A Spooky Supper

With Halloween fast approaching, I found myself agreeing to make the dessert course for an evening of ghoulish gastronomy with my good pal, Alex. She was to take care of the starter and the main course, so I was bound to go along.

We had a few days to conjure up something frightfully delicious!

I went straight for a melon. My mind was set on a decomposing skull. Obviously, I’ve been watching too many gruesome movies recently!

I must say, I was titillated to death with my result!

Preparation

I’d pocketed a few sweets from my mate’s supply of Trick or Treats on Halloween and that had put me in the right mood to approach this. My mind was alight! I’d yoga that evening, so everything had to wait until the next day. But how could I empty my head?

A quick trip to town the next day and a shopping list of ingredients grew as I daydreamed. Scouring the shelves for blood and gore was surprisingly satisfying. The thrill of it all!

I was as nervous as a trainee pathologist on Bake Off, but loving every moment. I’ve carved wood and stone before, but this was next level!

It’s good to use your head sometimes!

A night in the refrigerator

Ingredients

Decomposing Skull Desert

1 watermelon: carved. My Opinel knife worked best.

Stuff with glace cherries and last year’s minced meat and insert sugary strawberry pencil sweets as if they are worms weaving through the cranium.

One roasted red pepper: Have you ever seen anything more like a lurid tongue?

Dried mango slices: perfect for decaying teeth.

Insert black grapes into dried apricot pupils for bulging eyes.

Ouze with blue custard and raspberry coulis.

Best served chilled!

In the afternoon, it was Alex’s first session volunteering at Pitsmoor Adventure Playground. At Alex’s suggestion, we took Meg and Mog as the theme for our shadow puppet playtime. That was fun!

Our Evening Meal

Time for the starters!

Hot Dog Fingers

And now the main course!

Frankenstein’s monster steaks with mashed ghosties.

What a way to build up your appetite!

The table is set: Alex’s frozen hands, complete with bobbing eyeballs made for an excellent aperitif.

And all quite palatable, too! (apart from the stegosaurus brains preserved in jelly)

Before we go, feast your eyes on this!

Jo Veal and her amazing Snow Spider visited us at the playground.

Fangs for the memories!