Collier’s Cuts: Up Close and Deceptive With Fraudster Elizabeth Holmes in ‘You Can See Everything’

By

-

October 16, 2026

Elizabeth Holmes stands in her kitchen with Nathan Fielder behind her in the background.

An orange rating card for You Can See Everything with a picture of Elizabeth Holmes and a 4/5 star rating.

It’s an unlikely choice for the week’s most hotly anticipated new movie: A three-hour documentary about a comedian hanging out with a convicted fraudster. Yet there’s such a car-crash appeal to You Can See Everything, in which directors Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim spend days with Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes, that crowds have lined up to see it.

You Can See Everything Documents Elizabeth Holmes’ Final Days of Freedom

Holmes, who was convicted of fraud related to her once-vaunted medical startup, Theranos, remains a beguiling figure. She’s never admitted her guilt, even in the face of monumental evidence, and has maintained a persecuted stance and an irrational optimism even as her empire fell. It’s difficult to get a read on her: Is she naive and idealistic or calculating and manipulative?

After three hours of You Can See Everything, I don’t have an answer. That’s to the film’s credit.

Holmes and her partner, Billy Evans, invited comedian and filmmaker Fielder and acclaimed documentarian (and director of the recently released Primetime) Lance Oppenheim to spend several weeks with them as incarceration loomed. Fielder, who serves more as an interviewer and a character than a filmmaker, immediately asks an obvious question: Was he selected because he’s not a serious journalist?

Holmes evades the question, but the uncertainty is immediately established — and doesn’t dissipate.

Nathan Fielder Is Another Unreliable Narrator in a Swamp of Confusion

To watch You Can See Everything is to witness three people — Holmes, Fielder and Evans — compete to out-sincere one another. Holmes says she wants a chance to demonstrate who she really is but always seems to be performing. Fielder plays the role of legitimate journalist but can’t resist inserting himself into his subject’s lives. Evans insists he’s operating in his partner’s interests but is clearly engaged in building his own brand.

It falls to one additional player (whose identity I won’t divulge) to point out the disingenuous behavior exhibited by every player in this unusual drama — in spite of the fact that she herself is also clearly, and sometimes literally, performing.

Most documentaries aim to convince the viewer of a perspective; You Can See Everything remains permanently in search of one. In that regard, it’s a noble example of the form; these filmmakers clearly followed the story as it evolved, even as it spun into something very different from what was intended.

It May Be More Fiction Than Nonfiction, But It’s Fascinating and Entertaining

There are already those who have accused You Can See Everything of being pure performance. It’s a charge that makes a certain sense; long stretches are almost certainly bits of acting rather than fly-on-the-wall observation.

To get bogged down in a Catfish-style debate over verisimilitude is, however, to miss the point. You Can See Everything is a remarkable document of the weaknesses of pursuing clarity in a post-truth world. It’s not that Fielder and Oppenheim can’t uncover the hidden reality behind Holmes’ surface; it’s that reality, in this case, may not even exist. There are only layers and layers of intention, misunderstanding and (perhaps) deceit.

Some may find that depressing; I found it exhilarating. In both quantum mechanics and human relations, the outcome changes when it’s observed. You Can See Everything may not be the most grounded documentary you’ll see, but it’s quite possibly the most alive.

Whalefall, Street Fighter and Sense & Sensibility All Hit Theaters This Weekend

Based on a well-regarded novel by Daniel Kraus, Whalefall has a setting both novel and … well, Biblical. Jay (Austin Abrams), mourning the death of his estranged father (Josh Brolin), heads into the ocean for a bit of SCUBA diving — only to be accidentally swallowed by a passing sperm whale. With 40 minutes of oxygen in his tank, Jay needs to figure out how one escapes from the belly of a whale. About half of Whalefall takes place inside the great mammal; those scenes are thrilling, viscerally upsetting and well-performed. The frame story, about Jay’s relationship with his iron-jaw Dad, is less entertaining. But you’ll be glued to your seat anyway.

The likely box-office winner — if not the most prominent movie in this week’s film-world discourse — is Street Fighter, a new movie adaptation of the popular video-game franchise. The movie assembled an intriguingly oddball cast to fill out the game’s roster, including Jason Momoa as Blanka, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson as Balrog, David Dastmalchian as M. Bison and Cody Rhodes as Guile. Trailers look fun enough — and it won’t have trouble surpassing the quality of the 1994 adaptation with Jean-Claude Van Damme.

Back to a Classic

The timing seems odd on the release of Sense and Sensibility, another adaptation of Jane Austen’s beloved novel. It’d be less surprising to see this take hit theaters somewhere adjacent the Valentine’s Day — a la this year’s Wuthering Heights — or closer to the end of the year, if an awards play was forthcoming. Still, early reviews have been positive for British director Georgia Oakley’s work; the film stars Daisy Edgar-Jones as Elinor Dashwood and George MacKay as Edward Ferrars.

Whalefall will be one of two films in this week’s Top Ten starring up-and-comer Austin Abrams, who also leads the recent horror hit Resident Evil — a film I’d call the best new horror flick of this Halloween season. Elsewhere at the multiplex, don’t expect The Social Reckoning to stick around for too long; it debuted in a dismal seventh place (although I liked it more than most critics). Aaron Sorkin’s film joins the widely panned Digger as this month’s high-profile flops; unlike Social Reckoning, I agree with the consensus on Digger and recommend that you avoid it unless morbidly curious.

Read more of Sean Collier’s movie reviews in our guide to the arts, culture, and entertainment.

About the Author

Sean Collier is the editor-in-chief of Shady Ave and the arts and culture editor of TABLE Magazine. Before joining the TABLE Media team, he spent nearly 15 years as a writer, editor and columnist at Pittsburgh Magazine. As the in-house film critic for the top-rated WDVE Morning Show since 2009, he’s been Pittsburgh’s most widely heard voice on movies for nearly two decades. A Pittsburgh native, Sean has since 2020 appeared weekly on KDKA-TV’s popular Pittsburgh Today Live talk show. He’s the co-founder of Vigilance Theater Group and an active stand-up comedian and event host. He can be found on Instagram and Twitter at @seancollierpgh.

Photo Courtesy of A24

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine’s print edition.

Your Full Moon in Taurus Horoscope for October 2026

By

Wade Caves

-

October 15, 2026

0

An October full moon hidden behind dark trees in the night sky.

The Full Moon of October 26 falls in Taurus, the sign of the Bull. Taurus is the part of the zodiac given to cultivation and upkeep, the slow and steady work of keeping what you have in good order. Traditional sources place it in stables and storehouses, cellars and low rooms, places close to the ground and built to keep provisions safe.

What Does a Taurus Full Moon Represent?

But in our day to day lives, Taurus tends to describe reserves of every kind, from savings and daily routines to a household that runs well and friendships you’ve kept up for years. Taurus favors continuity over expansion, and it measures success by whether the supply lasts through the lean months.

The sign belongs to Venus, and the Moon is exalted there, which makes a Full Moon in Taurus one of the more comfortable lunations of the year (all things considered). It favors stability and good food, a full larder and few surprises. But the rest of the sky this month is less obliging. Mercury squares Mars, and Mercury and Venus are both retrograde, so the month pushes and unsettles while this Moon digs in.

The Bull’s patience is its strength, and stubbornness is the price. Under pressure Taurus hardens, hoarding resources and defending habits past their usefulness. The useful version of this Full Moon keeps tending what you already have while the noise passes, and saves the big moves for after it does.

Deborah Houlding’s Taurus overview at Skyscript goes back to the Taurean Age, when domesticating the ox gave settled farming the plough, and follows the bull through the temple cults of Egypt and Crete. It also carries the best practical advice on the sign: you can’t push a bull, you can only lead it from the front. Worth reading if someone stubborn is testing you this month, or if the stubborn one is you.

Mercury Square Mars: Force Against Cleverness

Mercury is retrograde in Scorpio, a sign associated with information we keep close and secrets we tend to hold back. Mars is in Leo, where its heat goes into pride and display and the need to be seen winning. As Mercury moves to the square of Mars, those two conditions grind against each other. Thinking turns guarded and second-guessing while the pressure to act gets louder.

Astrologers have long read contacts between these two planets as a contest between force and cleverness, and in a square neither side wins cleanly. The aspect produces impatience and arguments, conclusions reached before the facts are in, and opinions defended harder the less certain they are. Because Mercury is retrograde, the facts themselves are under revision, which makes settling matters by pressure more costly than usual. A decision forced through in late October may need unwinding by mid-November.

You will probably recognize this aspect from the inside first. It shows up when you send a heated reply before rereading it, or when a meeting turns into a debate nobody scheduled. It also shows up when you agree to something only to end an uncomfortable conversation.

The square also supplies energy for a hard problem, provided it goes into investigation instead of argument. Scorpio is a sign suited to research and digging, and the restlessness of this aspect can be spent there. When a dispute comes up this month, argue only from what you can check. Give important messages an hour before you send them.

Mercury and Venus Retrograde: Two Personal Planets in Review

Mercury is retrograde in Scorpio and Venus is retrograde at the end of Libra, its own sign. With both moving backward at once, the personal side of life runs less smoothly than it did in September. Conversations, plans, relationships and money all feel disordered, and some of the confusion comes from the past.

Mercury retrograde is the more familiar of the two. Messages go astray and devices fail; travel runs late. Plans made in a hurry come back for revision. Double-check details and back up what you can’t afford to lose. Read any contract twice before you sign it. Mercury turns direct on November 13, and by early December its effects have cleared.

Venus retrograde lasts around forty days, a span that turns up across wisdom traditions, religious ones included, as a stretch of withdrawal, doubt and temptation before a return. During a Venus retrograde, desire comes to the surface and old attachments come back. An ex may get in touch, or a spending habit you thought you’d outgrown may return. Feelings are in flux, which makes this a weak window for starting a relationship or making a large purchase, and a good one for asking what you’ve been accommodating that no longer suits you. Venus turns direct on November 14, though it won’t move into new territory until mid-December, so this theme will carry into next month’s column.

