Hi! For this second day of Octoberfest I still wanted to keep things light, but with a little more substance than the first entry. We'll be getting into some cray topics later in the week but for now, we're going to look at some of the fall and Halloween-themed recipes that were being made back in the day. I put a bit of a twist by including an older recipe, followed by a more modern version of the same thing, but the overall theme were some of the food items/meals that most represent fall/Halloween to me. Let's get started!
1. Pumpkin (bc duh)
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This isn't the photo that accompanies the recipe, but I wanted to start this post off with something made from the quintessential fall ingredient, pumpkin. If you'd wanted to make pumpkin bread 100 years ago, this Pioneer-style recipe from The Old Foodie might have been one that you'd be working with. I enjoyed the bit at the end of the recipe about the option of adding persimmons but needing the patience of Job to separate the pulp from the skin and seed. LOL
This modern pumpkin bread recipe is where I got the photo from and would probably be the recipe that I'd use. I know that many baked goods, sweets included, used to be made with lard or cracklings, but I have to admit that it's not really my cup of tea. I haven't tried them though, so perhaps I'm not giving them a fair shake. Have any of you baked anything according to an aged recipe that called for lard over vegetable oil, butter or even shortening? How'd it come out? Anyway, this pumpkin bread recipe is a newer one and I like this one, partially because there are pictures throughout the recipe, and also because of the suggestions for various ingredients sprinkled throughout as well.
2. Sweet potato
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This is another photo that doesn't accompany the first recipe, but it does accompany the second one I'm going to mention. If you're feeling adventurous (or you just like it, I don't know your life) here's a raised sweet potato bread recipe from an 1886 recipe book. Apparently, this creator of this recipe is also the founder for what we now call graham crackers and he wasn't very respected throughout his life, but the recipe for this bread seems legit. The recipe mentions to wait 12 hours before indulging, but The Old Foodie suggests eating while warm, so that's probably the advice I'd go with if I made it. I personally love the concept of making fresh breads during the colder months. For those of you who bake on a regular basis, is there a particular time of year that you prefer making certain treats?
If you'd like a more modern recipe, you can try the one that does accompany this photo. This sweet potato bread recipe is simple to execute, takes more ingredients but seems pretty easy, especially compared to the original. And if you're a cook that likes experimenting and tweaking recipes, check the comments underneath the recipe; there are a lot of substitutions that sound like they worked out pretty well. Now that most home bakers have breadmakers in the home, I try to find more recipes that don't require the extra equipment. That's actually one reason why I like older recipes in general; they aren't dependent on breadmakers, pastamakers or electric mixers; the ingredient lists aren't terribly long and for the most part are still easy to execute. Don't get me wrong, I love appliances, but I don't own any of them. lol So I need recipes that aren't dependent upon them.
3. Cranberries
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Originally, I'd put soups in this spot but I realized I'd forgotten about cranberries, so I swapped them out. I'm one of those who can only eat things like sweet potatoes/cranberries during fall and/or the holidays. Do any of you have foods like that, ones that you can only eat at certain times of the year, or am I just a weirdo? Don't answer that. Moving on, the only thing that we really eat as far as cranberries are concerned during fall is cranberry sauce. I wanted to see what else people were eating with cranberries, and that's when I found these cranberry pudding recipes. This first one is from Kitchen Parade, which is where I got this photo from. The recipe is from the '50s and '60s and apparently was very popular.
If you love cranberries, though, this baked cranberry pudding from Taste of Home might be for you. Instead of the sauce that's on top of this pudding, the topping for this newer recipe is made of a combination of whole cranberries, sugar and orange juice. So the cranberry flavor seems like it's going to be very strong, so this is not for those who feel 'meh' about cranberries at all.
4. Apple, pumpkin, pecan, sweet potato....in short, pie
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I wanted to change things up a little bit here, and instead of finding a photo of a modern version of older recipes, I wanted to find one of an older apple pie recipe, which brought me to Antique Alter Ego's website. Actually, all four of the types of pie I mentioned here are included in the link above. What I like most about this one is that it's uncomplicated, which dispels a lot of myths about all pies being hard to bake.
A modern twist on basic apple pie brought me to this cinnamon crumble apple pie on Epicurious. This one has quite a few more ingredients and steps, but only because the directions for making the crust and crumble are included. I have to admit that even though fall and winter are when I like to cook the most, I feel the most insecure about baking. I would love to bake from scratch and taught myself what I do know by practicing from scratch first, but I always feel a bit unsure of myself when it comes to making pies and breads. My family loves pie though, so this might be a nice surprise for them.
5. Candied/caramel apples
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Apples seem like the most popular fruit for fall, and with good reason. I always counted it among my childhood regrets that I never went to a Halloween party where bobbing for apples was played. I did go to an autumn harvest fair when I lived out on the East Coast though, and that was the first time I'd ever had a candy apple. I don't believe I've had one since, but I still consider them to be a signature fall/fair treat. Food Timeline has some snippets from recipes for both candied and caramel apples, the latter of which can be made with molasses toffy, but the section immediately above it is for butterscotch, so I recommend checking it out anyway.
One Perfect Bite is responsible for the photo above, which is a twist on the classic candied apple. These are cinnamon candied apples and are inspired by Paula Deen's candied apple recipe. Some helpful tips are included above the recipe, which are helpful if this is your first time working with syrup or harder candies. If you just want regular candied apples, try this recipe from Just a Taste.
