by Nancy Armitage
All Hallow’s Eve or as we know it today as ‘Halloween” is a fun holiday celebration in America. October 31st every year stems from Celtic Irish traditions. A Celtic festival of “Samhain”, celebrates the end of summer & the Autumn harvest. Anyone that has made a garden knows you have to use & bake with those fruits & vegetables, or give them away but never to waste them. Or decorate your house or garden with the fruits of the harvest…..
The tradition of going door to door comes from people asking for alms, money, nuts, or apples. On All Hallow Eve, Irish stories of grand Irish bonfires were written about. How did it morph into costume parties & candy?? Dressing up stems from the Celtic people dressing up in costumes to ward off ghosts. The Irish “Jack O’Lantern” tradition & carving pumpkins stems from Ireland. Where the people carved scary faces into vegetables & turnips from the garden.
What was a Gilded Age Halloween Party look like? For the wealthy, is was popular for the adults had lavish costume parties, especially in New York City. It was in vogue to host a fancy dress party (costume parties) in fancy masks & fancy gowns & costumes. The Host & their cooks thinking up outrageous elaborate menus.
Halloween Dining-Room Table (Gilded Age)
The grand Halloween Dining-Room table could have been decorated in fancy gold damask tablecloth & napkins or a Medieval Autumnal-colored tapestry or stunning Persian rug. Colors: yellow, orange, red, & rust with green & gold accents; the room beautifully lit by candlelit & tall gilded torches. The Halloween decorations could have been a theme of “Medieval Treasure Hunt” or “Caribbean Buccaneers” or “New Orleans Carnival”. Pearls wrapped around the candelabras, with beautifully painted face masks & ladies fancy fans made in New Orleans, & pirate hats with feathers lining the middle of the dining table. TWooden & brass treasure chests opened with treasures inside like coins, jewels, necklaces, pearls, & leather cinch bags of gold coins (chocolate gold coins). Ephemera of old maps scrolls, letters, & ancient parchment papers writing or recipes in French or Latin. Maybe a game or a treasure hunt was in store for the Halloween dinner guests; with little scrolls of poem/message to give clues to find the location of the treasure around the mansion.
The Halloween Fancy Dinner Menu framed in a gold frame & set on the table, all the multi-courses listed with the wines & champagnes picked especially for the honored guests. The writings on the parchment in French, with illustrations in watercolor. What plate ware might Mrs. Arabella Huntington use for a elaborate Halloween party?? It depended on her Halloween party theme. Both Arabella & Archer Huntington were extremely clever, artistic, humorous & creative in their daily lives. In my opinion, they would have put on a fantastic Halloween party whether giving for children or adults!
Fancy Gilded Age Halloween dinner party with multiple courses: 1st course: Oysters a la New Orleans (baked with parmesan cheese), Soup course: Consommé a la Royale , Fish course: Lobster Newburg, Entrée: Grand silver trays of sliced Roast Beef, Game Course: Roasted Duck & Venison with rich gravy, Potatoes au gratin & exotic vegetables like Artichoke & Avocado “alligator pear” Cheese Course: French cheese with Autumnal Berries & Autumnal fruits, Salad Course: New York Waldorf Salad, Dessert & Pudding Course, Fancy Cakes, Napoleons, Petit fours, Sugared fruits or Mexican sugar skulls, Candies, French Bonbon, & nuts.
In the 1890’s, for Halloween night the little children would dress up in a costume. To go “trick or treating’ with their friends, and family to get candy. Viewing photographs at the time, people dressed up as characters that they read about in their favorite books/poems popular at the time: Little Bo Peep, Buccaneers, & Little Red Riding Hood. Or pretty Pprincesses, Kings & Queens, Ghosts, Clowns, Monsters, wealthy Mr. Rockefeller, Pumpkin head (or the headless horseman from Sleepy Hollow), or Witches.
In the Gilded Age, the children’s Halloween party would have parlor games, fortune telling, carving pumpkins, & bobbing for apples. Spooky decorations with ghosts, witches, black cat, & skeletons. Fun spicy nut cake was baked, sometimes with special silver charms (telling of one’s future).
