How do you eat candy corn? Do you daintily nibble off the white tip? Do you start from the bottom? Or do you just pop them in your mouth either one at a time, or by the sugary handful? Yes, it is the Halloween version of the Oreo-Cookie eating controversy. It is said that the way one eats their candy corn is a window into their personality type. Over 20 million pounds of candy corn sold every year. There is such a love of candy corn,that it has become a year-round treat, with its looks and flavors to match the different holidays. We have seen pastel colored candy corn at Easter, red and pink candy corn for Valentine’s Day, red and green for Christmas and chocolate-flavored brown, orange and yellow combo for Thanksgiving, and even white Wedding candy corn! When did this madness start? Back in the 1880s, an employee of a candy company called Wunderlee, George Renninger invented this little treat which was intended to look like a kernel of field corn. Made from a combination of sugar, corn syrup and honey, but it was the tri-color, yellow top, orange center, white point, that made it so popular. By 1898, the Goelitz Candy Company, now known as Jelly Belly Candy Co (one of my favs) was producing the candy in mass quantities. In later years, innovations in mechanical processing increased production to the point of expanding from a seasonal candy to a year-round (hence the color/flavor variations) confection, available worldwide.
Candy Corn!
October 20th, 2007 · No Comments
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Glow in the Dark Jell-O
October 16th, 2007 · No Comments
Okay, so it is not actually glow-in-the-dark Jell-O, but it looks really cool! Besides, that could be hazardous to your health. I have done this for kids parties and with Jell-O shots for adult parties.
It’s very simple! All you need to do is to place your Jell-O mold or whatever other creation you’ve come up with, onto a glass platter and light it from underneath with a flashlight, glow sticks, flashing lights (like the small disk type used on bicycles) whatever. The way I have done it is to place the flashing light, or flashlight into a shallow glass or clear plastic bowl that is deep enough to hold the light and sturdy enough to put under the platter. I have heard of using a Bundt cake pan, or other pan with a hollow center (for the flashlight) as the support for the glass platter, but just make sure it is placed where it won’t be bumped or knocked over.
Same deal with the Jello shots - just try to find the clear little plastic shot-cups instead of the more common opaque ones, so they will glow well. Stick something oooey and gooey on top of each one!
The glowing effect works best with green or orange jello (or anything that is not too dark). Be creative! If you are using a mold, mix in a few gummy spiders as the jello sets, or arrange them on the mold at the last minute. Just don’t over-do it, or the glowing effect will be diminished.
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Pumpkin Carving Tips
October 26th, 2006 · No Comments
When it comes to carving your Halloween pumpkin, there are endless design possibilities. You can make it with the traditional happy face, or you can use stencils and make some very elaborate designs. They can be scary, weird, or funny. I’ve seen some outrageous celebrity carvings, one of Ozzy Ozborne at a Halloween party, that really fit the occasion.
First, finding that perfect pumpkin. Consider the shape you want - pumpkins come in all shapes and sizes. Make sure that your pumpkin is ripe, but not too ripe. Here’s a tip…when you thump on it you should hear a hollow sound. That means the pumpkin should be easy to scoop out….remember to save those seeds for baking. Pumpkin seeds make a yummy snack! Try to find a pumpkin that also has a nice stem & remember not to carry it by the stem, always carry from the bottom.
Store your pumpkin in a cool, dry place, until ready to carve. Warm temperatures will only speed up the ripening, then rotting, process. Yuck!
Cut a hole in the top of your pumpkin and remember that you will need this part for the lid. Make sure when you make the cut that you angle it inward, so your lid will sit properly on top of the pumpkin and won’t just fall through! This was the first mistake I ever made when carving and it ruined the whole thing!
To help preserve your pumpkin and prevent mold, wash the outside and the inside (when it has been cleaned out, of course) with a mild bleach solution (1 tbsp bleach to 1 gallon of water), and dry. To make your design last longer, coat all of the exposed ‘flesh’ of the pumpkin with petroleum jelly as soon as you have finished carving, including the surfaces you have cut your design into (you may need to use a cotton swab to reach tricky spots), as this will slow down the ‘old apple’ look and shrinking.
