Saturday 31 October 2009

Happy Halloween


Australia doesn't really do Halloween. You get some kids trick or treating, and the odd person who throws a party to provide an excuse for dressing up as a slutty pirate, but it isn't particularly widespread. In the UK it runs much deeper, but the celebration now is still more informed by American TV than by traditional practices.

But this week in my veg box there was a small, smooth, orange pumpkin. And I just knew that it had to become my first jack o' lantern.

As it happens, the hardest part was scraping out the seeds. No matter what I tried I could NOT get the fibres out. The carved-away flesh joined another pumpkin in becoming a pot of velvety soup.

18 comments:

kat said...

Great job on your first pumpkin! Halloween has really changed over here in the US especially in larger cities. People seem to be afraid to let their kids trick or treat at houses & they just got to businesses. We get so few kids at our house & end up eating all the candy ourselves!

NKP said...

Admit it, you're the slutty pirate! ;-)
Just kidding.
Great pumpkin!
I thought we were going to get rained out but it looks like it is clearing, I love to hand out candy on the deck.

Arlene Delloro said...

I love cats and your first Jack o' lantern is spooktacular.

HH said...

That is greatFC - great design!! Fantastic - and the soup sounds great too!

Bettina Douglas said...

Lovely pumpkin.
I'm not sure what kept the numbers down - was it the barking dogs (who are terrified of the trick or treaters) or are the local children just growing up? Any way, lots of surplus chocolates to put towards the Melbourne Cup party.

Alicia Foodycat said...

Kat - it's sad people are so scared of everything!

Natashya - If I were invited to a Halloween party I would certainly be a slutty pirate.

Arlene - thanks!

HH - the soup is really good!

Mother - no sign of anyone here, but the neighbour's dog was barking a lot so that theory may hold.

Deb in Hawaii said...

A beautiful pumpkin--I like the strings hanging down--makes it look like cobwebs!

Heather said...

so cute! i cannot carve a pumpkin to save my life! the cat is adorable! happy halloween :)

Teresa Cordero Cordell said...

Foodycat, for that pumpkin being your first jack-o-lantern, you did a great job. I love Halloween. I see it as an excuse to join with friends and family to have a little loving fun together, even if I do dress up as a slutty pirate!!! (Just kidding, LOL)

mscrankypants said...

Hacking pumpkins is one of the kitchen jobs I can't stand doing, so I'm in awe of your carving skills.

I just got an idea from your commenters: if I take too long getting a job I can dress as a slutty pirate and knock on doors for food!

Heather S-G said...

Your very first jack-o-lantern looks awesome!! I like the stringy look in the background...but a really easy way to get it out is to use a large, wide metal spoon/spatuala deal and just scrape your way from the bottom up! Or use a pumpkin scraper that are everywhere here!! :D

Gemma said...

Your first pumpkin is amazing! We had a few trick or treaters but I went out after the first few appeared so not sure if there were many more around.

Laurie said...

Your first jack 'o lantern is awesome and so perfectly appropriate!

We only got 6 kids this year :(

Ten years ago we got about 50 kids every Halloween. It's a sign of the times on Cape Cod. Some of the kids have grown, but there are no new families - only empty summer houses. I miss my old neighborhood.

Love your tomato sauce cook-off! Very fun.

Alicia Foodycat said...

Deb - thanks! That makes me feel better about them.

Heather - I don't believe that! If I can anyone can.

Teresa - I love the look of your Halloween festivities!

Cranky - you should see my tool set. It's very nifty and means no hacking is required.

GirliHeather - I had one of those scrapers and I STILL couldn't do it!

Gemma - we didn't see any this year.

Laurie - that's sad! I think where you live looks so lovely!

lapetitepipistrelle said...

Oh FC, what an adorable lantern! Meow!

Unknown said...

What a cute little lantern! The cat is great, much better than all the other "Haloween" themes one sees...

Alicia Foodycat said...

Pips - thank you! Madam didn't like it because it was on the shelf in her conservatory.

Johanna - thanks! I couldn't bring myself to do a scary face on such a sweet little pumpkin.

Leslie said...

ahhh..love the kitty pumpkin.
HEY..I was a slutty pirate for Halloween!!! LOL LOL LOL

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