The two stations fall a day apart. If a decision about love, money or an important message can wait until after the middle of November, give it the extra weeks.

Venus Sextile Jupiter: Help From Familiar Places

The better news this month comes from Venus at the end of Libra, its own sign, applying to a sextile with Jupiter in Leo. Venus in Libra is strong even while retrograde, and Jupiter in Leo is expansive and generous, inclined toward large gestures and public warmth. The sextile brings the two benefics into good relation.

A sextile works by cooperation. The openings it creates need someone to meet them halfway, by accepting an invitation or returning a call. Met that way, this aspect is good for affection and goodwill, for gifts and money that come through other people, and for creative work that needed encouragement to continue.

Because Venus is retrograde, the good news is likely to come from people and projects you already know. A friendship that lapsed may reopen on better terms. An old collaborator may come back with an idea. A relationship going through a hard review may find generosity on both sides. This is the counterweight to the confusion of the retrograde: the same retrograde Venus that unsettles personal matters also brings the means to repair them.

Jupiter favors expansion with moderation, so the benefits of this aspect last best when they’re earned and kept in proportion. In Leo, the appetite for display can inflate a good gesture into an extravagant one.

The practical use of this sextile is simple. Get in touch with someone you’ve lost contact with, and make the first move a generous one.

The Moon Conjunct Sheratan, One of the Twin Stars in the Ram’s Horn

The Full Moon joins Sheratan, the star in the left horn of the Ram. Its Arabic name, al-Sharatain, means “the two signs”: Sheratan and its neighbor Mesarthim marked the opening of the year when they stood at the spring equinox in the time of Hipparchus. The Persians called them the Protecting Pair. The astrological tradition gives the star the nature of Mars and Saturn, and the German astrologer Elsbeth Ebertin linked it to daredevils, warning of danger when people act on impulse.

The Moon signifies the people and the public mood, and this Full Moon places that mood on a daredevil’s star a week before the midterm elections on November 3. Expect bold moves and provocations in the final stretch of the campaigns, and short public patience. The volatility is likely to continue after the results, as close counts and contested outcomes meet a restless electorate.

Constellations of Words collects the full lore on Sheratan, including the first Arabic lunar mansion it anchors, which old texts say “causes discords and journeys,” and the myth of the golden-fleeced Ram. Worth a visit if the star sits on a sensitive point in your own chart.

Mid-Autumn Seasonal Guidance for Your Zodiac Sign

By mid-autumn, the season is fully established: cool and dry, with days noticeably shorter. Constitutions respond very differently to this combination – for some it’s among the better stretches of the year, for others the most demanding. Digestion tends to run well for most in autumn, and exercise is broadly manageable. The drying quality is worth attending to as the weeks pass; it shows up differently depending on what your constitution already carries.

These suggestions are drawn from an ancient tradition of thinking about how the body’s constitution responds to seasonal change. They’re offered for consideration, not as rules to follow to the letter – take what applies to your circumstances and leave the rest. To learn more about the theory behind this guidance, see “Medieval Temperaments,” an article by astrologer Ryhan Butler at medievalastrologyguide.com/medieval-temperaments.

Fire Signs – Aries, Leo, Sagittarius

Cool, dry autumn suits your constitution – digestion runs strong, sleep is generally good, and overheating isn’t the concern it is in warmer months. Exercise can be vigorous and regular; this is a good time to establish physical habits that’ll carry through winter. Eat heartily. The dryness is worth attending to: if skin, joints, or mood start to reflect it, olive oil, fatty fish, soups and stews are the remedy. Patience and consistency come more naturally around this time.

Earth Signs – Capricorn, Taurus, Virgo

Mid-autumn is the most demanding time of year for your constitution. Cool, dry air amplifies rather than corrects your native qualities. Diet should be warming and moistening throughout: olive oil, fatty fish, bone broth, soups, stews. Avoid cold, raw, or drying foods. Exercise consistently – stiffness and sluggish digestion both worsen with inactivity. Anxiety, rumination, and low mood tend to be at their annual peak around this time; regular sleep, movement, and social contact are the most useful counters, and worth treating as non-negotiable.

Air Signs – Libra, Aquarius, Gemini

The body tends to feel settled and capable through the full stretch of autumn – cool and dry air balances your constitution, and the restlessness that complicates spring is largely absent. Digestion is strong, sleep generally reliable. Eat heartily and with variety; keep to a regular exercise routine. Watch for the drying effect on the airways – you can be prone to dry coughs and irritated airways when the air is cool and dry; warm drinks, broths, and keeping the chest warm help.

Water Signs – Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces

Full autumn is a mixed season for your constitution. The cool air amplifies your native coldness, though the dryness provides some corrective for the wetness. Eat warming and substantial food: soups, stews, roasted meats, root vegetables, butter and animal fats. Don’t let activity lapse; the pull toward inactivity is strong and counterproductive. Moderate alcohol – warming, but excess compounds the sluggishness the cool promotes. The tendency toward withdrawal and low mood builds in autumn; regular social contact helps considerably.Sabian Symbol for 2° Taurus: natural steps up to a lawn blooming with clover.

The Sabian Symbol for 2° Taurus: Natural Steps Up to a Lawn Blooming With Clover

Picture a slope where the ground has settled into steps on its own, worn by weather and feet, rising to a lawn thick with clover. Nobody but earth and time built these stairs.

English has an idiom for the scene at the top. To be “in clover” is to live in comfort, and the phrase comes from cattle turned into a clover field, where the grazing is rich and they eat well without effort. For a Full Moon in the sign of the bull, the image fits smoothly, since the abundance is close at hand and a few easy steps reach it.

The symbol points to fulfillment that’s near, with a small effort still owed. The steps are natural, so the effort is modest and the route needs no inventing. Its shadow is the person who waits at the bottom for the lawn to come to them, or who expects the way to be paved before they’ll move. A clover lawn left untended goes to weeds.

The practical question for the weeks after October 26: which good outcome in your life is only a few steps away, and what’s the first one? Take that step before the month is out.

Linda Hill has spent decades working with the Sabian Symbols. Her reading of 2° Taurus goes further into small efforts and large returns, and into the line between ease and complacency that this degree draws. Worth a look if this degree falls on a sensitive point in your chart.

What Does October’s Full Moon in Taurus Mean for Your Sign’s Horoscope?

The themes of this Full Moon will play out differently depending on where 2° Taurus falls in your chart. What follows offers sign-by-sign guidance for working with the weeks ahead. For a more detailed picture of how this lunation engages your own chart, a consultation with a professional astrologer can help clarify what is personal and what is simply passing through.

Want to see a professional astrologer? I offer birth chart consultations that explore dominant life themes through your present circumstances – whether you’re looking to align your actions with what’s ahead, get a sense of near- and mid-term timing, or simply understand your chart more deeply. Get a sense of what we can accomplish together here on my website.

Aries Horoscope

Spend on what you love this month, but watch how fast the money moves. Mars is firing up your appetite for romance and creative work, along with a willingness to gamble on pleasure. At the same time the Full Moon falls in your house of money and possessions, where feelings drive purchases and comfort spending creeps in. Together they make an expensive month. Point the drive at something creative that can pay you back, and give any big purchase a night’s sleep before you commit.

Discover your perfect menu, cocktail, and compatibility information for the zodiac sign Taurus to find out more about your sign.

Taurus Horoscope

The Full Moon is in your sign, so your own moods and needs take center stage, and you’ll notice how you look and come across more than usual. Partnership is the other story. Venus, retrograde in your house of relationships, puts a close bond under review and may bring someone from the past back into view. Old agreements come up for renegotiation. Before you sit down to talk terms with anyone, settle what you want for yourself, while the Full Moon makes your own feelings easy to read.

Discover your perfect menu and cocktail for the zodiac sign Taurus to find out more about your sign.

Gemini Horoscope

Your working days are in revision. Mercury and Venus are both retrograde in your house of daily work and health, so tasks come back to be redone, an old issue with a colleague resurfaces, and a health routine you dropped comes due for repair. The people at work are easier to deal with than the paperwork, and pleasant company softens the slog. Put off new job commitments until mid-November, and spend the weeks between fixing the systems you already use, from your calendar to your sleep.

Discover your perfect menu and cocktail for the zodiac sign Gemini to find out more about your sign.

Cancer Horoscope

Friends and the groups you belong to stir up strong feeling under this Full Moon, and a gathering could bring you closer to people or show you where you’ve drifted apart. Mars in your house of income puts pressure on earning and on defending what’s yours, sharpening your drive to earn and your instinct to protect your share. Watch where those two meet. Money inside a friendship or a group is the likeliest flashpoint, especially who owes what and who paid last. Plain terms settle it faster than hints.

Discover your perfect bar cart, menu, cocktail, year-ahead outlook, compatibility, and birthday gift guide for the zodiac sign Cancer to find out more about your sign.

Leo Horoscope

If you feel ready to take on anyone this month, that’s Mars in your sign, bringing energy and nerve and a strong urge to prove yourself. The Sun, meanwhile, draws your attention home, to family and to the place you live, to old roots and the comfort they offer. The two can collide when restlessness meets a household that wants quiet. Bring the energy home as effort on a domestic project such as a repair or a rearrangement. Keep it out of arguments with the people who share your space.

Discover your perfect bar cart, menu, cocktail, year-ahead outlook, and birthday gift guide for the zodiac sign Leo to find out more about your sign.

Virgo Horoscope

Distant places and bigger ideas pull hard under this Full Moon, which falls in your house of travel, study and belief. A trip or a course looks more appealing than it did a month ago. Closer to home, Mercury retrograde tangles the short-range business of life. Messages cross and errands need doing twice. A talk with a sibling or neighbor can go sideways. The retrograde favors return over novelty, so an unfinished course or an old plan to travel is the better bet. Whatever you book, confirm it twice.