As for the actual carving part, it’s really pretty basic - depending on your design. Draw your pumpkin pattern on a piece of paper first, this way you can make revisions without damaging the pumpkin. If you do not consider yourself to be particularly artistic, there are many ready made stencils available, some even come with pumpkin carving kits. There are great patterns that you can find online and print out.
If you use the stencil method, trim off the excess paper and tape the pattern to the pumpkin. Then poke holes through the pattern on to the pumpkin with a push pin, nail, or pumpkin poker (in pumpkin carving kits). Make a dotted line with the holes close enough for you to be able to see the design well when ready to cut - the closer, the better. This part requires patience, but it will pay off in the end. When finished, remove the paper and rub flour or powder over the holes to make them easier to see.
To actually cut the design, you should use a small serrated knife, and slowly use a sawing motion to carve your design. Never use a razor or straight edge knife, as you may slip and ruin your design, the pumpkin, or injure yourself! I prefer the tools that come with a pumpkin carving kit. They are inexpensive and it really does help to have the right tools for the job.
Once you’ve completed your design, it is ready for display! If you want to light it, use either a light made for pumpkins, or a small votive type candle in a secure holder (there are some available just for pumpkins). Place the candle (in holder) inside the pumpkin on a piece of aluminum foil. Light the candle and place the lid on the pumpkin. After a few minutes, remove the lid and look on the underside of it for smoke marks. You will want to cut small vents in the lid where the smoke left marks. This will also help preserve your pumpkin and keep you from cooking it from the inside. Happy Halloween!
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Celebrating Halloween, Tips and Tricks for a Fun and Not So Scary Event!
October 11th, 2006 · No Comments
Copyright (c) 2006 Melissa Galt
Halloween isn’t just for kids anymore. In fact it seems
more and more adults young and old, especially singles, are
celebrating Halloween. It’s a great opportunity to meet new
friends and a possible date while disguised! So for a truly
awesome (no not gruesome) Halloween get together, follow
the tips and tricks here.
Set the mood! Yes, you do need to decorate for the season.
And like most other major holidays, a tree is in order,
only this one is more twiggy, black in appearance, and
bedecked and festooned with spider webs (yes, you can used
the left over Christmas angel hair), ghostly goblins,
pumpkin ornaments, and howling witches. There is a large
assortment of Halloween ornaments readily available, and
you can always make your own. Just check in with Pier 1
Imports, Bed Bath and Beyond, Linen’s and Things, Seasonal
Concepts, and even your local Hallmark Store. Beyond the
Halloween Tree, you’ll want to consider adding some festive
lights (ghosts and pumpkins are most popular) to an outside
railing or surrounding the door. You can even run these up
a stair rail inside and around windows. You aren’t going
for elegant– this is Halloween!
Okay, so you’ve got the tree planned and the lights ready,
now add a Halloween wreath to the door or better yet, a
favorite skeleton that glows in the dark to really add some
spook. Strategically placed webs with large black spiders
are effective, and your decor isn’t complete without jack
o’ lanterns lining the walkway and greeting visitors at the
door. You can make the party interactive and ask everyone
to bring a carved pumpkin, while you supply the candles.
It is a great ice breaker, and you can always come up with
a prize for the scariest, most creative, most recognizable
or biggest pumpkin.
Of course, you will need invitations, and in this high tech
age, it’s a lot more fun and unusual to get an invite by
snail mail with a follow up by email than just another
evite. Why not include a set of pumpkin seeds and roasting
instructions. You can provide the food or do it pot luck
style, but if you do a pot luck make it easy and ask for
specific types of dishes. Check out the menu here for ideas.
Not interested in sponsoring a pumpkin carving contest?
How about a mask decorating soiree where you provide the
goodies to decorate with along with the masks (order in
bulk from an online party source). You could even include
a cape decorating festivity, ordering a dozen or more from
a local party supply store. You could ask guests to bring a
Halloween ornament for the tree. It’s important to make
this interactive and a good way to mingle. Be sure to
award favors and prizes liberally, so everyone goes home a
winner.
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Melissa Galt is a Lifestyle Designer and Speaker based in
Atlanta, GA. She hosts a series of blogs on design tips and
trends and produces a monthly ezine dedicated to helping
subscribers design their signature life. For the latest
teleclasses, seminars, and ebooks on designing your life
check out http://www.melissagalt.com .