[2] Dried New Mexico chiles. We got these on Amazon (photo © El Molcajete).

[3] Mexican oregano, from Savory Spice Shop (photo © Savory Spice Shop).

[4] Hominy can be purchased in cans, ready to use, or in bags of dried kernels, which need to be soaked overnight (photo © Goya).

People gather to remember deceased friends and family members, and to feast in their honor. You can learn more about it here.

Mexican food is a de rigeur (we’re not sure if the Spanish equivalent is de rigor) part of the celebration.

Ingrid Hoffmann, host of the Univision’s Delicioso and author of Latin D’Lite: Delicious Latin Recipes with a Healthy Twist, sent us this recipe for pork pozole.

Pozole is a hominy-based stew, usually made with pork shoulder; some people prefer chicken pozole.

Bowls of shredded cabbage, avocado, radishes, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges are set on the table so that each person can garnish his or her pozole to taste. Tortillas and Mexican beer complete the course.
 
 
RECIPE: PORK POZOLE

Ingredients For 4 To 6 Servings

 
For The Garnishes

 
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*If you prefer, buy dried hominy and soak overnight.
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Preparation

1. PLACE the chiles in a heatproof medium bowl. Pour the boiling water over the chiles. Let stand until soft, about 30 minutes. Drain, reserving ¼ cup of the liquid. Cut the chiles lengthwise in half and discard the stems and seeds. Transfer to a blender or food processor and purée with the reserved liquid. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Meanwhile…

2. HEAT 1 teaspoon oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer the pork to a plate.

3. ADD the remaining 1 teaspoon oil, onion, and garlic to the Dutch oven. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chile paste (purée) and oregano and mix well.

4. RETURN the pork to the Dutch oven. Add the broth and hominy and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the flavors are blended and the pozole thickens slightly, about 1 hour. Season with salt.

5. SERVE: ladle the pozole into soup bowls. Allow each guest to top their pozole with cabbage, avocado, radishes, and cilantro, as desired, and serve lime wedges on the side for squeezing.

Hominy is made from dried maize (corn) kernels that have been treated with an alkali (such as limewater) in a process called nixtamalization.

After treatment, the kernels are more easily ground, nutritional value is increased, flavor and aroma are improved. Hominy is then used in the production of tortillas and tortilla chips (but not corn chips), tamales, hominy grits and many other foods.
 
 

Your wine store should feature some “special Halloween wines” if you’d like to serve (or make a gift of) a theme wine. While it might take some time to track down all of the following wines, consider this advance notice for a sophisticated Halloween event next year: a tasting of Halloween-appropriate wines.

Intrepid searches are certain to find more options, but here’s a good starting list.

HALLOWEEN RED WINES

Les Sorcières
Producer: Clos des Fées
Area: Roussilon, France

A syrah-based wine from the southeast edge of France, this vineyard’s name means “the walled vineyard [clos] of the fairies.” “Les Sorcières,” the name of the blend, means “the witches,” one of whom is featured on the label, flying through the skies of Roussilon. Here’s the website.

The name of this line translates to “the devil’s goalkeeper,” and the bottle does feature the head of the devil (or is it his goalkeeper?) at the neck. Reds include Cabernet Sauvignon, Carménère, Malbec and Merlot; white wines are listed below. We couldn’t find the English version, but here’s the Spanish website.

The Dead Arm Shiraz
Vintner: d’Arenberg
McLaren Vale, Australia

To wine industry professionals, this wine’s name is not sinister—but no one at the party will know that. This top-of-the-line shiraz is made from old vines, which are known as “dead-arm” grapevines because, with age, a fungus known as grape canker slowly kills one or more of the branches. (There’s a benefit here: Fewer branches reduces the yield of the vine and intensifies the flavor in the grapes.) The elegant label features the d’Arenberg family’s coat of arms and a cordon rouge, but all of the wines from this vintner have colorful names. Check out the website.

Phantom
Vintner: Bogle Vineyards
Area: Clarksburg, California

Made in Yolo County, near Sacramento, the label describes the wine as “mysterious and hauntingly seductive.” The label features a rendering of creepily gnarled old vines, which look like they could snatch you and have you disappear. The wine is a blend of old vine Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and old vine Mourvèdre. To our knowledge, no old vines have actually snatched any living thing. Website.
Phantom Rivers Wine: Assorted Varietals
Vintner: Phantom Rivers Wine
Area: Central Coast, California

As with Casillero del Diablo (above), the spookiness is in the name of the winery, not a particular bottling. Whatever varietal you’re looking for, you’ll find it. Red offerings include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Mourvèdre, Petit Syrah, Pinot Noir, Rosé, Syrah, Zinfandel and a dessert Zinfandel. The whites are listed below. Website.

