"May Queen's Bloody Lemonade" Cocktail (Inspired by "Midsommar") (BOTB 2022 Day 17) Recipe

 

Bring Out the Boos 2022

Day 17: "May Queen's Bloody Lemonade" Cocktail (Inspired by "Midsommar")

By: The Film Bartender

    Ask any horror fan, and they will say "Midsommar" is one of the most disturbing and hard to watch films of the past five years. The movie, which showed the terrifying ritualistic events that take place during a midsommar holiday in Sweden, shocked viewers with their disturbing imagery and extremely gory murders and deaths. However, many critics and audiences can agree that this movie is directed and crafted very well, and serves as a great follow-up to Ari Aster's previous film, "Hereditary". Our drink today is inspired by the title of May Queen that the females compete for in this Midsommar event, but, in accordance to the events that transpire, with a bloody twist. 

    "Midsommar" is a 2019 film written and directed by Ari Aster, and stars Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, Will Poulter, Isabelle Grill, William Jackson Harper, and Vilhelm Blomgren. The movie follows a young woman who is haunted by the murder suicide her sister committed on herself and their parents. Now also dealing with her boyfriend of four years, who is extremely distant and wants to end things, she must figure out a way to cope with what's going on around her and try to find some sense of happiness in her life. 

    One day, she finds out that her boyfriend and his friends are traveling to Sweden to attend the Midsommar festival, which only occurs once every ninety years. Seeing this as an opportunity to escape from her daily life for a while, she practically forces her way into the trip, looking forward to the vacation in Sweden. However, what she realizes is that the once-a-century festival is not as happy and bright as she thinks it is, and throws her on a terrifying journey to just make it out alive.

    This film comes after Aster's 2018 breakout hit, "Hereditary", which some consider one of the scariest movies of all time. Fans and critics were both nervous about what he was going to make next since many directors usually bomb their next film after releasing a terrific film like Aster did. However, "Midsommar" is an excellently crafted film that not only display horrors on the screen, but really gets in the head of the viewer and stays there for a long while. It is disturbing, horrifying, sickening, and every other adjective to describe a movie that will scare the pants off the viewer. I had a friend tell me one time that just reading the plot synopsis online made him "sick to his stomach". You know it's a pretty damn good story if it makes the audience feel like that from just reading online about what the movie is about.

    The May Queen is the coveted position that one lucky girl gets every Midsommar holiday. Our drink today is inspired by the lemonade our characters drink at a feast, with a little bloody twist to represent the gory and graphic elements of the film. This lemonade is fit for a May Queen, but let's just hope you don't have to go through the ritual to try this drink.

Ingredients:

- 1 oz Vodka

2 1/2 oz Lemon Juice

- 2 tbsp Sugar

- 1 cup Water

- Sugar (for rim)

- Ice

- Lemon wheel (Garnish)

- splash of Grenadine

Directions:

1. On a rocks glass, rub the rim with a slice of lemon, and then dip the rim in a plate of sugar to create the sugar rim. Set the glass aside. 

2. In a cocktail shaker, add in ice cubes. Then add in the Vodka, the Lemon Juice, the Sugar, and the Water. Shake vigorously until well combined. 

3. Strain the drink into the prepared rocks glass, then add the splash of Grenadine on the top of the drink.

4. Garnish with a lemon wheel. Serve. 

Film Fact: "Midsommar" was originally given an NC-17 rating by the MPAA. According to Ari Aster, around 30 minutes of the film was cut due to the graphic content. Then, when the film was released in Sweden, rather than eliciting fear in the audience, many people laughed. Many Swedish critics praised the film as an excellent black comedy.

    Now you have made your very own lemonade based off this modern horror film that disturbed and terrified audiences in 2019. It may not feature actual blood or pubic hair like some of the drinks in the film, but it will definitely taste amazing, and give a kick to your own Halloween party or festival!

    This is Day 17 of my Bring Out the Boos 2022 Halloween Event, where I make a drink everyday for the month of October to celebrate the Halloween Holiday! This event is near to ending, so check out all of the other recipes on my blog and craft some fantastic drinks to celebrate the spooky season! Check back tomorrow to see the drink for Day 17 in this year's Halloween series of cocktails! Until then, happy drinking!