6 Cocktails For The Premier Of True Blood Season 6

Game of Thrones is over for now, but this Sunday HBO kicks off the 6th season of its sweaty teen fantasy turned civil rights parable True Blood. Sneak peeks that have appeared over the spring suggest apocalypse and promise bodice-ripping, bloodcurdling screaming and plenty of supernatural power play, so fans of the show have a lot to look forward to. For those of you who will be hosting screenings, here are some cocktail recipes in keeping with the show's themes; whip a couple of these up, put on some dark lipstick and laissez les bon temps roulez!

1. The Sazerac

sazerac.com / Via sazerac.com

A classic Louisiana whiskey cocktail, the Sazerac is named after its original producer and calls for bourbon, bitters, and anise liquer--or absinthe, if you have it (Sookie's relatives would doubtless approve of the addition of an ingredient that conjures up a green fairy). Tried & true recipe at http://www.sazerac.com/cocktail.aspx.

2. The Bloody Mary

cocktails.about.com / Via cocktails.about.com

Yes, it has 'bloody' in the name. Yes, it's a summer cocktail. Yes, it's hot, & yes, invokes the legend of a ghoulish figure who taunts young girls with reminders of their mortality. For HBO-approved variations on the drink your mom makes for brunch with the ladies, try adding some Louisiana hot sauce--or, to ward off vamps less chiseled than Bill or Eric, some minced garlic. recipe at http://cocktails.about.com/od/cocktailrecipes/r/bldymry.htm.

3. The Blood & Sand

cocktailia.com

Named for a 1922 Rudolph Valentino film about a bullfighter who is undone by a torrid (and somewhat kinky) love affair & featuring sweet vermouth, orange juice & cherry liquer, this cocktail is traditionally served with a flamed twist of orange zest on top of it (the heat carmelizes the sugars in the orange peel, making the flavor more complex--and wildly impresses onlookers in the process). Fire, blood & borderline BDSM--that says True Blood to us! recipe at http://www.cocktailia.com/cocktail-recipes/blood-and-sand.

4. The Strawberry Daquiri

allrecipes.com

If you ask for a Daiquiri in an NYC bistro, you will be served something like the image above, which will probably taste like a combination between a smoothie and a sorbet and may or may not include some booze. If you ask for a Daiquiri in the South, you will be asked for ID, then handed a slushy to which some 151 has been added, which will most likely be in a disposable cup so you can roam freely as you consume it. Feel free to go either way with this one, depending on whether you're prepping it for a Jessica or a Pam. Recipe at http://allrecipes.com/recipe/best-strawberry-daiquiri/.

5. The Dark 'n Stormy

drinksmixer.com

For a foreboding-sounding drink to invoke some of the witchier plot arcs of the show, try this highball, which consists of a dark rum mixed with ginger beer. If you have been possessed by any demons or put under a curse recently, you'd do well to try this--we're not promising anything but ginger is great for settling the stomach so maybe it'll resolve the issue. Serve with lime & avoid getting involved with necromancy. Recipe at http://www.drinksmixer.com/drink7673.html.

6. Sangria

fatgirltrappedinaskinnybody.com

Not technically a cocktail, but we would be loathe to leave a beverage off of our list that derives its name from a word for blood. Spoiler alert, whipping up a batch of this will give all your guests very vampy-looking wine mouths and if spending the night playing mixologist is not your thing, this may be an appealing alternative. recipe at http://www.fatgirltrappedinaskinnybody.com/2011/04/quick-summer-sangria/.