Pumpkin Carving, Drawing and Roasting

Yes, in that order.

I'm spending tonight in perfect NYC haunting mode. I'll be vamping it up on the Upper East and Upper West side. We're starting the night off at St. John the Divine, screening the Phantom of the Opera - old school style with a live creepy and ancient organ to spook up the silent film. Then I'm heading to a party/dance for the rest of the evening on the other side of Manhattan. Happy Haunting!

I got together with about ten friends last Monday for an evening of carving bliss.

Here's Emmett, my new version of Jack:

Here's one of the pages of new illustrations he inspired:

Party on!
Also, if you're in the market for the best pumpkin seeds you've ever tasted, here's my favorite pumpkin treat. I took a keg load of these bad boys into "job job" where they met with rave reviews, which isn't necessarily something I'm used to receiving for baked veggie guts. I'm sure they're best paired with Pale Ale. SIGH -- Here's to another year of sobriety!

Here it goes:

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds of Yumminess

1.Gut your pumpkin.
2. Don't wash the seeds - not only is it bad luck, it takes away some of the yumminess.
3. Remove the strings and the pulp and as much gooeyness as you can manage.
4. Crank your oven to 250 degrees.
5. Put them in an even layer on parchment paper in as many baking pans as it takes to get the job done.
6. Sprinkle fresh cracked sea salt on them and then toss them in the oven. Stir them every once in a while
7. Go be fabulous while they bake (I like trying on different Halloween wigs while they're in the oven). Doing a Halloween like activity only enhances their yumminess.
8. Bake 20 - 40 minutes or until they're a pretty color.
9. In a big bowl mix together 3 Tablespoons sugar, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon ground cardamom. Stir it all up.
10. Take your fresh baked pumpkin seeds from the oven and add them to 1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil in a frying pan on the stove.
11.Heat them up mixing them in the oil as you add 2 Tablespoons of sugar. Stir them all up for a minute or two, until the sugar dissolves and they start to caramelize.
12. Take them off the stove and add them to the bowl of spices.
13. Stir them up good.
14. Marvel at their yumminess.