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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