Sinister Hand
Vintner: Owen Roe
Area: Wapato, Washington

This grenache-based wine features a severed hand on the label. The image references an Irish legend where, in a race to be the next king of Ireland, one of the contenders severs his own hand to win. The wine may taste better if you don’t know the legend. Here’s the website.

Spellbound: Assorted Varietals
Vintner: Robert Mondavi
Area: Lodi, California
The Spellbound line features a ghostly moon on a black label. Inside the bottle: your choice of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petite Sirah and Petite Sirah Reserve, plus Chardonnay. See them all at SpellboundWines.com.

The Velvet Devil Merlot
Vintner: Charles Smith Wines
Area: Walla Walla, Washington

With bold lettering and a prominent forked trident, this wine screams “Halloween.” The Broncho Malbec voodo-art motif and the King Coal Cabernet/Syrah blend skeleton king fit right in; and if you need more, the Boom Boom! Syrah features a lit bomb. Check them all out on the company website.

HALLOWEEN WHITE WINES
Casillero del Diablo Reserva
Vintner: Concha y Toro
Area: Central Valley, Chile

As noted above, this line also offers Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

Phantom Rivers Wine
Vintner: Phantom Rivers Wine
Area: Central Coast, California

As noted above, this winery also makes Muscat.
Kidnappers Vineyard Chardonnay
Vintner: Craggy Range
Area: Havelock North, New Zealand

This wine is named after Cape Kidnappers in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand, which itself is named for a 1769 attempt by local Maori to abduct a member of Captain Cook’s crew (details). Little did either side know back then that the area would become a great spot to grow Chardonnay grapes. Website.
Spellbound: Chardonnay
Vintner: Robert Mondavi
Area: Lodi, California

See the notes under Halloween Red Wines, above.

And think of what a great night you’ll have, wearing a costume and tasting these wines. Perhaps the dress code should be: dress like one of the wines you’ll be tasting.

So today’s tip spans the wonderful world of tomato juice, and what you can do with it.

First point: While it seems as if tomato juice should be “generic,” like milk, our taste test in search of the best tomato juice was eye-opening.

Some brands were so bland, they needed vast amounts of seasoning—lemon juice, sea salt—to be palatable. Others were delicious right out of the can or jar.

It’s not surprising, since different companies pay more (or less) for the best (or average) tomatoes.

So buying a better brand isn’t mission-critical if you’ll be adding vodka, hot sauce and horseradish; but for other uses, treat yourself to the best (our favorite is Knudsen’s).

TOMATO JUICE COCKTAIL (VIRGIN MARY)

A plain glass of tomato juice turns into a flavorful refreshment with the addition of seasonings.

 
Add yogurt and blend a tomato smoothie!

On a cold day, heat a cup of tomato juice in the microwave, with some of the seasonings above. It’s “tomato soup lite.”

COCKTAILS

The Bloody Mary (and its numerous variations) is just one drink that uses tomato juice. Look up others, including the Cubanita (rum), Last Not Least (Scotch and cream), Prairie Oyster (Cognac, egg yolk), Red Devil (Irish Whiskey) and Sangrita.

The Red Eye mixes tomato juice with beer (don’t knock it until you’ve tried it).

GENERAL COOKING

Use tomato juice as all or part of your cooking liquid. We make a deconstructed stuffed cabbage by cooking cabbage and meat balls in tomato juice.

Cook beans, lentils and other legumes, or spinach, collards, kale and other greens, in tomato juice for a snappy flavor.
SAVORY SORBET/GRANITA

Tomato sorbet or granita, with basil or other herbs, is a delicious palate cleanser. You can serve it year-round between courses, or as a summmer desert (we serve ours with a cheese straw).
SOUP BASE

Make soup with a base of tomato juice instead of vegetable or chicken broth. Toss in vegetables and seasonings, and add optional beans, lentils or other legumes. Serve it plain or over rice or pasta.
SPANISH RICE

A childhood favorite, we loved the reddish-rice Mom made with cilantro, garlic and sometimes, black beans.

[1] Fudge in an homage to candy corn. The recipe is below (photo and recipe © The Pampered Chef).

[2] The fudge tastes better than actual candy corn (photo © Liz West | Wikipedia).

[3] S’mores flavor candy corn (photo © Blair Candy Store | Amazon).

[4] Caramel flavor candy corn (photo © Brach’s | Amazon).

October 30th is National Candy Corn Day. According to the National Confectioners Association, more than 20 million pounds of candy corn are sold during the Halloween season.

National Candy Corn Day is October 30th, the day before Halloween. Following the history of candy corn, we’ve got:

> A yummy recipe for Candy Corn Fudge, below.

