It’s a Full Moon

Day Of The Dead/Dia De Los Muertos

Dia De Los Muertos, Day of the Dead celebrated in central and southern Mexico during the days of November 1 & 2.

Day of the Dead is not a Mexican Halloween, Day of the Dead is a holiday to remember loved ones by sharing a meal with them as one would when they were alive.

Even though this coincides with the Catholic holiday called All Soul's & All Saint’s Day, many people have combined this with their own ancient beliefs of honoring their deceased loved ones.

They believe that the gates of heaven are opened at midnight on October 31, and the spirits of all deceased children (angelitos) are allowed to reunite with their families for 24 hours. 

On November 2, the spirits of the adults come down to enjoy the festivities that are prepared for them.

Catrina (above photo) has come to symbolize not only El Día de los Muertos and the Mexican willingness to laugh at death itself, but originally Catrina was an elegant or well-dressed woman, rich person. 

She serves as a reminder that death brings a neutralizing force; everyone is equal in the end. 

Bobbing for Apples

The tradition of bobbing for apples dates back to the Roman invasion of Britain, when the conquering army merged their own celebrations with traditional Celtic festivals.

The Romans brought with them the apple tree, a representation of the goddess of fruit trees, Pomona.

 

When an apple is sliced in half, the seeds form a pentagram-like shape, and it is thought that the manifestation of such a symbol meant that the apple could be used to determine marriages during this time of year. From this belief comes the game bobbing for apples. 

 

During the annual celebration, young unmarried people try to bite into an apple floating in water or hanging from a string; the first person to bite into the apple would be the next one to be allowed to marry.

 

Spooky Black Candy Apples

We tried making these and they were great.

Spooky Black Caramel Apples from bakedbyrachel.com

Spooky homemade black caramel apples, a fun treat perfect for Halloween parties!

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp corn syrup
• 2 Tbsp water
• 1/2C granulated sugar
• 1/4C heavy cream
• Pinch salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2-3 tsp McCormick black food coloring
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter

Directions:

1. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
2. Prepare apples: wash, dry and remove stems. Insert sticks or popsicle/craft sticks. Set aside.
3. In a medium heat proof bowl, add corn syrup, water and granulated sugar. Microwave for 5-7 minutes until mixture boils and turns a light amber color. Watch closely and remove immediately after it has reached ideal shade.
4. Stir in heavy cream, followed by salt, vanilla and food coloring. Mix until well incorporated. Finally stir in butter until smooth.
5. Immediately dip and coat one apple at a time. Tilt and rotate to coat completely. Hold over bowl with stick up, allowing excess to drip off or 10-15 seconds. Flip upside down, with stick down, letting caramel set for 15-20 seconds. Transfer to prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining apples.
6. Chill for at least 30-60 minutes to completely set caramel.
7. Can be made up to a day ahead.