Blog Posts by Epicurious.com

Store-bought candy is cool, but nothing beats these recipes for homemade Halloween sweets.

Whether you're filling costumed kids' goodie bags or hosting a grown-up bash, homemade snacks are the real thing. Skip the Reese's and Skittles this year and try some of these old-fashioned sweets.

Halloween Treats, Not Tricks

Brown Sugar-pecan Fudge Balls

Caramel Corn Clusters

Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

Coconut Macadamia Truffles

Crispy Rice and Fruit Bark

Mixed-Nut Spiced Toffee

Peppermint Patties

Pumpkin Seed Brittle

MORE FROM EPICURIOUS.COM:

• Halloween Tricks and Treat
  Have a scary-good holiday with our guide to the best candy, cocktails, and homemade sweets
  

• Recipes & Menus
  Epicurious.com's portfolio of dishes for all seasons, cuisines and occasions
  

• Everyday Cooking
  Delicious menu guides for the busy work week
  

• Epicurious Technique Videos
  See better approaches to preparing your meals
  

Africans, East Indians, Spanish, Portuguese, and other populations all converged in Central and South America, and influenced the cuisines of Latin America and the Caribbean. Fruits and vegetables migrated in and out of the southern hemisphere by way of exploration and trade. While some items, like mangoes and plantains, are readily found in most local grocery stores, other fruits and vegetables require a trip to a Latin American market or specialty gourmet shop. We also recommend online shops such as Melissa's, Frieda's, or Ecuadorian Food Delivery.

Mango

Characteristics: The world's most popular fruit originated from the Indian subcontinent but now flourishes in tropical climates throughout the world. This bean-shaped fruit is characterized by a skin that varies from lime green to rosy red to lemon yellow. The flesh is usually yellow-orange and sweet and juicy when consumed at its peak. Look for mangoes that are firm, with a little give when squeezed. From Mexico to

All of this talk about the Democratic and Republican parties has made me think of one thing: No matter which party wins next Tuesday, I'm going to have a winning party at home to watch the returns. I'm going to invite neighbors over, and because I, too, am a maverick who is ready for change, my campaign strategy to get them to come is to have two menus, most of which can be made in advance. No matter your party affiliation, these Illinois and Arizona inspired foods will be sure to please everyone.

The Illinois Party

Deep-Dish Pizza Margherita

Big Green Salad

Mojitos

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Creamy Vanilla Icing

The Arizona Party

Caramelized Onion Dip with Cilantro-Garlic Pita Crisps

Beef and Avocado Fajitas

Pineapple-Chile Margarita

Chile Brownies

Tanya Wenman Steel is Editor-in-Chief of the award-winning Epicurious.com, the premier food Web site. Before joining Epicurious, Steel was an editor at Bon Appétit for ten years, where she won

Illustrations by Matthew Brennan, photo by CIA/Keith FerrisIn these videos, The Culinary Institute of America's Associate Dean for Curriculum and Instruction for Culinary Arts, Thomas W. Griffiths, shows us how to make classic coq au vin from Burgundy, France. Burgundy's famous wines (such as Pinot Noir reds) figure prominently in its cuisine, as in this dish: A mixture of red wine, onion, celery, carrot, garlic, and peppercorns is used to marinate the chicken for at least one and up to two days; then the marinade forms the base of the rich, flavorful sauce for the chicken.

Explore the globe's most iconic recipes in this weekly video series from Epicurious and The Culinary Institute of America.

Coq au vin is an old country dish from France . "Coq" is the French word for rooster. "In traditional stock farming, roosters which were good breeders were kept as long as they could fulfill their function," explains the culinary encyclopedia Larousse Gastronomique. "They would be several years old before they were killed and therefore needed

Until I tried eggplant Parmesan in the region where the cheese comes from, I always thought of it as one of the heaviest options on the menu in any red sauce restaurant. The eggplant is usually breaded and fried (not that there's anything wrong with that), and the gooey mozzarella is right on the edge of overwhelming even for this formaggio junkie. But in Parma they serve an almost elegant rendition, with very thinly sliced eggplant layered with nothing more than tomato sauce and grana padano, the poor man's Parmigiano. I've been wanting to try it at home for years but never had the motivation until the other night when my consort called to say he was on his way and the cupboard was bare of high-priced protein. Not only was this rendition substantially cheaper than the usual recipe, but we wound up fighting over the leftovers. Sometimes less really is more.

Check out Epicurious.com's practical advice, tips, and recipes for feeding your family well

Because I had no time, I skipped

The words "soup" and "stew" are often used interchangeably, but our food dictionary defines stews as heartier, thicker, and more flavorful than soups. It's best to serve soups as a first course or appetizer, but if you're looking for something to really fill you up, stews will do the trick. So when the air starts getting nippy and you're looking for something to warm you up, consider stirring up any of these delicious stews.

Recipe tips:

Shapely Vegetables

Stews are cooked over low heat for an extended time, so use vegetables that will retain their shape when cooked. Root vegetables such as carrots are a staple in many stew recipes. Other ingredients to consider are beans, and winter and summer squashes.

The Proper Equipment

• Over the Stove: Make sure your pan or pot is large enough to hold all the solid and liquid ingredients. Consider using a deep large sauté pan (12 or 13 inches deep) or a Dutch oven, like the ones recommended in our kitchen equipment guide.

Photos: Eric StaudenmaierWhat child doesn't love Halloween? It's the one day of the year they can be anyone -- or anything -- they want. Plus, they are allowed to receive bagfuls of free candy from nice strangers. We love Halloween because the creative potential of the holiday is virtually unlimited. When else do you get to impress your kids with all the gross, goofy, and gory impulses they never imagined you had?

All this adds up to the perfect excuse for a party. To help take the fright out of Halloween entertaining for your kids, we consulted Clare Crespo, children's cooking teacher and author of Hey There, Cupcake! and The Secret Life of Food.

Halloween Tricks and Treats: have a scary-good holiday with our guide to the best candy, cocktails, and homemade sweets

There are as many ways to celebrate Halloween as there are types of bats: "You can do it cute, with lots of pumpkins, and make the theme fall and harvest," says Crespo. "Or, opt for a mad scientist theme for those who are not too

We couldn't bear to let the short season for these underappreciated fruits -- brown-sugar-sweet persimmon and bracingly tart quince -- pass without gathering our favorite recipes and sharing them with you.

Tips:

Quince

Unlike its relatives the apple and the pear, quince is often too hard and sour to eat raw. When cooked, the fruit becomes soft and pleasantly tart. Look for large, firm fruit with yellowish-white flesh. Store quince in the refrigerator, wrapped in a plastic bag, for up to two months.

Hachiya Persimmon

Hachiya or Japanese persimmon are the most widely available variety in the United States. They are large and round, with a slightly elongated, pointed base. If unripe, hachiya are very astringent. Once ripe, they have a smooth, creamy texture and a tangy sweetness.

Fuyu Persimmon

Fuyu persimmons are smaller than hachiya -- they resemble a small tomato or acorn. Look for fruit that is plump and firm, with smooth, glossy skin.

Ripen and Store