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For some fun additions to your caramel apples, check out Missouri Wine's article, which pairs these options with a wine, but are no less delicious when eaten by themselves. The photo is from Our Best Bites, where you can stop here with just the basic caramel apple, or you can go for broke with the various topping options. I like this recipe because it's very thorough, there are pictures and helpful advice along the way, and it got rave reviews in the comments section.
6. Popcorn balls
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I actually didn't know that popcorn balls had been around for so long until I started this post. The earliest recipe that The Old Foodie has for popcorn balls is from the mid 1800s. There is a bit of a history lesson on how the concept of microwaves came to be, followed by a couple of suggestions on what to coat your popcorn balls with. Both drizzle options are fairly simple and easy to execute.
In a nice twist, the recipe that goes along with this photo is also a throwback recipe, this one from a 1940s cookbook called The Children's Picture Cook Book. Tori Avey recreates the recipe on her site, the result of which is the photo above. What I like the most about popcorn balls is that it's something the whole family can get involved in, especially if you're planning a Halloween party or taking some of these to your child's school (if they still allow that where you live; it's no longer allowed here). Your kids can get involved, get their hands dirty, do something productive but fun and still get to spend some time with you. Win-win for me. I would have loved to do something like this when we were younger, but we didn't do many festive things. That's probably why I go overboard with it now. lol
7. Spiced baked goods
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I've noticed that spiced cakes, breads and other sweet treats are more popular during fall and Halloween, so I wanted to touch on it a bit for this post. I've actually never had spiced cake before. I was a bit concerned that it would taste like fruitcake, which I detest. But from the couple of spiced cake recipes I've read, it doesn't seem so bad. This first spiced cake recipe is from Bangor Daily News and is from the mid-50s. I want to know what the coffee frosting with this cake tastes like because coffee frosting? Yum!
The photo here is from AllRecipes user notabrat for a newer twist on spice cake, and it has a ton of positive reviews. Spice cake looks a lot like carrot cake to me, and I would imagine that without the carrots, it probably tastes similar due to the common ingredients. This recipe was covered by USA Weekend so for me, it's legit. lol
8. Apple cider
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The first recipe for a mulled apple cider came courtesy of Brad at Olde Time Cooking, which is a website that specializes in recipes from the '40s and '50s. This apple cider recipe is practically foolproof, as it requires apple cider as a base rather than fresh apples, which I wasn't expecting. Most folks don't have an apple press or other kitchen equipment to properly extract all of the juice from the apple, so this is a much simpler (yet still tasty) way to make one of the staple fall drinks. The photo is from A Beautiful Mess, whose recipe is probably the most similar to the one I found on Olde Time Cooking.
But if you'd prefer (or like me, just want to learn how) to make your apple cider with fresh apples but without needing an apple press or any specialized equipment, this fresh cider recipe from AllRecipes allows you to do that. This cider was rated pretty well, the instructions were again very easy to follow, but the different suggestions from those who tried it at the bottom were what swayed me. If you have a slow cooker, juicer or blender this will work to help break the apples down and make the solids easier to separate from the juice. I have to admit that I'm not terribly big on apple cider, but my mom loves it so I was thinking about making her some. Either recipe would be good to try.
9. S'mores
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This is actually what inspired me to create this post. I had no idea that "s'mores" created with marshmallows and saltines was a thing. This marshmallow saltine cookies recipe is from Iowa Housewife. I'd seen this recipe in a '50s ad a few days ago and my very first reaction was, "Why?" LOL There are also some variations on these, some that have peanut butter, some have bananas, others still have chocolate, and I believe I saw a recipe that had all of them. It boggled my mind. If any of you have had this before, how was it?
S'mores are one of those snacks that make me think of cozy blankets, a warm fire, and roasting 'mallows in a circle with friends. I think it's a great fall snack. But they can be quite messy, so this updated s'more bites recipe is right up my alley. Rather than one square of Hershey's, this recipe uses a Hershey's Kiss on top instead. Still gives you all the elements of a basic s'more but with much less mess.
10. Extras!
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.....and a cranberry 'candle'
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If I laid this out for my family during the holidays, I will definitely be starting a new tradition.....it'd be the tradition of eating my holiday dinner alone. LOL
So that does it for me today. I'm sorry I didn't cover all of the big food items for fall and Halloween, but it was starting to run a little long (and it's already days late) so I had to wrap it up. So far, I'm failing at this whole Octoberfest thing and I'd be lying if I said I hadn't had more than my fair share of doubts in continuing it, but I'm trying not to allow myself to get discouraged. This is something I've waited for a year to be able to do, and if I can properly prep my posts better I would have much less in the way of getting them up on time. I'm hoping this is the week that I get my ish together so I can stick to the schedule next week.
Let me tell you though, The Old Foodie saved my life for this post and I have every intention of visiting the site again. It's a wonderful resource for older recipes, some of which are pushing 150 years old, and it is constantly expanding--the blog is updated daily throughout the workweek (unlike some bloggers whose name [mine] I won't mention)--so I highly recommend giving it a look, if for no other reason than to give a little thumbs up at the dedication level of posting 5 times a week, every week, for the past 10 years, never missing a day, and still putting out engaging content. I really hope you enjoyed this post and I'll see you soon. Let me know what sorts of fall/Halloween recipes you're cooking up this year!
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