Books published about Halloween (1880-1920’s):
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow poem & the tale of the Head-less horseman by Washington Irving (1820)
Dracula by Bram Stoker (1897)
Games for Halloween by Mary E. Blain (1912)
Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Rob. Louis Stevenson (1886)
The Halloween Frolic by Lizzie de Armond et al. (1908)
The Book of Halloween by Ruth Edna Kelley (1919)
Frankenstein By Mary Shelley (1818)
Halloween Stories from Godey (1800’s)
A 1920 Halloween Party – American Menus were comprised of Chicken Pot Pie or Chicken Patties [like Veal Parmesan], Stuffed Apple Salad [Waldorf Salad in carved out apple], or Fruit Cocktail, Walnut or Nut bread sandwiches [with cream cheese], Coffee & Hot Gingerbread, Laura Shudders Potato Chips, Vegetable Salad, Irish Brown Bread with sweet Irish butter, Cheese Sandwiches [or grilled Cheese & Turkey sandwiches] Pumpkin Pie or Individual cakes/ Petit fours with Icing or Cupcake with Frosting with Ice Cream, Cheese cubes with toothpicks & Apple Cider, Candy Goodie Bags (Paper)
Old-Fashioned Victorian Halloween Decorations (October) :
Pumpkins of all sizes & baby pumpkins & colorful decorative corn (not edible)
Orange & Black ribbons & steamers (old-fashioned but it still works)
Orange and yellow or black & orange checked ribbons wrapped around my clear glass vases for fresh flowers for the Halloween party
Pumpkins, gourds, squash decorations by the front door on hay stacks or wheel barrows or ladder with wood plaque across or lamp post with autumnal leaves
Carved Jack-o-lanterns with candles inside…. lining the driveway on the Huntington property “Homestead” Gothic Victorian mansion (Throggs Neck double wide veranda)
Ghost hanging from the tree branches: Take a ball of cloth or syraform ball & cut a large circle of a old white sheet. With the string tie at the neck makes the ghost. Make to almond shaped black eyes with black paint or sharpie. If hanging from the chandelier, use kleenex to make the ghost and string or thin ribbon & black pen to make the eyes.
Pumpkin Pie Spice Scent (floating through the air)
This has been a autumnal traditional of mine for years. Starting on October 1, when I’m decorating for Halloween. I put this lovely spice mixture on the back of the stove. It fills my whole house with a great spicy scent.
2-3 c. Fruit juices (Apple, orange, cranberry juice)
1 T. Pumpkin pie spice
1-2 Cinnamon sticks
3 c. small copper saucepan
In a small saucepan, add fruit juice of choice. Heat up to boil & turn to simmer, add pumpkin pie spice or chai spices & cinnamon sticks. Keep a eye on it. When the juice reduces add more juice. Note: don’t leave the house with the burner on. Recipe: Nancy Armitage
Halloween Party Basic Menus from 1880-2025, haven’t really changed very much in a 145 years. The basic Autumnal theme is always using seasonal fruits like pumpkin & apples. Celtic Applejack (alcoholic drink made with apple cider). or Apple Cider Also, seasonal berries, vegetables & herbs from the garden in the Fall season. Spicy cakes, pies, & desserts: Baked pumpkin seeds, & Pumpkin bread (Pumpkins seeds, walnuts and sunflower seeds), walnut bread or spiced Carrot cake, or pumpkin cake with frosting, or pumpkin pancakes.
The old Gilded Age favorites which are still being used today (2025) at a American Halloween Parties are: Spiced Apple Cider or Festive Punch in a punch bowl , Popcorn Balls, Nut Bowl Mixtures: Roasted Cashews, Almonds, & Peanuts or Chex Mix with nuts, Candy Corn & Pumpkins in candy dishes, Tootsie Rolls, Caramel Apples, Spiced Apple Cake, Nutmeg Spice Cake, Carrot Cake, Zucchini or Walnut bread, Apple or Pumpkin Pie.
The (1890) Halloween Night Buffet Tea/ Dinner menu (Children party)
Beverages: Hot Apple Cider with cinnamon sticks & allspice,
Appetizers: Nut Bowls, Cheese Ball with water crackers, Cheese wafers with cayenne,
Main Dishes & Entrees (Buffet): Chicken Salad Tea Sandwiches, Pimento Cheese Tea Sandwiches & Roasted chestnut with butter on brown bread sandwiches, or Turkey & Sausage Stuffing & gravy,
Salad: NYC Waldorf Salad (invented in 1890’s) in hallowed out cabbage: apples, celery, & walnuts chopped up with mayonnaise dressing.
Sides: Autumn Root veggie dishes: Irish Colcannon (Mashed potatoes & Cabbage – crispy bacon would be delicious), carrot, yams or sweet potatoes casserole with marshmallow on top
Halloween Desserts & Sweets: Hot Coffee with Pumpkin Pie, Popcorn Balls, Nutmeg Cake, Candy Corn & Pumpkins, Caramel Apples, Tootsie Rolls, Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit gum, Apple pie or Baked Apples.