Discover your perfect bar cart, menu, and cocktail for the zodiac sign Virgo to find out more about your sign.

Libra Horoscope

If a recent purchase is nagging at you, pay attention to the doubt. Venus and Mercury are both retrograde in your house of money and possessions, bringing second thoughts and returns along with the reappearance of old debts or agreements. Your eye for value is sharp under these conditions, but your sense of what you want keeps shifting, which makes this a better month for review than for spending. Go through the accounts and renegotiate what you can. Save the large purchase for after mid-November.

Discover your perfect bar cart, menu, and cocktail for the zodiac sign Libra to find out more about your sign.

Scorpio Horoscope

With Mars in your house of career, ambition runs hard, bringing a push for recognition and a readiness to take on anyone who blocks your way. The trouble is that Mercury is retrograde in your sign, so the way you present yourself is in revision and your words may come out sharper or vaguer than you meant. With people above you, that combination can turn a pitch into a clash. Draft the proposal and wait a day. Rewrite it before it reaches anyone with the power to say no.

Discover your perfect bar cart, menu, and cocktail for the zodiac sign Scorpio to find out more about your sign.

Sagittarius Horoscope

Your appetite for horizons is enormous this month. Mars and Jupiter are both in your house of travel, study and belief, which fires up the urge to go somewhere, learn something big or publish what you think, and gives that urge room to grow. The same combination makes you a formidable debater and at times a self-righteous one. Arguments about belief can run hot and long. Put the energy into a journey or a course of study, where it builds something. Keep it away from the comments section.

Discover your perfect menu and cocktail for the zodiac sign Sagittarius to find out more about your sign.

Capricorn Horoscope

Friends keep you busy this month, with the Sun lighting up group plans, networks and community commitments. The Full Moon adds warmth and play, falling in your house of romance, pleasure and creativity, which makes this one of the better months of the year for enjoying yourself without guilt. The two can overlap. Someone you know from a group setting may start to look like more than a friend, and a shared hobby could turn into a serious creative project. Say yes to the invitations.

Discover your perfect menu and cocktail for the zodiac sign Capricorn to find out more about your sign.

Aquarius Horoscope

Work is where you’re most visible this month. The Sun puts your career and public standing on display, and Venus, retrograde in the same part of life, brings charm with people in charge along with a return from the past, such as a former boss or a project you shelved. Goodwill with authority comes easily, though your feelings about the job may shift week to week. Reach out to an old professional contact, because the most useful opening this month is likely one you’ve seen before.

Discover your perfect menu and cocktail for the zodiac sign Aquarius to find out more about your sign.

Pisces Horoscope

Pace yourself at work, because the load is growing. Mars and Jupiter both sit in your house of daily work and health, bringing more responsibility or a larger role, along with the energy to take it on. The danger is overexertion, which shows up as long hours and friction with colleagues, or as accidents when you rush to finish. Jupiter’s generosity extends to appetite too, so diet and rest need some attention. The opportunity is solid, and burnout is the surest way to waste it before it pays off.

Discover your perfect menu and cocktail for the zodiac sign Pisces to find out more about your sign.

About the Author

Wade Caves is a Brooklyn-based astrological consultant, educator, and published author who has practiced astrology professionally since 2014. He was certified with honors from the Mayo School of Astrology in London and the School of Traditional Astrology (STA), where he now serves as faculty and as principal of the Astronomy and Mundane Astrology programs.

Wade wrote the quarterly World Reflections column for The Mountain Astrologer and currently serves as editor of In Mundo, Skyscript’s world astrology journal. He is the editor and annotator of the 300th anniversary edition of William Lilly’s History of his Life and Times (Rubedo Press, 2015) and hosts the World Astrology Summit, a conference dedicated to advancing astrological technique for diverse audiences.

A sought-after speaker, Wade has presented at the United Astrology Conference (UAC), the Northwest Astrological Conference (NORWAC), the Astrological Association, and the International Society for Astrological Research (ISAR), among others. He has taught intensive courses across the US, Europe, Australia, and Canada.

Before practicing astrology full-time, Wade held an executive advisory role with a data consulting firm specializing in large-scale infrastructure, bringing an analytical and research-driven approach to his astrological work. He specializes in horary, electional, and classical technique with an emphasis on cross-era literacy – connecting ancient methods to modern practice.

At TABLE Magazine, Wade writes monthly horoscopes, seasonal forecasts, and original lifestyle content that connects astrology to food, cocktails, and entertaining – a unique editorial approach that bridges astrology and the culinary world.

Website: wadecaves.com • skyscript.co.uk/inmundo Email: hello@wadecaves.com

Photo by Vadim Sadovski

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine’s print edition.

8 Lamb Recipes to Celebrate 35 Years of ‘The Silence of the Lambs’

By

Kylie Thomas

-

October 15, 2026

0

Persian lamb stew for Nowruz, staged with other sides on a light brown table.

It’s been 35 years since movie audiences first met FBI trainee Clarice Starling and cannibalistic psychiatrist Dr. Hannibal Lecter. The Silence of the Lambs premiered on February 14, 1991, and it would become the third film in history to sweep the Academy Awards’ top five categories: Best Picture, Best Director (Jonathan Demme), Best Actor (Anthony Hopkins, Hannibal Lecter), Best Actress (Jodie Foster, Clarice Starling), and Best Adapted Screenplay. And parts of it were filmed right here in Western Pennsylvania, which you can learn how to visit in our feature from Arts and Entertainment Editor Sean Collier.

To celebrate the anniversary, TABLE gathered eight of our favorite lamb recipes for a dinner party worth screaming about. They come from some of the region’s most talented chefs, including several winners from TABLE’s Lamb Fest competitions, and range from party bites and an elegant braised shank dish to a lamb and kidney bean stew. We’ll leave the fava beans to Dr. Lecter.

**Where Was The Silence of the Lambs Filmed?**

Although the story is set primarily in Virginia, Maryland, Tennessee, and Ohio, director Jonathan Demme shot parts of the film in and around Pittsburgh. Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum’s grand ballroom famously stood in for the Memphis courthouse where Lecter is held in a towering cage. The hall’s first floor also appears in the film, and Pittsburgh horror legend George Romero makes a cameo.

The Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s Invertebrate Zoology department was the backdrop for Clarice Starling’s meeting with entomologists to identify a moth left in a victim’s throat.

A 1910 Victorian house in Fayette County was used as Buffalo Bill’s home. Only the foyer and dining room appear in the movie. (The infamous basement pit was built on a soundstage.) Today, fans can book a stay at Buffalo Bill’s House, a rental filled with nods to the film.

Lamb Recipes at a Glance

Lamb Lettuce Cups With Curry Aioli: a make-ahead appetizer

Gluten-Free Lamb Croquettes With Yuca: a crispy, gluten-free finger food for passing around

Lamb Sloppy Joes With Crème Fraîche: a fancy-casual sandwich

Irish Lamb Stew With Curry and Guinness: a cozy, one-pot main for a chilly fall night or St. Patrick’s Day celebration

Persian Lamb and Kidney Bean Stew: a crowd-feeding (and crowd-pleasing) stew

Burgundy Braised Lamb Shanks With Gribiche: an elegant sit-down dish before the movie

Lamb Loin With Green Chile Harissa: a dinner party main that comes together in under an hour

Grilled Lamb Scottadito: a main or side? You decide!

8 Lamb Recipes to Celebrate The Silence of the Lambs Anniversary

1. Lamb Lettuce Cups With Curry Aioli

Three iceberg lettuce cups filled with braised lamb, pomegranate seeds, and curry aioli on a yellow plate against a black background.

Best for: a make-ahead appetizer and the evening’s showstopper

Makes: about 30 lettuce cups

The winning dish at TABLE’s 2021 Lamb Fest belongs on any table that’s celebrating lambs. Created by Chefs Chris Bonfili and Cory Hughes, this recipe calls for braising Elysian Fields lamb shoulder in Pinot Noir until it falls apart, combining it with toasted yam, pomegranate seeds, curry aioli, then placing the into crisp iceberg cups before topping with an almond brittle crumble. The lamb rests overnight, so most of the work is done before the opening credits roll.

2. Gluten-Free Lamb Croquettes With Yuca

A hand lifts a crispy lamb croquette from a gray plate swiped with green sauce.

Best for: a crispy finger food to pass during the first act

Makes: 24 croquettes

Inspired by Brazilian coxinha, these croquettes from Joey Hilty of The Vandal and Keyla Nogueira Cook of Mercearia Brasil bundle spiced lamb with a naturally gluten-free yuca dough, which is fried until golden. Shape and freeze them ahead, then fry from frozen as guests arrive. Serve with a bright green sauce for dipping.

3. Lamb Sloppy Joes With Crème Fraîche

Deconstructed lamb sloppy joes with crème fraîche and a small bun on a white plate.

Best for: casual movie-night food that’s easy to eat from the couch

Makes: 12 sliders

Another Lamb Fest favorite, these sliders from the team behind The Speckled Egg update the beloved picnic staple. Simmer ground lamb with smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, allspice, and cinnamon, then pile it onto tiny buns with crème fraîche and tangy pickled vegetables. Keep the filling warm in a slow cooker and let guests build their own.

4. Irish Lamb Stew With Curry and Guinness

A delicious bowl of Irish Pub Curried Lamb Stew with tender lamb, vegetables, and rich flavors.

Best for: a cozy, one-pot main for a chilly fall night

Makes: 6 servings

Chef Veda Sankaran gives Irish stew a pub-curry twist with Madras curry powder, ginger, jalapeño, and a bottle of Guinness. The stew bakes hands-off in the oven, tastes even better the next day, and leaves five bottles in the six-pack for you and your guests.

