tagged ‘Halloween’

Chocolate & coconut spider cakes

in Desserts, Taste -

Chocolate & coconut spider cakes

Less than a week. That’s how long there’s left before Halloween- not that I’m counting. For the past few years, this time in October I get all excited and giddy and spend a ridiculous amount of time decorating the house, testing recipes (this candied salty cashew popcorn and these fruity and spicy cookies are among my favourites) and doing research for my costume. Last year, Halloween was admittedly a bit of a bust. No matter how excited I was, not matter how many bat-shaped things I’d eat make, not matter how spookily dreary London was, the happy/haunted feeling I so love was just not there. [READ MORE]

Halloween Bat Cookies with Chocolate, Coffee & Sea salt

in Desserts, Taste -

Halloween Bat Cookies with Chocolate, Coffee & Sea salt

I’m crazy about Halloween; seriously, it’s the holiday I mostly look forward to, with Christmas being a close second.  Even though I didn’t grow up celebrating it, once I moved to London, I was hooked. I think the reasons behind it are quite simple: I absolutely love dressing up (I almost always go for a gory theme- which is kind of the point, I think) and spookily decorating the house. I love watching moderately scary movies (as much as I hate to admit it, I’m such a big woosh- I only managed to watch all Scream films last year) and, my favourite, enthusiastically carving pumpkins of all sizes. At the same time, I really like the idea of honouring the dead. No matter how commercial Halloween is, for me, that’s the core of the whole celebration and the main reason I’m behind it. [READ MORE]

Roasted pumpkin seeds

in Small bites, Taste -

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Pumpkins must be my favourite autumnal ingredient; growing up, we’d usually cook with the squashes from our garden, but ever since I moved to London, it seems like I’m discovering a new kind of pumpkin every year. I love the variety in shapes and colours, how durable they are, as well as their versatility: soups, quiches, pies, cheesecakes- I’ve incorporating pumpkin in so many dishes, and I still can’t get enough. [READ MORE]

Sweet and salty cashew caramel corn

in Small bites, Taste -

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The end of summer always leaves me with bittersweet emotions: while I don’t want to let go of the hot temperatures, smell of sunscreen, warm starry nights and the overall easiness of the season, I long for the first signs of fall. I ‘m always happy to see the sidewalks filled with colourful falling leaves and to try new comfort recipes featuring autumnal produce. Most of all, I can’t wait for Halloween. [READ MORE]