How To Host A Ghost

Halloween demands a better meal

I love this time of year. In Southern California we have a different definition of autumn than the rest of the US, but there are signs that Halloween is coming. As soon as we get our first false fall in September, Trader Joe’s is immediately packed with cinnamon brooms and various gourds. You aren’t allowed to smell anything but cinnamon in a TJ’s until the new year. Empty lots and abandoned car dealerships are all covered with hay. It’s startling every single year. These fake farmyards are either loaded up with pumpkins of all sizes or fake, constantly melting snow to create the saddest sled run you’ve ever seen. Either way, exhausted parents have to wander around and pretend they’re having fun while their kids roll in the dirty, hot hay layered over asphalt. It’s rough. But when it comes to decorations and costumes, it’s hard to beat LA. Between all the makeup artists, set designers, and costume designers at the heart of our belabored entertainment industry, you should expect to have your mind blown at Halloween.

let’s be clear, I lived in an apartment 📸 Michael Juliano for Time Out

I used to live in Angelino Heights (it’s right next to Dodgers Stadium and Downtown) which is full of old Victorian homes. It’s not what you picture when you think of LA, I know, but some of these homes have stood there since the turn of the previous century. They filmed Thriller right there, so every Halloween the block shuts down to car traffic and every single house goes all out. It honestly looks like a movie set and the production level these homes rollout is unbelievable. There are huge crowds of people walking around on Halloween. You'd think you were at Disneyland if it wasn’t for all the vaping. So many neighborhoods in LA are like this. The West Hollywood Halloween Carnival is legendary. The costumes and makeup you’ll see will make you wonder if people train for that one night all year long- they do. Dia de Los Muertos has been celebrated at The Hollywood Forever cemetery since 1899 and the iconic cemetery goes all out. It’s an unforgettable experience. Plus, it’s the largest celebration anywhere in US, thank you very much. This city has so much to offer around Halloween that you won’t hear complaining about the lack of autumn leaves. My only problem with the holiday? The food.

it’s a vibe

Halloween in the US is the start of our holiday season but for some reason, we only have garbage candy and maybe some candied apples to mark the occasion. No number of amazing costumes can make up for that. If we want this to be a top tier holiday—and I think we all do—then we need to figure out a menu or some dishes that go with ghosts and goblins. And I don’t mean weirdly dyed noodles to look like worms. I want food that uses autumn ingredients to a vaguely spooky but delicious conclusion. Halloween food could be a great warm-up for Thanksgiving; a time to test out some recipes. In an attempt to get this going, I created a little menu/ recipe booklet for the occasion. The Host A Ghost: Autumn Dinner Party Recipe Guide is full of 7 recipes to help you kick off the season or a séance in style.

Recipes include: Baby Fingers in a Blanket, Spiced Witches Hats, Creamy Ghosts of Carrots Soup, Bloody Rosemary Knots, Lemony Risotto with Braised Radicchio Hearts, Black Flame Candle Chocolate Cake, and Mulled Poisoned Apple Cider. Sounds pretty good and kinda spooky right? Plus, it’s pretty cute. Want a copy? Click right this way.

Hungry for more? Tomorrow paid subscribers are getting a recipe for a super versatile, protein-rich patty that easily transforms into nuggets, and freezes like a dream. Not on the list? Come on now, join us for some food. We’d love to have you.

Does your family have any Halloween food traditions that you think the rest of us should try out? Let me know in the comments because I really want this idea to take off. Any stories of people pulling out all of their teeth on a candied apple are highly encouraged. We all need a good laugh these days.

Xoxo,

Michelle