5. Persian Lamb and Kidney Bean Stew

Best for: a make-ahead main that feeds a crowd

Makes: 6 servings

Developed by Chef Palak Patel, this recipe requires braising lamb shanks with dried Omani limes, saffron, turmeric, and a full bottle of dry red wine for a deeply aromatic stew. Make it a day ahead and serve it with saffron or jeweled rice.

6. Burgundy Braised Lamb Shanks With Gribiche

Burgundy braised lamb shank with roasted beets, sweet potatoes, asparagus, and gribiche dressing on a white plate.

Best for: an elegant main dish before the movie

Makes: 4 servings

For a more refined evening, this recipe by Chef Kevin Hermann involves slow-braising lamb shanks in red Burgundy until they slide off the bone, then serving them with roasted beets, sweet potatoes, and asparagus under a tangy herb-and-egg gribiche. Dr. Lecter would surely approve of the wine.

7. Lamb Loin With Green Chile Harissa

Sliced roasted lamb loin over chickpea purée drizzled with red green chile harissa and garnished with fresh mint.

Best for: a dinner party main that comes together in under an hour

Makes: 4 servings

Pair seared lamb loin with smoky roasted green chile harissa, chickpea purée, preserved lemon, and fresh mint. The harissa and chickpea purée can be made days ahead, leaving only a quick sear and roast before serving.

8. Grilled Lamb Scottadito

Grilled lamb chops scottadito over blistered cherry tomatoes, olives, and pine nuts with feta and mint on a green plate.

Best for: finger food for guests who can’t wait

Makes: 4 to 6 servings

Scottadito means “burned finger” in Italian, a fitting name for a party where nobody can keep their hands to themselves. Season lamb chops with Herbes de Provence, grill them in minutes, and serve them over blistered cherry tomatoes, olives, and pine nuts with feta and mint. No grill? A cast-iron grill pan works just as well indoors.

**How to Plan a Silence of the Lambs Dinner Party Menu**

Pick one recipe from each part of the menu: lamb lettuce cups and croquettes to pass during the opening scenes, lamb sloppy joe sliders for casual grazing, and a stew or braised shank for the main course.

Get a head start. Several recipes require some prep ahead of time. The braised lamb for the lettuce cups needs an overnight rest, both stews and the lamb shanks taste better the next day, the lamb sloppy joe filling keeps for four days, and the croquettes can be shaped and frozen for up to three months.

Save the last-minute work for the fun parts. Fry the croquettes, grill the lamb for the scottadito, and assemble the lettuce cups just before serving so everything stays crisp and hot.

**Tips for a Silence of the Lambs Movie Night**

Pour the right wine. Chianti isn’t the only wine that flatters lamb: Consider Pinot Noir, Grenache, and an Italian red such as Montepulciano d’Abruzzo all beautifully complement the gamey meat.

Set the scene. Dim the lights, cue up the film, and serve food that’s easy to eat without looking away from the screen. The croquettes and lettuce cups are perfect for the couch.

Know your audience. The Silence of the Lambs is rated R for violence and disturbing content, so save this watch party for adults.

Make it a road trip. Visit Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall in Oakland, which has marked past anniversaries with screenings and a replica of Lecter’s cage, or book a night at Buffalo Bill’s House in Fayette County.

The Silence of the Lambs and Lamb Recipe FAQs

**Where was The Silence of the Lambs filmed?**

Much of the film was shot in the Pittsburgh region. Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum in Oakland stood in for the Memphis courthouse where Hannibal Lecter is caged, and a Victorian house in Fayette County was used for shots of Buffalo Bill’s foyer and dining room.

**Can you visit the Silence of the Lambs house?**

Yes. The house operates as Buffalo Bill’s House. Fans can book an overnight stay. Check its listing for current availability.

When did “The Silence of the Lambs” come out?

The film was released on February 14, 1991, making 2026 its 35th anniversary.

Which of these lamb recipes are gluten-free?

The lamb lettuce cups, lamb croquettes, Persian lamb stew, braised lamb shanks, lamb loin with green chile harissa, and grilled lamb scottadito are naturally gluten-free. The Irish stew and sloppy joes include gluten-free substitutions.

Which lamb recipes can I make ahead?

You can make both stews, the braised shanks, the sloppy joe filling, and the lettuce cup lamb 1-3 days ahead. The croquettes can be frozen before frying.

Who developed these recipes?

The recipes come from TABLE contributors and regional chefs, including Chris Bonfili, Cory Hughes, Joey Hilty, Keyla Nogueira Cook, Jacqueline and Nathan Schoedel, Veda Sankaran, Palak Patel, Kevin Hermann, and Gabe Gomez.

Looking for more? Try our Halloween party recipes, Halloween cocktails, Ultimate Halloween Party Playlist and Menu, and Ultimate Guide to Halloween in Pittsburgh.

About the Author

Amanda Reed has written for Popular Science, Pittsburgh Magazine, Pittsburgh City Paper, Very Local Pittsburgh, GearPatrol and TheStreet. Amanda earned the 2021 Ray Sprigle Best of Show Award from the Western Pennsylvania Press Club for a story on stressed-out college counseling centers. She lives in Bloomfield with JunkJunk, a handsome, sad-looking tuxedo cat who wants only wet food and attention.

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine’s print edition.

Collier’s Cuts: In ‘The Social Reckoning,’ Aaron Sorkin Revisits Facebook, Where Things Have Gotten Worse

By

Kylie Thomas

-

October 9, 2026

0

Jeremy Strong sits in an office chair as Mark Zuckerberg with headphones around his neck and a laptop in front of him. — Mark Zuckerberg (Jeremy Strong) in Columbia Pictures' THE SOCIAL RECKONING.

An orange rating card for The Social Reckoning with a photo of Jeremy and Mikey together on a couch. The rating is 4/5 stars.

The 2010 film The Social Network, directed by David Fincher and written by Aaron Sorkin, was a scathing (and tremendously entertaining) indictment of the attitudes and egos that led to the rise of Facebook — and, thus, the dawning of the social-media era. Sixteen years later, Sorkin returns to the topic of the tech giant with The Social Reckoning, writing and directing an account of a rare moment when it looked like Mark Zuckerberg might actually be forced to confront the consequences of his actions.

In the late 2010s, Mark Zuckerberg (Jeremy Strong, taking over for Jesse Eisenberg) makes a decision that will change the direction of Facebook — by then one of the largest and most influential companies on the planet. Until that point, the platform’s algorithm prioritized content that users liked, literally — if users clicked like on something, they were served similar content.

At the time, it was a system that was hurting the company’s bottom line. Users were disengaging, with younger people migrating to visual-based platforms including TikTok and Snapchat. So Zuckerberg opted to prioritize content that would be shared rather than liked — a seemingly mild change with big consequences.

The most shared content, as level-headed Facebook brass pointed out, was content with the potential to enrage and inflame. Facebook embraced that content anyway, with Zuckerberg demonstrating apathy toward the possibility that inflammatory or misleading content would reign supreme.

Mikey Madison Plays a Whistleblower with an Uneasy Ally

This shift ran afoul of one division at Facebook: the civic integrity team, whose stated goal was to ensure that the platform was serving as a digital good neighbor, even if it meant arresting growth. Frances Haugen (Mikey Madison) discovers a problem: The algorithm is pushing users toward extremist groups, including those who promote hate and sow misinformation.

When she tries to voice this discovery, she’s ignored — in fact, cut off before she can even be ignored.

Reluctantly, she meets with an investigative journalist (Jeremy Allen White); she stresses that she believes in the company and is only cooperating to help it. As the problem grows, however, she takes bigger risks to share the truth.

The Social Reckoning is carefully — even elegantly — split between timelines; we see Haugen’s efforts in the 2010s, then watch as Zuckerberg prepares to defend his company before Congress in 2021. The exact dates will be revealed later; in a bit of illuminating timing, Zuckerberg’s testimony is being prepared on what will become a momentous day in American history.

The Filmmaking Is Pedestrian, but the Script Speaks Clearly

This isn’t Sorkin’s first time in the director’s chair; he began helming his own films in 2017 with Molly’s Game, following that drama with The Trial of the Chicago 7 and Being the Ricardos. He’s not as inventive as a director as he is as a screenwriter; it would be a hard mark to hit, given that he’s among the best scribes of film and television. Still, The Social Reckoning suffers somewhat in comparison to The Social Network; going from David Fincher to a director who is mostly presentational (and losing Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross as composers, to boot) makes for a less remarkable piece of filmmaking.

As a vessel for the script, though, The Social Reckoning serves well. Freed from its predecessor’s need to define Zuckerberg as an individual, this movie is emboldened to make an argument: Facebook, as well as its sister companies, are playing an active and unchecked role in an overarching societal sickness — and that is the result of deliberate choices.

It’s didactic, sure, but it’s undoubtedly correct. Sorkin identifies and illuminates the kind of truth that Zuckerberg and his supporters have worked hard to obfuscate. Not all speech is created equal — and harm cannot be measured in likes and shares. The result is a film that overcomes its weaknesses to stand as a sturdy and even enjoyable history lesson.

Oscar Winner Jessica Chastain Gets Literally Unhinged and More New Movies Out This Week

The Conjuring meets A Nightmare on Elm Street in Other Mommy, a playfully diabolical new horror film from director Rob Savage. Jessica Chastain stars in a dual role: Ursula is a hardworking mother growing estranged from her husband (Jay Duplass) and daughter (Arabella Olivia Clark), unaware that she’s being supplanted by Other Mommy, a demonic doppelganger hiding in the darkened corners of the family home. Other Mommy wastes no time trying to prove its villain is real; the whole family encounters her within moments of the film beginning, leaving the remainder of the fast-paced film a desperate attempt to understand and defeat the creature. Savage employs dreamlike images — and dream logic — to weave a tale that recalls the more fantastic tales by Stephen King. It stumbles here and there but emerges as a memorable and well-acted spooky-season treat.

