In her inaugural FF Post, Singing Owl says at RevGals:
All Hallows Eve (Halloween) is near. As a child, Halloween was one of my favorite holidays. We didn’t yet worry about razor blades in apples or popcorn balls or some of the other concerns people have with Halloween these days. Halloween was a chance to be mildly scared, and better yet, to dress up and pretend to be something we really weren’t. Let’s talk about that a bit, but then let’s add in some food ideas for this year. Where I live the leaves are falling, the temperature is chilly and pumpkins are for sale everywhere, along with many kids of apples. What's more, the "Holiday Season" will soon be upon us. ACK! I could use a new idea for dessert. So, here we go…
Great Job, S.O.! Interesting that we live in VERY different locales (she is much more northerly than I am) but here, too, the leaves are falling, the temp is chilly (is the 40's chilly to you? it is to me!) and pumpkins and apples are for sale everywhere. 'Course, those apples do NOT grow here, as they likely do in SO's home state. See Monday's book discussion for more on imported food...
1. How did you celebrate this time of year when you were a child? We dressed up and went trick or treating! Kids were EVERYWHERE! Candy in pillowcases! Yeah, mom took a look at it before we ate it...but it was bliss.
And then when I was about 8, Ronald Clark O'Bryan did a terrible thing, right in my hometown (or next door) and Halloween changed for us forever. The next year, people mostly gave out certificates from the local grocery store...a kind of "scrip" that would allow us to get whatever we wanted (except for alcohol & cigarettes, thank you very much). A good idea, but they forgot kids' need for instant gratification. Also, you had to get someone to drive you to that grocery store (it was across what is now Beltway 8!) and having a parent around while you did your Halloween shopping? not so fun.
Ah well, people forgot, as they do. And candy was distributed again. And until a few years ago, Eighteen Years Old went trick or treating here. But I never, never forget.
2. Do you and/or your family “celebrate” Halloween? Why or why not? And if you do, has it changed from what you used to do? EYO used to go trick or treating, and of course there was the Harvest Festival at his elementary school...we made a Spider Cake for the cake walk. It had green jello inside - EWW! Those were fun days.
We don't do those things any more, since he is older and moved out. And I've stopped buying candy to give out, because we just get so few trick or treaters. Like, none last year, despite our lit jack-o-lantern. Then...the candy is THERE...you see what I mean.
BUT! My church sponsors a "Trunk or Treat" early on Saturday evening, and I'm thinking of going down for that. It would be a fun way to see lots of my favorite kids dressed up and give out candy.
Also, our college neighbors tend to have large and noisy Halloween parties the weekend before. We have one tonight and one Saturday. I'm thinking of attending this year...if the dogs are going to wake me up barking at 2 a.m., and we walk that way, why not!?
2. Candy apples: Do you prefer red cinnamon or caramel covered? Or something else? I like my apples plain, actually. IMHO, neither addition improves the apple. Cheese with apples, that's different.
3. Pumpkins: Do you make Jack O’ Lanterns? Any ideas of what else to do with them? You bet I still carve a jack-o-lantern! :)
4. Do you decorate your home for fall or Halloween? If so, what do you do? Bonus points for pictures. Not really, besides the jack-o-lantern.
5. Do you like pretending to be something different? Does a costume bring out an alternate personality? Eh, I'm not big on costumes - no aversion, just not that into it. If I go to Trunk or Treat I'll have to come up with something! I will be distributing candy from the back of my Beetle, so maybe I'll go as a Bug. :) Pix to follow.
Bonus: Share your favorite recipe for an autumn food, particularly apple or pumpkin ones.
I don't eat cooked apples. There IS an aversion there, going back to a bad incident with a baked apple when I was in first grade. So no help there. I don't have my pumpkin soup recipe here, but the one I prefer looks like this:
Mushroom Pumpkin Soup
1/2 lb. mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tbsp. butter or oil
2 tbsp. flour
1 tbsp. curry powder
3 cups chicken broth
1 can (1 lb.) pumpkin
1 tbsp. honey
dash nutmeg
salt to taste
pepper to taste
1 cup evaporated milk
optional sour cream or yogurt, topping
Sautée mushrooms and onion in butter or oil. Add flour and curry and
stir. gradually adding broth. Add all but milk and cook, stirring,
for 10 - 15 minutes. Add milk and heat through without boiling.
May top with sour cream or yogurt.
Yummmm! Bon appetit!
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