Monday, October 28, 2013

Looking back to plan ahead for Hallowe’en

There are two events of great importance happening later this week. On Thursday it will be Hallowe’en. On Thursday it will also be the eighth anniversary of this blog and all 2175+ posts. I am open to suggestions as to how to celebrate the blogoversary, but until then, I want to plan in advance for the night of spooks and witches.

One of the best ways to plan ahead for a special day is to see how it was celebrated in the past. Our inspiration today is the article on Hallowe’en party hints which appeared in the Des Moines Daily News October 27, 1910.

Refreshments should be of indigestible things to cause weird and unusual dreams. The salted almonds should be served in tiny glazed china, pumpkin-faced receptacles, each shell of baked lobster with cheese may have a little pin, representing a witch, stuck onto the edge of the shell, the salad may be served in bright red scalloped apples (as bobbing for apples is one of the most important game) with a tiny black cat perched on the edge of the apple. With a little practice, funny faces may be cut into the hard-boiled, shelled eggs, and deviled eggs have long been a favorite refreshment.

Sandwiches may be cut out with fancy cutters in the shape of cats, and so completely covered with caviar as to look like an exact reproduction of the living black cat.
It is not so much what is served as the infectious gaiety which is always present on Hallowe’en, and cakes and ices may be bought to carry out any of the symbols of the evening.

From these suggestions and a few recipes given, a sufficient spread may be prepared.

Lemon Baskets.
Select a long, oval lemon. Cut eyes, nose, and mouth into it with a sharp knife. Cut off a slice to make it stand. Cut off a slice from top and scoop out the inside of lemon, leaving the outer shell. Fill shell with boiled ham, ground very fine, mixed with salad dressing, a little chopped pickle, a little minced celery, salt, pepper and paprika.

Deviled Lobster in Shells.
Pick the meat of 4 small cooked, cold lobsters, cut into ½ inch cubes. Put into saucepan with half the quantity cooked mushrooms, cut into ½ inch dice. Put 2 tablespoonsfuls of minced onion and 2 ounces of flour in butter without browning, dilute with 1 pint milk, cook again for several minutes. Then add the lobster and mushrooms, mix well, season with salt, pepper, cayenne, paprika; let come to a boil, remove from fire, cool off, fill shells, sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese, then with breadcrumbs, put bits of butter on each shell, brown in hot oven. Shells must be well-cleaned and dried.

Previous Hallowe’en posts:
A Mysterious Stew for Halloween [menus for three meals of the day] 1906


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