There’s a pair of less-heralded throwbacks hitting cinemas this weekend. Angel and the Badman digs deep to reboot the 1947 John Wayne western with a cast that includes Tommy Lee Jones and Zachary Levi; the remake, which comes from faith-based distributor Angel Studios, hasn’t received warm notices. Meanwhile, Samuel L. Jackson is the President of the United States (if only) in The Beast, an action flick that seems straight out of the ’90s; this one is receiving a bit better buzz as a good-time romp. (Just don’t confuse it with Heart of the Beast when purchasing your ticket.)

A Look at the Prior Weeks’ Releases

The Colleen Hoover adaptation Verity was last week’s box-office winner, as Tom Cruise’s Digger flopped hard enough to break a glacier in half (or whatever that movie was supposed to be about). I reviewed both films and solidly preferred Verity, even if most other critics aren’t being as friendly. Elsewhere at the multiplex, in addition to The Other Mommy, Resident Evil will likely be the go-to choice for those looking for a new release as Halloween approaches — or, of course, you could head to any number of cinemas for a vintage fright.

Read more of Sean Collier’s movie reviews in our guide to the arts, culture, and entertainment.

About the Author

Sean Collier is the editor-in-chief of Shady Ave and the arts and culture editor of TABLE Magazine. Before joining the TABLE Media team, he spent nearly 15 years as a writer, editor and columnist at Pittsburgh Magazine. As the in-house film critic for the top-rated WDVE Morning Show since 2009, he’s been Pittsburgh’s most widely heard voice on movies for nearly two decades. A Pittsburgh native, Sean has since 2020 appeared weekly on KDKA-TV’s popular Pittsburgh Today Live talk show. He’s the co-founder of Vigilance Theater Group and an active stand-up comedian and event host. He can be found on Instagram and Twitter at @seancollierpgh.

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine’s print edition.

Pumpkin Spice Martini Recipe: A Fall Cocktail That’s Hauntingly Good

By

Keith Recker

-

October 6, 2026

0

A pumpkin spice martini on a table with a marshmallow garnish sitting beside a pumpkin and bottle of red infused liquor.

As Editor in Chief of TABLE Magazine, I must make a shocking confession: I have been wrong about pumpkin spice. For many years I have rolled my eyes and plugged my ears to the phrase from August to March. My avoidance started when Starbucks made it their proverbial whole personality before the daily temperatures had dropped below 90 degrees. Who needs a dose of baking spices when I am still quite literally baking, I frequently mumbled as I mopped my brow in the heat of August and early September.

The answer is, truly, that no one does. Until they do. And now I have a pumpkin spice martini that changed my mind about pumpkin spice.

This year, during a visit to a local coffee shop in search of an afternoon pick-me-up, the delicious aroma of a pumpkin spice latte caught me by surprise. The comforting, non-confrontational smell of cinnamon. A little hit of nutmeg and a zing of ginger. Maybe I have been listening to too much news, but the nostalgic goodness just snuck up on me.

A person pours a drink from a cocktail shaker into a coupe glass in front of a jar of red liquid and a pumpkin.

How to Infuse Vodka with Pumpkin Spice

So did ideas for other ways to sip this bewitching flavor combo. Emulating an old friend who steeped anise-like hyssop in vodka for a few days prior to serving me a very herbal (and very delicious) martini, I filled a mason jar with vodka that same night, and added cinnamon sticks, star anise, whole cloves, and whole allspice. If I had found them in my pantry, I would have added whole mace or crushed cardamom pods. I put the jar aside for a couple of days and forgot about it.

Building a Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini

One Friday afternoon, I dreamed of a comforting cocktail, and I remembered the jar of vodka marinating in baking spices. I quickly made a caramel simple syrup, brewed a shot of espresso, and this fall cocktail was born.

The spices infuse the vodka with the familiar taste of fall. The caramel syrup adds a cookie-like appeal without going too sweet. The espresso adds depth and a foamy top, and a dash or two of bitters adds sophistication. I shared a batch with my partner at home, and it was a great way to start our weekend.

A pumpkin spice martini with a marshmallow garnish sits on a white table in front of a bottle of red liquor and a pumpkin.

What to Serve with a Pumpkin Spice Martini

It’s become a regular presence for us during happy hour on cooler evenings, but it has also made a couple of appearances at the dinner table, where it pairs very well with fall dishes. On one weeknight we enjoyed it with a Citrus and Kale Salad with Honey Vinaigrette and decided it would work with any of TABLE’s easy-to-make fall salad recipes. We also paired it with Braised Pork Belly, where the vodka and spices balanced the richness of the pork belly very nicely. Our next move will be to try pairing the cocktail with a couple of TABLE’s fall braised meat and veggie recipes, whose depth of flavor will interact just as well with the cocktail.

After that…we may be adventurous and explore some of TABLE’s Halloween-themed cocktails as dinner bevvies. I’ll keep you posted on what combinations haunt my dreams.

Print

Pumpkin Spice Martini

Author: Keith Recker
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 1 cocktail 1x

Print Recipe

Description

A festive autumn twist on the classic espresso martini. Rich, dark-roasted espresso meets homemade spiced vodka and handcrafted caramel simple syrup, shaken vigorously into a cold, velvety cocktail topped with a thick, irresistible foam.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Cocktail:

2 oz pumpkin-spice infused vodka*
1 oz freshly brewed espresso, cooled
½ oz caramel simple syrup (or more to taste for extra sweetness)*
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Ice

For the Garnish (Optional):

Toasted marshmallow or a dusting of ground pumpkin pie spice

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Combine: In a cocktail shaker, combine the pumpkin-spice infused vodka, cooled espresso, caramel simple syrup, and Angostura bitters.
Ice: Fill the shaker generously with ice.
Shake: Shake very hard for 15–20 seconds to achieve that signature thick espresso-martini foam.
Strain: Double strain into a chilled martini or coupe glass.
Garnish & Serve: Top with a toasted marshmallow or a dusting of pumpkin spice. Serve immediately.

Notes

*Pumpkin-Spice Infused Vodka

Ingredients: 1 fifth of vodka (750 ml), 4 cinnamon sticks, 2 star anise, 1 tbsp whole cloves, 1 tbsp whole allspice (Optional: 1 tbsp whole mace or crushed cardamom pods).

Prep: Combine all ingredients in a large mason jar. Let sit for 2 to 7 days, tasting daily until desired flavor profile is achieved. Strain out all whole spices before using.

*Caramel Simple Syrup

Ingredients: 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup water.

Prep: In a non-reactive saucepan, add 1 cup sugar over low heat. Let melt and darken, stirring gently until it reaches a bronzy color and rich caramel aroma. Meanwhile, bring 1 cup water to a boil in a separate pot. Very carefully, slowly add the boiling water to the melted sugar while stirring continuously until smooth and lump-free. Remove from heat, let cool completely, and refrigerate in a lidded jar.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Category: Cocktail, drink
Method: Shaken, infused
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Calories: 240

About the Author

Keith Recker is Editor-in-Chief and Co-Owner of TABLE Magazine. A color and trend forecaster for nearly 20 years, his clients have included Pantone, WGSN, Stylus, and the Color Association of the United States. He is the author of three books on color, including Deep Color: The Shades That Shape Our Souls and True Colors: World Masters of Natural Dyes and Pigments, and PANTONE: The Twentieth Century in Color. He is co-founder of the Open Source Colour Association, a new organization devoted to inclusive and transparent color forecasting. Earlier in his career, he was a vice president of home merchandising at Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale’s and Gump’s San Francisco. Listen to his podcast appearances at The Color Authority and EcoFashion Hub.

Read more of his work here or contact him at keith@tablemagazine.com. Follow him on Instagram as @TheChromosapien.

About the Stylist

Anna Franklin is TABLE Magazine’s food stylist and recipe developer. A Pittsburgh native and graduate of the Indiana University of Pennsylvania Academy of Culinary Arts, she spent many years cooking in restaurant kitchens and photo studios before moving into food styling. Anna tests, plates, and styles the recipes and restaurant features in TABLE’s print and digital editions, working alongside photographers Dave Bryce and Laura Petrilla. See more of her work at TABLE.

About the Photographer

Laura Petrilla is a Pittsburgh-based editorial and commercial photographer contributing to TABLE Magazine, covering food, people, and places. Her work has appeared in Pittsburgh Magazine, and for the past five years she has photographed still lifes and models for Peyote Bird Designs. See more at laurapetrilla.com.

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine‘s print edition.

Cancer Compatibility: How This Water Sign Pairs with Every Zodiac Sign

By

Wade Caves

-

October 5, 2026

0

A dark blue background with a redish orange crab sitting on top.

Cancer is the sign of the crab, an animal that carries its house on its back and moves at an angle to whatever it wants, and that can shut the whole operation behind a shell in half a second. Those habits show up in the people born under it. You approach sideways and keep a great deal in reserve, and there is always somewhere safe to retreat to when a conversation turns.

The Moon rules Cancer, which accounts for the tides in your mood and for a memory that files everything by how it felt. Jupiter is exalted in your sign, so generosity comes easily: you feed people, lend them money, find them a room, mind their children. There’s a shrewd streak too. Cancers are good at resources, and better than most at knowing when to keep a little back for later.

You may be less direct than others, however. You will hint where another sign would ask, then feel the disappointment when the hint goes unread. Slights get stored rather than settled, and a bad week in your own head can be mistaken by everyone else for a bad week in the relationship.

Your best matches notice the signals, and they say things plainly enough that you have less to interpret. Your worst treat your reserve as a puzzle to solve, or fail to see there was anything to read.

While you’re here, discover your perfect bar cart, menu, cocktail, and birthday gift guide for the zodiac sign Cancer to find out more about your sign.

