe tasting by Joshua Blake, an Absinthe Category Specialist, we are also treated to readings by club members of Poe's work. On top of that, Amy Jurist from Amy's Culinary Adventures will delight our tastebuds with nibbles from her party menu. This party is sponsored by Lucid Absinthe, and hosted by Joe & Anna Keeper of BarKeeper.

In addition to sampling Lucid, La Clandestine and St. George absinthes, cocktail club guests will also taste the two cocktails below. I want to share the recipes so that you all out there in Sipster-land can play along... and maybe discover something unique to serve at your All Hallow's Eve bash...

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White Christmas

Created by Adam Schuman from the Fatty Crab, Hudson St, NY

1/2 oz La Clandestine Absinthe

1/4 oz simple syrup

1 oz Grapefruit Juice

3 dashes Allspice Dram

Top with Prosecco

Shake all ingredients (except Proseccco) with ice. Strain into a champagne flute. Top with chilled Prosecco.

Phoebe Snow

1 1/2 oz cognac

1 1/2 oz Dubonnet

1 teaspoon Lucid absinthe

Fill a mixing glass halfway with ice. Add the cognac, Dubonnet and absinthe. Stir vigorously, then strain into a chilled cocktail (martini) glass.

Recipe Source:

Adapted from "Recipes for Mixed Drinks," by Hugo R. Ensslin (Fox Printing House, 1917; facsimile edition, Mud Puddle Books, 2009). As featured in the Washington Post article by Jason Wilson.