Gilded Age Halloween Nutmeg Cake (1890’s)
This is a old-fashioned simple spice & buttermilk cake. You can simply topped with powdered sugar(face of a jack o’lantern. It could also be topped with whipped cream or served with ice cream (Halloween pumpkin or licorice from Baskin and Robbins 31 flavors). Using fresh nutmeg is a must. You will love the smell of the nutmeg when you grate it.
1/2 c. butter
3 eggs
1 1/3 c. sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
2 c. flour
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
2 t. nutmeg (freshly grated from the egg-shaped nutmeg)
1/2 t. salt
1 c. buttermilk
Preheat oven to 350*. In a bowl, add butter & sugar & mix with a blender. Add eggs & vanilla extract, add flour, baking powder & soda & nutmeg & salt. Add buttermilk. Mix well. Pour batter into a flour pan & spread evenly. Bake 40 or until toothpick/skewer comes clean. Can be dusted with powdered sugar or Whipped cream or serve with pumpkin or licorice ice cream – (Baskin Robbins 31 flavors). Recipe: Nancy Armitage
Huntington Halloween at Gothic – Victorian Huntington Mansion & estate at Throgg’s Neck, Westchester County, NY
Where was the Arabella Huntington Family located on Halloween through the years?? Usually in New York City or at the Huntington “Homestead” Gothic Victorian Mansion & seaside estate at Throgg’s Neck in Westchester Co. New York. Halloween is for kids, & when your children are small, they want to go out for trick or treating & have a little Halloween party with their friends. When the children grow up, adults go traveling or go to costume parties.
As you will see below, often Arabella & Collis Huntington are located at Throggs Neck on Halloween. At “Huntington Homestead” Gothic Mansion & large Estate, in Westchester Co. NY. In this beautiful Victorian Gothic style mansion on the “Huntington Homestead”, it was perfect for Halloween party….Also, many of the Huntington employees were Irish or Scottish, who would have enjoyed to carry on the ‘All Hallow’s Eve” Irish tradition in America.
Guess what is located north of Westchester Co.? Sleepy Hollow, New York. Remember “the Legend of Sleepy Hollow” published in 1820 would have been popular, ( “tale of the headless horseman”). A perfect story to read to children, maybe adults for Halloween. A fun thing at a Halloween party is to have people bring a Halloween poem & read it out loud at the Halloween party; maybe approved by mom or dad first. Maybe a poem that they made up, that rhymes.
The Huntington Family location in 1900’s
Later in the 1900’s, the Huntington Family were located in all parts of the world on Halloween: Brown’s Hotel London, England one year & Palace Hotel in San Francisco in several other Halloweens. When Mrs. Arabella D. Huntington lost her husband, Collis P. Huntington in 1900, she went to Europe (especially Paris) for extended periods of time.
But come October every year, Arabella Huntington wanted to be back in America to celebrate all the holidays: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas & New Years. Maybe to see the glorious Autumnal leaves change along the Atlantic coastline. Often, on a annually basis in October, Mrs. Arabella Huntington was on a luxury liner ship headed for New York Harbor from Europe (France or England). Home for her favorite American holidays.
Location of the Arabella Huntington Family on Halloween:
Halloween 1884 – Arabella & Collis Huntington with son, & Archer [14 yrs. old] were located at Throggs Neck (Arabellas letter & package to her niece, Carrie Huntington). It is dated Nov. 12, 1884, “I’ve haven’t been in town (65 Park Ave.) for 3 weeks” (which makes the Huntingtons located at TN on Halloween. Document: HEH Collection HEH 418 Correspondence (Huntington Library San Marino, CA Nancy Note: An interesting fact of the Huntingtons location is Throgg’s Neck in Westchester Co, NY….Tarry town & Sleepy Hollow was just north of there.
Halloween October 1886 – Arabella & Collis Huntington & son Archer [16 yrs. old] are located at Throgg’s Neck, Westchester Co. NY. Arabella’s mother come for a visit. Document Book: H. E. Huntington by Thorpe. Remember Archer Huntington was very artsy, and smart. Maybe the Huntingtons threw a Sleeping Hollow Halloween Party with the scary readings from Washington Irving, Longfellow & Poe. They definitely had those books on their library shelves.
