Newsletter: Have a spooktacular Halloween🎃 + Find the formula for good food with Nik Sharma’s Flavor Equation

Happy Halloween

It’s that time of year again, when we look to the dark side and prepare to outdo last year with ridiculous spooky costumes and an excess of candy. Halloween, or All Hallows’ Eve is a celebration with pagan origins which also now marks the beginning in the Christian calendar of a period dedicated to remembering the dead.

It is closely followed by All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. In popular culture it has become a celebration of anything ghostly or ghastly. But whether you dress up and party or not, glowing carved pumpkins – or swede, the traditional vegetable carved lantern faces in Britain – are a warming sight, despite their ghoulish expressions.

While sweet treats play a big role in Halloween, thanks to the trick-or-treat, there is only so much candy you can eat. There are lots more foodie ways to enjoy a happy Halloween. Kick off celebrations for the adults with La Llorona, a truly creepy cocktail. Pumpkin Stuffed with Spiced Turkey and Cashew Nuts makes an impressive seasonal centrepiece for your feast. Or whatever you feel like cooking add these Roast Pumpkin Wedges with Spiced Pumpkin Seeds as a side dish.

Pumpkin seeds are an unsung hero of an ingredient, containing vital nutrients. They add a pleasant bitterness and great crunch to dishes. Pumpkin seeds are easy to find at the store, but you can also toast your own pumpkin seeds (but make sure to use a culinary pumpkin, not one that is solely designed for carving).

Try this Courgette and Pumpkin Seed Rice, make a Pumpkin Seed Pesto, or search ckbk for more pumpkin seed recipes.

Pictured above: Alien Monster Pops from Cupcakes for Kids by Rosie Anness and Cortina Butler

Sweeten up your Halloween

We also have all you need on ckbk to satisfy that Halloween sweet tooth. It is traditional to hand out sweets, and you could buy candy bars.

But one of the best parts of a family holiday is kitchen time together, and your goodies will taste even sweeter for being homemade.

Make a batch of Pumpkin Whoopie Pies, or chocolatey Wizard’s Hat Cupcakes – just two of many great ideas in Cupcakes for Kids.

Or if donuts are more your thing, try some Devil’s Food Donuts. To play sweetshop make some Gelatin Gummies, or Turkish Delight. And of course, there is chocolate. Try Chocolate Caramels or Chocolate-Dipped, Graham Cracker-Rolled Mallows. Or go all out for chocolate and explore our dedicated chocolate bookshelf.

For more ideas and inspiration take a look at our recipe collection Trick or Treat: Savory & Sweet Eats for Halloween.

Find all 60 recipes from Cupcakes for Kids

Exploring The Flavor Equation

We are delighted to announce that IACP 2023 Trailblazer award-winner Nik Sharma’s unique book The Flavor Equation is newly added to ckbk.

Molecular biologist turned cookbook author and food photographer Sharma took the food world by storm with his debut Season: Big Flavors, Beautiful Food – it was a James Beard and IACP finalist, and The Flavor Equation has been similarly lauded.

Whereas Season presents a culinary fusion of Sharma’s Indian cultural background with that of his home in California, The Flavour Equation is " An in-depth exploration into the science of taste" and "A global, scientific approach to cooking."

With each recipe accompanied by readable and fascinating insight into ‘The Flavor Approach,’ this food is not only delicious, but you are given great understanding as to why – a real gift to the curious cook. Try Chickpea Salad with Date + Tamarind Dressing, bake a catch of Cherry + Pepper Granola Bars, or cook up some Roasted Fruit with Coffee Miso Tahini. Look no further for exciting, unusual, and flavor-packed food.

Ingredient spotlight: pumpkin pie spice

Pumpkin pie spice is now so widespread you can’t enter a coffee-shop or bakery without encountering it. A familiar and comforting blend of cinnamon, cloves, allspice, ginger and nutmeg, its popularity is understandable. Associated in name with the seasonal treat that is Pumpkin Pie, its aromatic warmth works in many other dishes and drinks. What could be more soothing than a spice-laced hot cider – try Ariane Resnick's recipe Bathing in Gold.

Go savory with Pumpkin-Sage Ravioli, try Pumpkin Pie Mousse, Pumpkin Pie Pumpkin Butter, or any of the recipes in our Cooking with Pumpkin Pie Spice collection.

6 of the best squash soups

When soup is on the menu there are few better things to make one from than squash. Velvety, richly coloured, enhanced by any number of crunchy, fresh, tangy toppings, squash soup makes a winning autumn meal.