> More candy corn recipes, from cocktails to cake to ice cream and more.
 
 
CANDY CORN HISTORY

The iconic confection was created in the late 1880s by George Roniger of the Wunderlee Candy Company in Philadelphia. The first three-layer candy, it was laboriously made by hand.

It was originally called chicken feed, after the dry corn kernels that were fed to the flocks. It was originally sold year-round. When it became a seasonal treat for Halloween has not yet been identified for certain, but research suggests it was around the middle of the 20th century [source].

Roniger failed to trademark his concept, enabling other companies to produce their own versions, following right on his tail. The Goelitz Confectionery Company (now the Jelly Belly Candy Co.), has been making candy corn since 1898.

Another top competitor these days is Brach’s, which claims to be the number-one producer, making up to 88% of the candy corn sold in the U.S. [ibid.].

Even with today’s machinery, it takes 4 to 5 days to create each piece of candy corn (here’s a video of candy corn being made).

Each kernel has 3.57 calories, and it’s all sugar (the ingredients are corn syrup, honey, sugar, and food coloring, coated with carnauba wax, which is is made from the leaves of a palm tree).

Trivia: In 2021, nine billion kernels of candy corn were produced in the U.S. That equates to 35 million pounds of candy corn!

The orange, yellow and white colors of the candy corn can actually be found in fresh corn kernels—though the colors are intensified by the candy makers.

Some companies create an “Indian corn” version, substituting brown for the yellow base color. And that’s not all.

 
So now…

Why not “fudge the rules” by turning fudge into candy corn?

This recipe is vanilla fudge, made in three layers that are the color of candy corn.

And unlike candy corn itself, this recipe (courtesy of ThePamperedChef.com) is not all sugar: It’s made from chocolate and sweetened condensed milk.

Don’t like fudge? Try this candy corn cocktail, or simply mix candy corn into some popcorn (almonds are optional).
 
 
RECIPE: “CANDY CORN” FUDGE

Ingredients For 72 Pieces

1. MICROWAVE chocolate and condensed milk in a 3-cup bowl, uncovered, on HIGH for 1-2 minutes. Stir every 30 seconds until melted.

2. LINE a loaf pan with waxed paper and pour in one-third of the fudge mixture, spreading evenly.

3. PLACE the pan in the freezer for 5 minutes to cool. If the fudge mixture in the prep bowl has begun to set, microwave for an additional 15 seconds.

4. DIVIDE the remaining fudge mixture into two bowls. Add yellow food coloring to one bowl and mix well. Add red food coloring to the other bowl and mix well.

5. REMOVE fudge from the freezer. Pour the orange fudge mixture over the first layer; return to the freezer for 5 minutes. Then pour the yellow fudge mixture over the first two layers and place in the freezer for about 45 minutes or until set.

6. REMOVE fudge from the pan. Cut into 4 lengthwise rows with a pizza cutter or other implement.

7. TURN rows on their sides and cut them into triangles.

8. STORE in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

The original oatmeal enthusiasts were the Scots, who were eating them many centuries ago when their English neighbors were only growing oats as livestock feed.

The groats—the hulled kernels of the cereal—required soaking overnight and cooking for perhaps 30 minutes, so oatmeal was not exactly a convenience breakfast. But modern processing has made it very easy for us to enjoy oatmeal in a minute—and good oatmeal in five to ten minutes.

ROLLED OATS

Rolled oats are what most Americans think of as oatmeal. Quaker Oats’ Old Fashioned Oats have been breakfast fare for generations.

To make rolled oats, the groats are flattened under giant rollers, which makes them easier to cook but removes much of the fiber-filled bran in the process.

There are different types of rolled oats:

The most familiar form of oats are rolled oats, where the groats are rolled flat. Photo by Kelly Cline | IST.

Steel-cut oats, also called cut oats, Irish oats or Scottish oats, and coarse-cut oats, are groats (the whole oat kernel) that have been cut into very small pieces using steel discs. This produces a different result from rolled into flakes.

They are a far better source of fiber than rolled oats, and delightfully chewy (note: baked goods should be made with rolled oats, unless you want a chewy oat bread or muffin).

Cooking time is considerably longer than for rolled oats—30 minutes—but the cooked oatmeal has a nice texture to it—it’s more al dente than rolled oats (and our favorite).

The luxurious texture and longer cooking time imparts more flavor as well. Oatmeal imported from Ireland and Scotland, like McCann’s and Flahavan’s, tends to be steel-cut oats.

Our trick to speedier steel-cut oats: Make a double or triple batch; refrigerate the extra portions and microwave them for “one-minute steel-cut oats.”

 
The Health Benefits Of Oatmeal
 
Oatmeal Serving Suggestions