A few of my friends have popped by today to wish you all a happy Halloween! They may look a little frightening, but I promise they’re harmless. They are the vault bosses who reside at Elgin Cathedral in Elgin, Scotland.
Never heard of a ‘vault boss’? Yeah, I hadn’t either until I met these guys.
Happy Saturday, friends! Here is an interesting post by Debbie Boek about Samhain and the Celtic origins of what we now know as Halloween. Have a great weekend!
Happy Halloween! Here we are, almost at the end of October already, and I know many of you must be wondering how this holiday actually came about. The good news for you is that I am going to talk about that very subject today. It all started with the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced […]
THE JOURNEY FROM SAMHAIN TO HALLOWEEN — DEBBIE BOEK
Halloween and all of its festivities are nearly upon us, so I thought it would be fun to find a Halloween-themed cocktail made with whisky. Notice, that’s whisky without the ‘e’ (Scotch). Because as much as I adore bourbon, I’m pretty much all about Scotland here!
I discovered this particular cocktail recipe on a site called Gastronom. The web site is hosted by an American couple named Jay and Leah, who love all things cocktails. Some of their recipes are pretty interesting! It’s a great resource if you are looking to try something a bit different. And that’s exactly what today’s recipe is. The “Professor’s Poisoned Apple” calls for Laphroaig, an Islay whisky that is made by drying malted barley over a peat fire, giving it its distinctive smoky taste of the island. The Scotch is combined with Amaretto, cranberry juice, apple cider, and bitters, creating a genuinely unique new flavor that isn’t dominated by any one of its ingredients. It is, for sure, an eclectic blend of tastes, but those tastes go surprisingly well together to create a flavor of fall.
Jay and Leah suggest the optional addition of dry ice as a way to really create a fun, atmospheric experience. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any on quick notice, but it would be neat to try it one day. You can see what it looks like by clicking the embedded link above. Here is the recipe. Enjoy!
In the spirit of the old Irish and Scottish tradition of carving turnip lanterns to ward off evil spirits, today, I thought it would be fun to tackle this twist on the pumpkin Jack O’ Lanterns that I grew up with as a child. And since my sweet sister is here on holiday, what better way for two sisters to have a little Halloween giggle than by having some turnip carving fun!
Here’s what you do.
Step 1: Decide how you want your turnip to be oriented. Which end would make the best top and bottom? Which sides do you want to make the front and back? Are there any scars, warty, or hairy spots that could give character to your Jack O’ Lantern’s face?
Step 2: With a sharp knife, cut a small amount off of the bottom of the turnip so that it creates a flat base.
Step 3: Slice off the top of the turnip, leaving plenty of room to carve the face. Save the lid.
Step 4: Use your knife to score around the inside edge to loosen up the meat of the turnip.
Step 5: Use a spoon, melon baller, ice cream scooper, or any other implement to scoop out the inside of the turnip. You will find that this step requires a bit of effort, but the result will be so worth it.
Step 6: Draw a face on your turnip with a pencil.
Step 7: Use a small kitchen or crafter’s knife to carve out the face.
Step 8: Light a tea light and enjoy your unique Halloween creation!
Cheers!
Dirleton Castle in East Lothian, Scotland.