Halloween 1889 – Arabella & Collis Huntington (Archer is 19? college) are traveling home from Europe. They had stayed at Brown’s Hotel in London, & they met Prince Hatzfeldt’s family & “their dramatics”. They are on a luxury Cunard “RMS Teutonic” ship on Oct. 30 1889, so on Halloween, the Collis Huntingtons are traveling home to America. Document: HEH Collection HEH MS 419 HEH Correspondence – Arabella Letter to her niece, Miss Carrie D. Huntington
Oct. 31, 1890 Collis & Arabella Huntington are located at the Palace Hotel, San Francisco, CA. Oct. 21, the Huntingtons check into the Palace with their personal secretaries, Miss C. M. Campbell & Mr. Geo. K. Miles. Info Document: SF Call newspaper Vol. 67 No. 143
Tues. Oct. 21, 1890 – Palace Hotel, San Francisco, Calif. Arabella writes a letter to her son, “Last night [Monday] the rooms were full of callers [for 5 o’clock tea]. The Townes of course, the Mills with many others. Document: HSA NYC Letter from Mrs. Collis Huntington (Arabella) to her son, Archer Huntington, who is 20 years old & in college. Nov. 19, 1890 Union Club – San Francisco. “A dinner was given on Saturday evening by Sir Albert Gallatin complimentary to Mr. Miles, private secretary Mr. Collis P. Huntington at the Union Club [SF] Document: San Francisco Call Newspaper Vol. 67 No. 170 Nov. 17, 1890
Oct. 31, 1891 – Most-likely the Huntingtons were in New York City on Halloween. “New York Metropolitan Opera House, NYC, NY – The Italian & French Opera… begins at the Metropolitan. Dec. 16, 1891 “Lohengrin” probably being the opera….. Box 1: Mr. Ogden Goelet, Box 2 :Mr. Jay Gould, Box 7 :Mr. Wm. C. Whitney [shared], Box 14: Mr. Henry Clews/ Mr. W. H. Starbuck [shared], Box 20: Mr. Rob. Goelet, Box 30: Mr. Wm. K. Vanderbilt, Box 32: Mr. Wm. Rockefeller, Box 35: Cornelius Vanderbilt, Box 46: Mr. Jas. Harriman Box 52: Mr. A. Iselin Box 55: Mr. Jas. Roosevelt, Box 56: Mr. J. Pierpont Morgan… Box 59: Mr. D. O. Miles… Box 62: Mr. Collis P. Huntington [Arabella] Box 65: Mr. A Iselin Jr. Document: Musical Courier Vol. 23 Date: November 4, 1891 So, now we know the Opera Box # that the Huntington’s had at the Metropolitan Opera House! That the Huntingtons were old-school with their subscription to the New York Opera.
Halloween 1892 – Huntington Mansion, San Francisco, CA: Collis & Arabella Huntington location was at their mansion on Nob Hill in SF, CA. Belle writes a letter to her son archer Huntington, he is 22 years old. Document: HSA NYC
Halloween1903: Paris, France (Oct. 13 1903 – Jan. 1904) widow, Mrs. Arabella Huntington is with her son, Archer M. Huntington & his first wife: Helen Huntington are located in Paris. They stayed at one of Mrs. Huntington’s favorite hotels: Hotel Bristol, Paris. Document: HEH Coll. MS HEH 2898 Arabella writes a letter to Charles Tweed, that states Archer & Helen are arriving soon from Madeira, Spain from South America….How did they celebrate Halloween in Paris? Probably with a bunch of Americans that lived & vacationed in Paris & went to a costume party is my quess.
Halloween 1904 on a ship: Oct. 17 1904 NYC or TN Mrs. Arabella Huntington just got off the RMS “Oceanic” Cunard ship from Liverpool to NYC.
