Halloween – Aspasía S. Bissas

31/10/202230/10/2022

Happy Hallowe’en/Samhain

Wishing you all a happy (and creepy!) Hallowe’en/Samhain! Are you doing anything special to celebrate? Share in the comments….

For me, this year feels sombre. My lost loved ones are on my mind, so I’ll be honouring them today. I’ll probably also indulge in some movies: Nightmare Before Christmas for sure, and possibly something else, as well. Any suggestions for a film on the lighter side of the horror spectrum?

If I have time, I’d also like to make Pan de Muertos, AKA Bread of the Dead. If you haven’t tried it, Pan de Muertos, a lightly sweet bread, is traditional during Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead). It’s usually shaped into skulls and bones, but you can make it in any shape that suits you. This recipe is very close to the one I use: Pan de Muertos.

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Cheers,

Aspasía S. Bissas

🎃

15/10/202215/10/2022

Quote of the Day

Yes it is 🧛

It’s vampire season! Get into the spirit by downloading my books now….

Cheers,

Aspasía S. Bissas

30/10/202129/10/2021

Happy Hallowe’en!

I’m sure it’s no surprise to anyone familiar with me, my work, or this blog that this is my favourite time of year. I love the energy in the air, the myth and magic surrounding Hallowe’en, and the general spookiness of it all. It’s also my favourite time to cook and bake, so I’m sharing a couple of recipes that perfectly capture the season.

I wish you all a memorable night tomorrow, full of high spirits (and ~~maybe~~ definitely some candy)! See you on the other side…

Jack o’ Lantern Soup

Whenever we have a jack o’ lantern, I make this soup. It makes use of the pieces of pumpkin you carve out, and it’s mildly pumpkiny and delicious. (Recipe originally found in Ancient Ways by Pauline and Dan Campanelli.)

Happy Hallowe'en! Blog post by Aspasia S. Bissas. aspasiasbissas.com. Halloween, Samhain, jack o'lantern, pumpkin soup, roast pumpkin seeds, recipe, recipes. — This picture makes me realize how much I need to work on my food photography.

pieces of pumpkin cut from your jack-o-lanterns
water
butter
1 chopped onion per cup of mashed pumpkin
1 1/2 cups milk per cup of mashed pumpkin
1/2 tsp salt per cup of mashed pumpkin
dash pepper per cup of mashed pumpkin
1/4 tsp curry powder, or according to taste, per cup of mashed pumpkin
cinnamon or nutmeg

Peel the outer skin from the pieces of pumpkin and boil them in water until very tender, about 20-30 minutes. Mash pieces with a potato masher.

Meanwhile, in a pot of appropriate size, melt some butter and saute chopped onion(s). When onions are ready, add the mashed pumpkin. Add milk, salt, pepper and curry powder. Cook until heated through. Bowls of the soup can be garnished with a dash of cinnamon or nutmeg just before serving.

Pumpkin Seeds

While you’re at it, you should also save and roast the seeds from your jack:

Rinse and drain seeds (if they’re really wet, you might want to pat them dry with a towel) and place in a bowl. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with salt (you can also sprinkle with a bit of cayenne or chili powder). Stir well. Spread on a large, greased baking sheet. Place in preheated 325F (160C) oven for about ten minutes, stirring occasionally. Keep an eye on them as they burn quickly. Best served warm.

Cheers,

Aspasía S. Bissas