Cancer Compatibility with Every Zodiac Sign

Cancer and Aries Compatibility

An Aries asks something and expects an answer in the same breath, which leaves your hints stranded. Mars is weak in your sign, and that awkwardness works in both directions: bluntness hits harder than intended, and your reserve reads to them as sulking. Both signs move first when a situation matters, though, so you make a formidable pair once you agree who leads. Be direct with an Aries, since nothing else registers.

Relationship	Dynamic & Key Traits
The Aries Lover	Ardent, impatient, fast to commit
The Aries Friend	Energetic, blunt, always instigating
The Aries Colleague	Decisive, launches things, hates maintenance
The Aries Adversary	Attacks openly, escalates, forgets it afterward

Cancer and Taurus Compatibility

Taurus wants the same things you do: a solid home, money in reserve, people fed and accounted for. Venus rules the sign and the Moon is exalted in it, so there is a natural sympathy between these signs. Neither of you rushes and neither of you forgets. Watch for when being comfortable starts to look like avoidance, since two signs this fond of the status quo can spend years working around a problem they could have resolved in an afternoon.

Relationship	Dynamic & Key Traits
The Taurus Lover	Devoted, sensual, builds slowly
The Taurus Friend	Steady, generous, good in a crisis
The Taurus Colleague	Dependable, thrifty, sees things through
The Taurus Adversary	Immovable, silent, waits you out

Cancer and Gemini Compatibility

Mercury keeps a Gemini talking, and much of it is thinking out loud rather than anything settled, which a sign that weighs every word finds hard to take at first. They’ll tell you what they think about something, and forget by Thursday. Gemini company is a tonic when you have been brooding. Take their chatter as friendliness and ask directly when you need a fixed answer.

Relationship	Dynamic & Key Traits
The Gemini Lover	Charming, curious, slow to settle
The Gemini Friend	Entertaining, sociable, quick to move on
The Gemini Colleague	Inventive, adaptable, loose with detail
The Gemini Adversary	Argues everything, slippery, hard to pin

Cancer and Cancer Compatibility

Two Cancers understand each other without much explaining, which is restful. You’ll both remember the birthday and notice the tone, and you’ll protect whatever you have built together. Indirectness is doubled, though, so a grievance neither of you calls out can run underground for years, with each of you concluding the other started it. Perhaps agree that one of you will surface issues however awkward, and that you’ll take turns at being that person.

Relationship	Dynamic & Key Traits
The Cancer Lover	Tender, devoted, deeply loyal
The Cancer Friend	Nurturing, attentive, remembers everything
The Cancer Colleague	Careful, protective of the team, risk-aware
The Cancer Adversary	Withdraws, hints, never lets it go

Cancer and Leo Compatibility

Leos run warm and public, and a private sign like Cancer can find them exhausting and rather wonderful at once. The Sun rules the sign, and a Leo wants credit out loud and on display, which costs you nothing and buys a great deal. You get somebody who defends you in company and takes charge when a decision has to be made. Pride could be an issue with handling this sign, since a Leo will not climb down in front of an audience.

Relationship	Dynamic & Key Traits
The Leo Lover	Passionate, generous, wants adoration
The Leo Friend	Loyal, fun, hosts everything
The Leo Colleague	Confident, decisive, needs recognition
The Leo Adversary	Proud, public, slow to forgive

Cancer and Virgo Compatibility

Virgos show care by fixing, sorting and noticing what needs doing, which sits close to how you show it yourself. Mercury rules the sign, so the help arrives with commentary attached. Take the commentary as concern and this becomes one of the steadier connections available to you. Strain might come when a Virgo analyzes a feeling you wanted held rather than examined. Virgos are good listeners, though, so just share how you feel when you need to.

Relationship	Dynamic & Key Traits
The Virgo Lover	Attentive, practical, shy about feeling
The Virgo Friend	Reliable, discreet, quietly devoted
The Virgo Colleague	Precise, thorough, raises the standard
The Virgo Adversary	Critical, forensic, never lets an error pass

Cancer and Libra Compatibility

Both signs set things in motion, and both prefer to do it without a scene. Venus rules Libra, which brings charm and a sincere wish for everyone to get along, so surfaces stay smooth while the harder conversation waits. Saturn is exalted in Libra, and you’ll notice it whenever a judgment gets made and held to. Libra can be quite cagey, never wanting to say something out of place that might cause injury, so watch for the possibility that they’re holding onto something that would be better aired.

Relationship	Dynamic & Key Traits
The Libra Lover	Romantic, attentive, avoids conflict
The Libra Friend	Sociable, fair, good company
The Libra Colleague	Diplomatic, weighs everything, decides late
The Libra Adversary	Argues fairness, entrenched, litigious

Cancer and Scorpio Compatibility

Scorpio is fellow water, and the understanding runs deep from the first meeting. Both of you guard what matters and both read a room before speaking. Jupiter is exalted in Cancer and Mars rules Scorpio, so you bring the generosity and they bring the nerve, a strong combination in a family or a business. Jealousy is a hazard between you, and two long memories might need to be managed upfront. Forgiveness is a virtue!

Relationship	Dynamic & Key Traits
The Scorpio Lover	Intense, devoted, possessive
The Scorpio Friend	Fiercely protective, private, unshakeable
The Scorpio Colleague	Strategic, discreet, guards the operation
The Scorpio Adversary	Patient, remembers everything, strikes once

Cancer and Sagittarius Compatibility

Jupiter rules Sagittarius and is exalted in Cancer, so the two of you get on better than the temperaments suggest. A Sagittarius colleague or in-law is easier company than you expect: generous and funny and rarely home, asking you along rather than keeping you informed. Bluntness is their default setting, and a joke aimed at you is affection rather than attack. There’s a chance that Sagittarius can cause you to outspend your budget, though, so watch for that.

Relationship	Dynamic & Key Traits
The Sagittarius Lover	Exciting, candid, hard to hold
The Sagittarius Friend	Adventurous, generous, always leaving
The Sagittarius Colleague	Big-picture, optimistic, skips detail
The Sagittarius Adversary	Blunt, preachy, drops the subject

Cancer and Capricorn Compatibility

Capricorn sits opposite your sign, and you’ll immediately find some familiarity in your natural states. You are both reasonably private, but Capricorn may be a bit more underground than you. Saturn rules Capricorn, and you see it in the reserve, the sense of duty and the reluctance to say anything to warm or sentimental. In return you get somebody who turns up, pays their share, and stays by your side when things get difficult.

Relationship	Dynamic & Key Traits
The Capricorn Lover	Serious, committed, undemonstrative
The Capricorn Friend	Reliable, practical, sparing with warmth
The Capricorn Colleague	Disciplined, ambitious, expects delivery
The Capricorn Adversary	Patient, uses the rules, outlasts you

Cancer and Aquarius Compatibility

Aquarians think in systems and principles, which can feel cold to somebody who decides by how a thing feels. Saturn rules the sign, and that influence tends to mean that positions are fixed and arguments come with reasoning attached. You’ll be asked to justify a preference you simply have. Practical matters work well between you. An Aquarius is dependable and fair about money and time, and unbothered by your need to disappear for a weekend.

Relationship	Dynamic & Key Traits
The Aquarius Lover	Independent, cerebral, undemonstrative
The Aquarius Friend	Loyal, principled, gives you space
The Aquarius Colleague	Systematic, fair, immovable on method
The Aquarius Adversary	Argues from principle, rigid, cites precedent

Cancer and Pisces Compatibility

Pisces reads you without being told, which is a relief after a lifetime of hinting. Jupiter rules the sign and Venus is exalted there, so kindness is exchanged readily and neither of you keeps score in the ordinary way. Practicalities are the weak point. Somebody has to handle the bills and the bookings, and between the two of you it will usually be you. Ask plainly for help, since a Pisces gives it gladly once asked.

Relationship	Dynamic & Key Traits
The Pisces Lover	Romantic, intuitive, emotionally generous
The Pisces Friend	Compassionate, easy company, good listener
The Pisces Colleague	Imaginative, flexible, vague on specifics
The Pisces Adversary	Evades, goes quiet, denies there’s a problem

About the Author

Wade Caves is a Brooklyn-based astrological consultant, educator, and published author who has practiced astrology professionally since 2014. He was certified with honors from the Mayo School of Astrology in London and the School of Traditional Astrology (STA), where he now serves as faculty and as principal of the Astronomy and Mundane Astrology programs.

Wade wrote the quarterly World Reflections column for The Mountain Astrologer and currently serves as editor of In Mundo, Skyscript’s world astrology journal. He is the editor and annotator of the 300th anniversary edition of William Lilly’s History of his Life and Times (Rubedo Press, 2015) and hosts the World Astrology Summit, a conference dedicated to advancing astrological technique for diverse audiences.

A sought-after speaker, Wade has presented at the United Astrology Conference (UAC), the Northwest Astrological Conference (NORWAC), the Astrological Association, and the International Society for Astrological Research (ISAR), among others. He has taught intensive courses across the US, Europe, Australia, and Canada.

Before practicing astrology full-time, Wade held an executive advisory role with a data consulting firm specializing in large-scale infrastructure, bringing an analytical and research-driven approach to his astrological work. He specializes in horary, electional, and classical technique with an emphasis on cross-era literacy – connecting ancient methods to modern practice.

At TABLE Magazine, Wade writes monthly horoscopes, seasonal forecasts, and original lifestyle content that connects astrology to food, cocktails, and entertaining – a unique editorial approach that bridges astrology and the culinary world.

Website: wadecaves.com • skyscript.co.uk/inmundo Email: hello@wadecaves.com

Photo Courtesy of Mae Mu

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine’s print edition.

Aries Compatibility: How This Fire Sign Pairs with Every Zodiac Sign

By

Wade Caves

-

October 5, 2026

0

A ram with spiral horns in front of a black background.

