1 ½ oz. citron vodka

1 oz. clear, orange-flavored liqueur

1 oz. sangria simple syrup, chilled

1 dark sweet cherry for garnish

Fill shaker with cocktail ice. Add vodka and orange liqueur; cover and shake. Strain into martini glass. Drizzle simple syrup into glass. Garnish with cherry.

Sangria Simple Syrup

1 cup sugar

1 cup red wine

1 cup dark sweet cherries, stemmed, pitted and halved

1 stick cinnamon

Strips of orange peel from 1 medium orange (orange part only)

In 1 ½ quart saucepan, mix ingredients. Heat to boiling over medium heat. Simmer 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool 30 minutes. Strain mixture through fine strainer, discarding solids. Cover and chill until ready to use (makes about 1 ½ cups).

This drink comes courtesy of Betty Crocker, in celebration of the True Blood finale on September 11. It’s part of Betty Crocker’s new collection of recipes to make while watching fall TV shows, called Fan Fare. Tip from Betty Crocker: Use a vegetable peeler to remove strips of orange peel. Be sure to remove only the orange part of the peel; the white part, called pith, is bitter.