Halloween 1905, – “Huntington’s Homestead” Mansion & Estate Throggs Neck, NY from Oct. 21, 1905 to Nov. 14 or longer. The Huntington Mansion is filled with guests: Belle a widow of 5 years entertained family, friends & house guests at TN. Document: HEH Coll MS 53/2 uncat (Holladay Family papers journal 1902-1906) Huntington Library SM, CA (Nancy Note: bedrooms were filled at Huntington Homestead at TN, on Nov. 13, the Holladays had to move to NYC for the rest of their stay at the Hotel Netherland, NYC, (where HEH lived in NYC )
Halloween 1907 – No. 2 57 St. NYC Oct. 17 Arabella Huntington arrived in NYC on the “Kronzprinzessin Ceceile” ship paying $20,000 in fee for import taxes. She had been in Paris for 6 months. Document: The Advance Magazine Chicago, Ill Oct 17,1907 Nancy Note: Arabella Huntington had also bought the Kann Collection in June of 1907. Halloween 1907 from Oct. 17 to Nov. 1, 1907 at Huntington Mansion No.2 57th Street NYC NY. Arabella’s favorite niece (Caroline or Carrie Huntington Holliday) with her husband, Burke & their children: Collis & Helen Holliday are house guests at the Huntington Mansion at No. 2 57th Street NYC, NY. Document: HEH Collection Document: HEH Coll MS 53/2 uncat (Holladay Family papers journal 1902-1906) Huntington Library SM,CA
Halloween Oct. 31, 1917 by this letter Oct 17, 1917 (below) we know that Arabella “Belle & Edwards” the H. E. Huntingtons are located at their home – Huntington Mansion No. 2 57th St. NYC NY. on Halloween.
Halloween Oct. 31,1917 Princess Hotel on Bois de Boulogne, Paris France: Archer & his 1st wife Helen Huntington are lodging there. They are maybe stuck there in Paris because of the war: World War II. I’m not sure why they are in Paris, – Princess Clara Huntington Hatzfeldt had just gotten a divorce. Archer & Clara are step brother& sister, both raised by Collis Huntington & Arabella. Maybe Archer Huntington was there to help Clara. Document: information from Letter from AMH to ADH, HSA NYC Nancy Note: Archer & Helen Huntington will be getting a divorce themselves in 1918.
Halloween Party Menu and Songs 1990’s- 2025:
For a contemporary party …it is fun to listen to some old Halloween music & it sets the mood for the evening: “Monster Mash” (1962) Bobby Pickett, “Thriller” (1982) by Michael Jackson, “Ghostbusters” by Ray Parker Jr., “Superstition” (1972 by Stevie Wonder, “Witchy Woman” Eagles, & “Witchcraft” by Frank Sinatra, “I put a spell on you” from Disney’s Hocus Pocus, & The Addams family song.
It is interesting to me that the American Halloween Menu hasn’t really changed that much in 100 years…. I have made the same basic menu for decades. But our Halloween party menu has slightly changed from year to year, with a new recipe here & there. I remember doing a Pirate menu (because my 3 sons were pirates that year). That’s probably is how the tradition of making Halloween Sausage Chile started, that pirate year. Sometimes, it was pork sausage links or Italian sausage or ground beef or ground turkey in the chili.
Irish themed Halloween Party
Once I have made a Irish themed Halloween menu; I put Irish whiskey in the apple cider (for the adults). I added a little Irish Guinness ale to the chili that year. We tried a Irish Halloween Party – “All Hallows Eve”, with Irish Colcannon (mashed potato & cooked cabbage) & my son asked “where the corned beef, mom” ? I laughed. All my kids love Irish corned beef, cabbage & potatoes. Always a big hit is a Halloween Potato Salad or Gen’s Irish Cole Slaw with a little heat of cayenne pepper: cut up a green bell pepper & lay 3 slices on the salad…They look just like a Irish shamrocks! I also have made Rolli-polli pasta or Bow-tie pasta with chicken & artichokes, tomatoes, basil & toasted pine nuts; mixed up with plain yogurt or sour cream or mayonnaise with garlic. A Irish lovely dessert I have made before is a Irish Trifle. It’s a layered delicious concoction starting with lady fingers or cookies, with fresh fruit or berries (Raspberry Jam) or canned peaches, then whipped cream & shavings of chocolate bar & topped with whipped cream and toasted slivered almonds. You make several layers in a tall glass dish. It a delicious light dessert.
Ideas American Halloween Party Menu (1990’s -2025)
If you have little kids, & you are hosting a Halloween Party, do it as easy as possible!! With kids & their Halloween costumes & trick or treating, a dinner guests, it is a crazy night. Easy buffet dinner: simple. You could get a couple of pizzas & cut them up in small bite size pieces. I once placed the pizza bites on a doily-lined silver tray & served everyone with a cocktail napkin. It’s all in presentation. Buy some Martinellis apple cider, put it on ice in a champagne bucket. Buy bag of ice & some deli pasta salad &/or deli sandwiches. For desserts: chocolate brownies (cut in quarters in small bite size pieces or Halloween cookies). Place the small brownie bites on a doily lines cake plate.