Aries is the first sign of the zodiac, and that is a key feature of this sign’s temperament. The Sun arrives here at the spring equinox, the moment daylight finally wins out over the dark and everything that spent winter underground starts pushing back up. Aries carries the whole mood of that reversal: hot, dry and impatient to get started.

The sign’s animal is the ram, which tells you most of what you need to know. Rams live on high, exposed ground and settle a disagreement by walking straight into it. Their fleece is shorn to the skin every year and grows back by the next one. People born under Aries operate on similar terms. They go first and shout their thoughts out loud, and they’re already over last week’s bad news while everyone else is still sulking about it.

Mars rules Aries and the Sun is exalted here, which is the traditional way of saying this sign runs warm and belongs out front. That’s the appeal, and it’s also an irritation at times. An Aries will start a company, make a call and book a flight, then find the middle stretch, where things need tending rather than launching, a good deal less interesting.

So compatibility with an Aries tends to come down to pace. Some people keep up with you. Others slow you down, which you’ll be grateful for on certain days and irritated by on others. Here’s how each sign plays it.

While you’re here, discover your perfect menu and cocktail for the zodiac sign Aries to find out more about your sign.

Aries Compatibility with Every Zodiac Sign

Aries and Aries Compatibility

Two Aries together make a fast, lively pairing. You share a ruling planet in Mars and the same appetite for starting things, so the early days feel electric. The friction comes from the same place: both of you want to lead, and neither enjoys waiting. Arguments flare hot and burn out quickly, which helps. If you divide decisions by territory early on, the partnership has room to last.

Relationship	Dynamic & Key Traits
The Aries Lover	Electric chemistry, fast start, power struggles
The Aries Friend	Adventure buddy, dares, friendly rivalry
The Aries Colleague	Fast launch, two leaders, divided turf
The Aries Adversary	Head-to-head, stubborn pride, quick escalation

Aries and Taurus Compatibility

Taurus sits right next to Aries in the zodiac, and neighboring signs tend not to see each other too well. Taurus is fixed earth, built for cultivation and upkeep, where Aries is built for the continuous initiations. There’s a strong pull here, since Venus rules Taurus and Mars rules Aries. Taurus can steady you and keep alive what you start. Expect friction over pace, and over the Taurus habit of holding a position long after you’ve moved on.

Relationship	Dynamic & Key Traits
The Taurus Lover	Slow-burn attraction, sensual, patience-tested
The Taurus Friend	Steady support, different pace, comfort
The Taurus Colleague	You start, they sustain, deadline friction
The Taurus Adversary	Immovable, stubborn standoff, wears you down

Aries and Gemini Compatibility

Gemini is an air sign, and air feeds fire, so this pairing tends to run easily. Gemini thrives on exchange and conversation, which keeps an Aries mind busy and amused. Plans get made quickly and changed just as fast. The weak point is follow-through: Gemini attention scatters across too many threads, and Aries loses interest once the start is over. Put one shared goal on the calendar and see it through together.

Relationship	Dynamic & Key Traits
The Gemini Lover	Flirty banter, playful, spontaneous dates
The Gemini Friend	Witty best friend, up for anything
The Gemini Colleague	Brainstorm partner, quick ideas, scattered follow-through
The Gemini Adversary	Quick-tongued, inconsistent, argues in circles

Aries and Cancer Compatibility

Cancer and Aries are both cardinal signs, so each likes to set things in motion, but from opposite temperaments. Aries is hot and dry; Cancer is cold and moist, protective and alert to every shift in its surroundings. Mars is in its fall in Cancer, which says a lot about how Aries’ bluntness lands there. Cancer can offer you shelter and shrewd judgment in return. Soften your delivery, and give Cancer time to come out of its shell.

Relationship	Dynamic & Key Traits
The Cancer Lover	Protective passion, sensitive, needs reassurance
The Cancer Friend	Loyal, sheltering, needs gentleness
The Cancer Colleague	Shrewd, cautious, sensitive to feedback
The Cancer Adversary	Defensive, withdraws, strikes when cornered

Aries and Leo Compatibility

Leo is a fire sign like Aries, and the two sit at an easy, supportive angle across the zodiac. The Sun rules Leo and is exalted in Aries, so there’s a natural respect between you. Leo brings warmth and a strong sense of its own territory. Together you generate a lot of energy, and admiration flows both ways. Pride is the sticking point. Share the spotlight on purpose, and the rivalry stays friendly.

Relationship	Dynamic & Key Traits
The Leo Lover	Passionate, generous, high-energy romance
The Leo Friend	Loyal, bold, admiring
The Leo Colleague	Dynamic duo, shared ambition, spotlight sharing
The Leo Adversary	Proud rival, territorial, ego battles

Aries and Virgo Compatibility

Virgo and Aries have little natural overlap, as signs six apart in the zodiac rarely do. Virgo is cold and dry, careful about doing work properly and keeping confidences. That can frustrate an Aries who wants to move first and fix details later. The pairing works best on practical ground, where Virgo’s standards improve what you start. Expect some pointed feedback, and take it as the quality control it usually is.

Relationship	Dynamic & Key Traits
The Virgo Lover	Unlikely match, attentive, careful with affection
The Virgo Friend	Discreet, dependable, grounding
The Virgo Colleague	You start, they perfect, exacting standards
The Virgo Adversary	Exacting, procedural, catches every mistake

Aries and Libra Compatibility

Libra sits directly opposite Aries, and this is the classic case of opposites attracting. Venus rules Libra and Mars rules Aries, so the chemistry tends to be strong. Libra weighs every side before deciding, while you prefer to act and adjust afterward. That contrast can balance you well in love and in business. Once Libra takes a side it can dig in, though, so disagreements between you may stretch on longer than you’d like.

Relationship	Dynamic & Key Traits
The Libra Lover	Magnetic, opposites attract, balance needed
The Libra Friend	Fair-minded, sociable, good counsel
The Libra Colleague	You push, they negotiate, complementary strengths
The Libra Adversary	Entrenched, measured, drawn-out disputes

Aries and Scorpio Compatibility

Mars rules both Aries and Scorpio, so you share an instinct to defend what’s yours, though you express it differently. Aries moves out in the open. Scorpio is fixed water, private by nature and protective of anyone vulnerable in its care. Trust builds slowly, and once it’s there, Scorpio loyalty runs deep. Cross a Scorpio boundary and you can expect a response. Respect its privacy, and keep your conflicts direct and brief.

Relationship	Dynamic & Key Traits
The Scorpio Lover	Protective, sensual, guarded until trust is earned
The Scorpio Friend	Loyal to its own, private, protective
The Scorpio Colleague	Strategic, thorough, strikes at key points
The Scorpio Adversary	Retaliates when crossed, distrustful, fights up close

Aries and Sagittarius Compatibility

Sagittarius is the third fire sign, and it meets Aries at the same easy angle Leo does. Jupiter rules Sagittarius, and its image, the centaur drawing a bow, pairs raw drive with careful aim. That combination suits you, since Sagittarius can give your energy direction and a longer range. Expect a shared appetite for travel, study and big plans. The weak spot is overreach, when both of you push past what your time and resources can support. Agree early on how far to go.

Relationship	Dynamic & Key Traits
The Sagittarius Lover	Adventurous, purposeful, drawn to far horizons
The Sagittarius Friend	Travel companion, philosophical, big plans
The Sagittarius Colleague	Long-range strategist, disciplined, aims high
The Sagittarius Adversary	Overreaching, doctrinaire, pushes too far

Aries and Capricorn Compatibility

Capricorn and Aries are both cardinal signs, and both want to lead. Mars is exalted in Capricorn, so the sign knows how to turn the kind of drive you have into steady, sure-footed progress. Saturn rules Capricorn and is in its fall in Aries, which shows up as friction over authority and patience. Capricorn tends to be disciplined and prepared for hard conditions. Earn its respect with results, and you gain a formidable ally.

Relationship	Dynamic & Key Traits
The Capricorn Lover	Slow to warm, loyal, steady commitment
The Capricorn Friend	Earned respect, practical advice
The Capricorn Colleague	Disciplined, strategic, strategy vs. speed
The Capricorn Adversary	Authority clash, patient, outlasts you

Aries and Aquarius Compatibility

Aquarius is an air sign, so like Gemini it feeds your fire, but it’s fixed and far more settled in its views. Saturn rules Aquarius, and the sign reasons from principle, with a firm sense of what is fair and how things should be shared. Aquarius convictions can be persuasive, and you may find a strong ally for a cause. Friction comes when either of you refuses to budge. Argue the facts, and leave room to change your mind.

Relationship	Dynamic & Key Traits
The Aquarius Lover	Principled, even-handed, slow to bend
The Aquarius Friend	Fair-minded, logical, community-minded
The Aquarius Colleague	Systematic planner, rule-maker, sound judgment
The Aquarius Adversary	Dogmatic, inflexible, argues from principle

Aries and Pisces Compatibility

Pisces sits just behind Aries in the zodiac, another neighbor that tends to see you poorly. Pisces is mutable water, pulled in two directions like its two fish, and it adapts where you would push. Jupiter rules Pisces and Venus is exalted there, which gives the sign a generous, pleasure-loving streak. Pisces can soften your edges. You may find it hard to get a straight answer, though, so ask clear questions and give Pisces time to decide.

Relationship	Dynamic & Key Traits
The Pisces Lover	Generous, pleasure-loving, pulled two ways
The Pisces Friend	Accommodating, compassionate, easygoing
The Pisces Colleague	Adaptable, flexible, avoids firm positions
The Pisces Adversary	Noncommittal, shifting, hard to pin down

About the Author

Wade Caves is a Brooklyn-based astrological consultant, educator, and published author who has practiced astrology professionally since 2014. He was certified with honors from the Mayo School of Astrology in London and the School of Traditional Astrology (STA), where he now serves as faculty and as principal of the Astronomy and Mundane Astrology programs.

