Are you looking forward to Halloween, or is the year’s spookiest festival already striking fear into your heart? Soon your doorbell will start ringing and cries of “Trick or treat!” will ring out in anticipation of the delicious sweet treats you’ll be called on to hand over. Halloween has long since spread out from its traditional heartland in the US: this special occasion is also celebrated here in Europe on the evening of the last day of October. Are you in the grip of Halloween fever and looking to organize a party? Well, with our delicious yet simple Halloween recipes, your ghoulish get-together is bound to be a success!
The origins of Halloween
Halloween (also called All Hallows Eve) originated in Ireland and can be traced back to one of the four big Celtic festivals: Samhain. This can be translated as the “end of summer” and was named after the Celtic sun god. The festival has forever been celebrated on the eve of November 1st. For the Celts, this was the new year festival that also symbolized the beginning of winter. The Celts believed that the souls of the dead returned to walk the earth in the night of October 31st to November 1st (All Saints Day).
Why do people carve pumpkins on Halloween?
The custom of pumpkin carving on Halloween likewise comes from Ireland. This tradition can be traced back to a legend according to which an Irish ne’er-do-well named Jack was condemned to haunt the depths of hell. The gateway to heaven was forever closed to him. However, through an act of trickery he succeeded in escaping from hell. A candle in a hollowed-out turnip gave him the light he needed to lead him out of hell. This gave rise to the superstition that you could use lanterns made out of turnips to drive away evil spirits and ghosts. Turnips were not exactly plentiful in the US, however, which is why the Irish immigrants used pumpkins instead. The pumpkins were hollowed out and grotesque faces carved into them, and they would then be put out outside people’s houses or carried around.
Where does the Halloween saying “trick or treat” come from?
Halloween is especially popular with children. On the evening of October 31st, the idea is for everyone to have a supply of sweet treats ready at home. The kids dress up as spooky figures like ghosts, witches, or vampires and go from house to house to collect sweet things to eat. By saying “trick or treat”, they are of course hoping to get given lots of candy. But where does this saying come from?
Well, the Halloween saying originally comes from Wales. On the occasion of “Cennad y Meirw”, a Welsh tradition from over a millennium ago, poor people would go from door to door to gather food for their deceased ancestors. Even then they would wear masks to avoid detection by evil spirits. They would also use the masks to represent their deceased forebears. The Halloween custom of going from door to door saying “trick or treat” became especially popular in the US in the 1940s.
So, you’d better get yourself the right kind of sweet treats in good time for Halloween. You don’t have any at home and need some recipes to inspire you? Below you will find three delicious Halloween recipes, very easy to make.
Bake your own easy Halloween Pizza with AMC
For everyone who likes it salty, we’ve a delicious recipe right here. Whether you’re hosting a Halloween party or planning a scary movie night, you can’t go wrong with the Halloween Pizza. Conjure up your own Halloween Pizza and turn it into a spooky feast for the eyes!
If you want to make your Halloween Pizza nice and crusty, we have a tip for you: With the mobile cooking plate Navigenio from AMC, you’ll turn out the perfect pizza every time. The Navigenio turns every cooking pot into a mini-oven. Thanks to its overhead function, this mobile cooking plate is also ideal for baking, cooking, and preparing delicious gratins. By simply placing the Navigenio not under but on top of the pot, you can easily conjure up a little cake, a delicious crust for your gratin, or a crispy pizza. Create your own personal Halloween Pizza with the world’s smallest oven!
With our scarily delicious yet simple Halloween recipes, you’ll be perfectly prepared with all the right food for the spookiest day of the year. Enjoy trying out these recipes – they’re frighteningly delicious. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