Usually I had this Menu with most of these items: Hot Apple Cider, Deviled Eggs and/or Ghost Cheese Ball with Seed Crackers, Halloween Sausage Chili with chopped onions, chives and cheddar cheese, Pasta Salad with Veggies or Chicken or Cole Slaw, or Fresh Green Greek Salad with Italian dressing with Garlic, Corn Bread with Sweet Butter or Garlic Bread, Halloween Graveyard Cake, Pumpkin Pie, Bowl of Halloween Candy. It sounds like alot, but I can’t take credit for all this food. If someone asked, “What can I bring?”, I said, “Yes. a appetizer or dessert would be great”. My friend, Janet, would bring the Corn bread & the Pumpkin Pie or Chocolate Cupcakes, my sister Kathi, made the “Graveyard Cake”. My friend, Genevieve would bring the Irish Cole Slaw, & my friend, Mimi would bring the Deviled Eggs. We did have a lot of food, but it was eaten, sometimes I ran out of Sausage Chili, because people would have 2nds. & 3ths, I gave out food bag to my guests at the end of the night if I had lots of leftovers. I would also have a lot of drop-in friends of my sons, so I made alot of food.
Nancy’s Halloween Sausage Chili (1991)
These was a big batch that fit into a crockpot and large stockpot. The beans can sink to the bottom of the pan & then burn so keep a eye on it. I mash some of the chili beans to make a thicker chili. If you add a can of kidney bean, drain them & add water to the bean & drain again. To thin the chili, you can add can of beer or Irish Guinness.
2 lb. Pork bulk sausage or links, fry & set aside & slice
1 lb. (4) Italian sausage mild, fry & set side, slice
4 cans (30 oz.) Hunts Chile beans or Dennison’s Chili
1/2 t. or more Lawry’s Chili mix
1 can (28 oz.) Whole tomatoes, peeled mix up & add juice
1 (19 1/2 oz.) Marinara spagetti sauce
3 Garlic cloves, crushed
1-2 t. sweet basil, minced
Sauté sausages, set aside & slice. Add ingredients & blend with a hand blender. Add half of the chili beans and blend; then add the rest of the beans. Add sausages. Heat in a crockpot to high and then reduce to simmer. Serve on Halloween night in Irish coffee cup or coffee mugs with a spoon. Condiments: Shredded cheese cheddar & Monterey jack, sour cream, & green onions. Serve with garlic bread or Italian sesame seed bread. Recipe: Nancy Armitage
Nancy’s Chicken & White Bean Chili (1991 & 1992)
This is a delicious lighter chili with chicken & white beans.
Saute:
2 c. skinless and boneless chicken, small cubes
2 t. olive oil
2 t. butter
salt and mixed peppercorns
Hand blender:
4 cans (15 oz.) Sun vista great northern beans (Large white), drained
8 oz. plain Greek yogurt
8 oz. sour cream
4 garlic cloves
salt and pepper
Saute the chicken & set aside, cut in bite size pieces. In a large stockpot, add the drained beans & yougurt & sour cream with garlic & salt & pepper. Some of the white beans, I mash for a thicker soup. Add the drained chicken, heat & then reduce to simmer. Can be added to a crockpot.
Garnish in individual bowls or coffee cups:
Freshly grated parmesan cheese
5 t. garlic chives, or baby chives, minced
Recipe by Nancy Armitage
Menu ideas for a Halloween Party Buffet-style:
Old Fashioned Hot Apple Cider with Pumpkin spice (Punch bowl & punch cups above)
Halloween Ghost cheese Mold (with sliced black olives for eyes) mixed goat cheese & whipped cream cheese together & mold into a ghost shape & add the black sliced olives
Potato Salad with French Tarragon or Irish Colcannon (potatoes, cabbage & chives)
or Cole Slaw or Pasta salad with Artichoke & Chicken or Jim’s Greek Salad with Garlic Italian Dressing
Corn Bread with Sweet Butter, or Pumpkin Butter, Apple Butter or Lemon Curd or Rose Jam
Halloween Sausage Chile in a crockpot with condiments (Sour Cream, grated cheese & Green onions) or Chicken & White Bean Chili or New Orleans Gumbo
Tray of Delicatessen sandwiches (Turkey, Veggie, & Roasted Beef)
Pumpkin- shaped cookies that the kids decorated or Peanut butter cookies with chocolate chips
American Pumpkin Pie with Coffee
Lemon Verbena Cake with Nutmeg
Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting (1970’s favorite)
Halloween Graveyard Cake (Oreos, Cool whip, ice cream sandwiches, cookies, another layer of cool whip, then decorate the top with flat cookies like gravestones & licorice to decorate the top)
Inside the Huntington's Story 