From Greenwich Village to Santa Gertrudis
Every country or area in Europe has its own particular end of October / beginning of November customs and traditions, which in recent years have blended into what children and adults now celebrate as Halloween and on the 31st October, Halloween now truly dominates the scene.
If your children go to one of the local schools in Ibiza, you may have heard of some of the traditions of the 1st November, the day of “todos los Santos”.
My children love the preparation of “panellets” at their school. These very rich, sweet balls are covered in pine nuts, almonds or hazelnuts. They are currently available to buy in all bakeries across the island.
They are delicious, easy to prepare and in case you want to try making “panellets” at home, here is the recipe.
Ingredients for 4 people:
300g ground almond
500g sugar
200g sweet potato
2 egg yolks, 2 egg whites
200g pine nuts, crushed almonds and /or crushed hazelnuts
125 ml water
1 spoonful of grated lemon rind
Boil potatoes in a saucepan until cooked. Drain water, allow to cool and mash with a fork.
This weekend, I will also be making Halloween decorations with my children and plan to decorate the inside and outside of our house. Living in the village of Santa Gertrudis means monsters, witches and pumpkins pass by the houses in bid to frighten the villagers on the 31st October.
Having just returned from a trip to New York, I am now filled with inspiration how to devilishly decorate my dwelling and ensure that any mini monsters and goblins passing by are sure to stop by for a little treat. Nearly all of the photos from this post were taken in New York’s Greenwich village and an NY style Halloween makeover will be making its way to the streets of Santa Gertrudis this weekend.
Happy Halloween!
Christina x
This post is also available in: Spanish