A Spellbinding Halloween Dinner Party

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October’s cookbook club was all about Hot Sheet by Olga Massov and Sanaë Lemoine. As it turned out, it was the perfect book for a Halloween gathering. After all, each recipe comes together on a single sheet pan.

The table filled up with crispy parmesan-topped mushrooms and chicken legs roasted with carrots, potatoes, and apricots. In addition, a stack of buttery shortbread bars arrived with a few uninvited spiders crawling across them. Then bubbling green and blue potions finished the scene.

It all started with our Potions & Spells invitation, which set the tone before anyone arrived. As a result, guests came ready for a little magic and brought it with them. If you’d like to host your own spellbinding evening, you’ll find Hot Sheet in my Favorites. Likewise, the Potions & Spells Invitation + Thank You Set waits in the shop.

Emerald Elixir Cocktail

Makes 1

• 4 tbsp Midori
• 2 tbsp vodka
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
• Club soda, to top
• Small piece of food-grade dry ice (optional)
• First, add the Midori, vodka, lemon juice, and lime juice to a shaker with ice and shake well. Then strain into a glass of fresh ice and top with club soda. Finally, for the bubbling potion effect, carefully drop in a small piece of dry ice just before serving. Also, see the safety note below.
• Please enjoy responsibly. I created this cocktail for guests of legal drinking age. Above all, know your limits, never drink and drive, and make sure everyone has a safe ride home.

A Note on Using Dry Ice Safely

Dry ice gives you an unforgettable cauldron effect, but it needs a little respect. First, buy food-grade dry ice; many grocery stores carry it. Always handle it with tongs or gloves, because it’s cold enough to burn bare skin. In addition, use only a small piece per glass.

Most importantly, never drink while the dry ice is still in the glass. Instead, wait until the fog and bubbling have completely stopped, which means it has fully dissolved. Tell your guests this when you hand them a drink.

Afterward, store dry ice in an insulated cooler with the lid resting loosely on top. Never put it in an airtight container, because the gas builds pressure. Finally, keep it in a well-ventilated space and out of reach of children and pets.

Orange Shortbread with a hint of clove

Mushroom Parmagiana

The Color-Changing Potion

I made the deep blue drink on the table with butterfly pea flower tea, and it has a little magic of its own. First, the dried flowers steep into a rich sapphire blue. Then, when you add fresh lemon or lime, the tea shifts to a vivid purple right before your eyes.

That’s because the flowers contain natural pigments that react to acidity. In other words, the more citrus you add, the deeper the color turns. In fact, it can even go toward magenta. For a fun moment at the table, serve the tea blue with a small citrus wedge on the side. That way, each guest can stir in their own spell.

Shop My Halloween Dinner Party Table

• Hot Sheet Cookbook: October’s cookbook club pick. Every recipe comes together on one sheet pan. As a result, you spend less time cleaning and more time at the table.
• Marquis by Waterford Double Old Fashioned Glasses: The cut crystal catches the light, so even a green potion looks elegant. In fact, I use these all year long.
• Butterfly Pea Flower Tea: This tea brews a deep sapphire blue. Then it turns purple with a squeeze of lemon or lime.
• Ice Tongs: A must for safely dropping dry ice into each glass. In other words, never use your fingers.
• Insulated Gloves: Wear these whenever you handle dry ice. It’s cold enough to burn bare skin.
• Realistic Halloween Crows: These crows perch on the spellbooks and watch over the table. They add just the right amount of spooky.
• Realistic Plastic Spiders: A few uninvited guests crawling across the dessert plate always get a laugh.

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However you gather this Halloween, I hope your table is full of good food, a little magic, and friends who bring the spirit with them.