Wade wrote the quarterly World Reflections column for The Mountain Astrologer and currently serves as editor of In Mundo, Skyscript’s world astrology journal. He is the editor and annotator of the 300th anniversary edition of William Lilly’s History of his Life and Times (Rubedo Press, 2015) and hosts the World Astrology Summit, a conference dedicated to advancing astrological technique for diverse audiences.

A sought-after speaker, Wade has presented at the United Astrology Conference (UAC), the Northwest Astrological Conference (NORWAC), the Astrological Association, and the International Society for Astrological Research (ISAR), among others. He has taught intensive courses across the US, Europe, Australia, and Canada.

Before practicing astrology full-time, Wade held an executive advisory role with a data consulting firm specializing in large-scale infrastructure, bringing an analytical and research-driven approach to his astrological work. He specializes in horary, electional, and classical technique with an emphasis on cross-era literacy – connecting ancient methods to modern practice.

At TABLE Magazine, Wade writes monthly horoscopes, seasonal forecasts, and original lifestyle content that connects astrology to food, cocktails, and entertaining – a unique editorial approach that bridges astrology and the culinary world.

Website: wadecaves.com • skyscript.co.uk/inmundo Email: hello@wadecaves.com

Photo Courtesy of Claud Richmond

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine’s print edition.

8 Spooky-Good Halloween Party Recipes for Home or Office

By

Anna Franklin

-

October 5, 2026

0

Halloween cheese board with a brie skull, salami wig, marigolds, blackberry spiders, black grapes, cheeses, crackers, and a bowl of savory pumpkin dip.

Halloween is the one party of the year when your food is supposed to be a little ridiculous. TABLE developed these eight recipes so our readers would have the most amazing, amusing, and gorgeous food and drink for their Halloween parties this year. You’re guaranteed to get oohs and aahs for the witty visuals: punch that fogs like a cauldron, a brie skull in a salami wig, bats in black sesame coats, and a platoon of tiny mummy shepherd pies. Then they get more oohs and aahs when your guests take a bite.

Every recipe was developed and styled by Anna Franklin, tested in the TABLE studio, and photographed by Dave Bryce. They lean on fall’s best ingredients, like pumpkin, apple cider, winter squash, beets, and sweet potatoes, and many of them can be made ahead. And they work just as well at the office as they do at home.

Halloween Party Recipes at a Glance

Poison Apple Punch: a big-batch cocktail for a crowd

Savory Pumpkin Dip with a Halloween Skull Cheese Board: the party centerpiece

Berry Scary Spider Treats: a no-bake fruit treat or garnish

Batty Sweet Potato, Black Bean, and Harissa Hand Pies: a savory finger food

Mummified Shepherd’s Pie: a hearty main in individual crocks

Roasted Squash Salad with Mozzarella Skulls: a healthy side

Jack O’Lantern Roasted Beets: a vegetable side

Ghostly Pumpkin and Brown Butter Shortbread Cookies: dessert for a crowd

8 Halloween Party Recipes to Make This Year

1. Poison Apple Punch

Poison Apple Punch in a two glasses topped with dry ice fog and purple steeped apple slices in front of a skeleton.

Best for: a crowd, and the moment everyone arrives
Makes: 18 six-ounce servings

Every good fairy tale has a poisoned apple, and every good party needs a punch bowl. Butterfly pea tea turns this sparkling mix of vodka, apple cider, ginger beer, and brut prosecco an eerie violet, and green apple slices soaked overnight in the tea come out stained purple for the wickedest garnish at the party. Top the bowl with food-grade dry ice and it smolders like a cauldron. The recipe includes how to handle the dry ice safely.

2. Savory Pumpkin Dip with a Halloween Skull Cheese Board

Best for: the centerpiece of the party table
Makes: about 3 cups of dip, or about 12 servings

We’re so used to pumpkin in sweet treats that we forget its savory side. Brown butter, bacon, garlic, shallot, cream cheese, and cheddar turn roasted or canned pumpkin into a bewitching dip that you can serve cold or bake until bubbly. It anchors a showstopping cheese board, where a little sculpting turns Brie or Camembert into a skull with pomegranate eyes, a black sesame grin, a yogurt-pretzel spine, curls of salami for hair, and a crown of marigolds.

3. Berry Scary Spider Treats

Berry Scary Spiders made from blackberries and blueberries with candy eyes and chocolate legs.

Best for: a no-bake treat, or a garnish for the cheese board, a cheesecake, or a sundae
Makes: 20 spiders

One blackberry, one blueberry, a little melted chocolate, and two candy eyes. That’s all it takes to make these funny, delicious spiders, with piped chocolate legs that bring each one to life. They take about half an hour and no baking, and they’re a fresh, fruity counterpoint to the candy bowl.

4. Batty Sweet Potato, Black Bean, and Harissa Hand Pies

Bat-shaped hand pies coated in black sesame seeds on a platter for a Halloween party.

Best for: a savory finger food that needs no plate or fork
Makes: about 8 large hand pies

A thick coat of glossy black sesame seeds makes these bat-shaped hand pies unlike any other. Inside, mashed sweet potato and black beans are warmed with dry harissa spices, butter, and Pittsburgh-made Hot Rod Honey from Pittsburgh Honey. Store-bought pie crust and a 6-inch bat cookie cutter keep them easy. The gorgeous flavors will have you coming back for more, which is more than can be said for actual bats.

5. Mummified Shepherd’s Pie

Individual mini cast-iron crocks filled with Shepherd's pie and topped with piped mashed potato mummy wraps and candy eyeballs.

Best for: a hearty main course on a buffet
Makes: 6 individual pies

Our otherwise classic shepherd’s pie, a rich filling of ground beef, vegetables, thyme, and Cabernet Sauvignon, is mummified with piped stripes of mashed potatoes and finished with two candy eyes peeking out from the bandages. Baking it in individual cast-iron crocks makes it more buffet-friendly than usual, which means it’s perfect for your next gathering of goblins. If your goblins lean gourmet, pour a Cabernet Franc.

6. Roasted Squash Salad with Mozzarella Skulls

A serving bowl of roasted squash salad with kale, apple, and pepitas, topped with mozzarella skulls for Halloween.

Best for: a fresh, healthy side among the treats
Makes: 6 servings as a side

Start with a healthy salad of roasted sweet dumpling squash, crisp Granny Smith apple, kale, and pepitas. Then get crafty: melt ciliegine in a microwave-safe skull candy mold, and pop the winningly grinning results on top. A homemade fig and honey vinaigrette ties it all to the season.

7. Jack O’Lantern Roasted Beets

A tray of roasted golden beet halves carved with jack o’lantern faces and drizzled with apple cider glaze on a platter.

Best for: a colorful vegetable side
Makes: 6 servings as a side

The first jack o’lanterns were carved from turnips, not pumpkins. Because we’re quite unsure that scorched turnip makes for good eating, we carve golden beets instead, roast them until tender, and drizzle them with a glaze of apple cider, cider vinegar, brown sugar, and rosemary. A platter of tiny grinning faces is devilishly delicious.

8. Ghostly Pumpkin and Brown Butter Shortbread Cookies

Ghost-shaped pumpkin brown butter shortbread cookies dusted with powdered sugar and decorated with melted chocolate faces, arranged on a vintage tray with mini pumpkins and star anise.

Best for: dessert for a crowd, at home or at the office
Makes: about 24 cookies

Browning the butter makes this shortbread richer and nuttier, and pumpkin butter and pumpkin spice give it a warm fall flavor. Shape the slice-and-bake dough into a ghost-shaped log, and every slice comes out a little ghost. A snowy coat of powdered sugar and chocolate-droplet eyes make each one beautiful.

How to Plan Your Halloween Party Menu

Pick one recipe from each part of the menu and you have a party: a punch to greet guests, the cheese board and hand pies to graze on, the shepherd’s pies as a main, the salad and beets on the side, and the ghost cookies and berry spiders for dessert. For a smaller gathering, the cheese board, the punch, and the cookies make a complete spread.

Get a head start. Several recipes can be started days ahead. The shortbread dough keeps in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, the salad’s fig and honey vinaigrette for up to 2 weeks, and the punch garnish soaks overnight. The pumpkin dip, the hand pie filling, and the beets’ apple cider glaze can all be made a day or more ahead.

Save the last-minute work for the fun parts. Add the prosecco and dry ice to the punch, the eyes to the mummies, and the vinaigrette to the salad just before serving. Make the berry spiders the same day, since fresh berries soften.

Tips for a Halloween Office Party

Choose individual portions. The hand pies, mummified shepherd’s pies, shortbread ghosts, and berry spiders are already portioned, so there’s no slicing or scooping at your desk.

Travel smart. The shortbread and hand pies travel well. Assemble the cheese board and salad on site, and bring the dip, vinaigrette, and beet glaze in jars.

Label the food. Coworkers will thank you. Several recipes contain common allergens: the hand pies and cheese board include sesame, the Worcestershire sauce in the shepherd’s pie usually contains anchovies, and many of the dishes include dairy, wheat, or pork. The punch contains vodka and prosecco, and the shepherd’s pie is made with wine.

Handle dry ice with care. If you bring the punch, check that your office allows dry ice, use food-grade dry ice only, and follow the safety tips in the recipe.

Halloween Party Food FAQs

What food should I serve at a Halloween party?

Aim for a mix: a showpiece drink, a few finger foods, something hearty, a fresh side, and a dessert. These eight recipes cover all of it, from Poison Apple Punch and a skull cheese board to mummified shepherd’s pies and ghost-shaped shortbread.

What Halloween food can I make ahead?

The shortbread dough for the cookies keeps for up to 5 days, the salad’s vinaigrette for up to 2 weeks, and the punch garnish needs to soak overnight. Several of the other components can be made a day ahead.

What’s good Halloween food for an office party?

Individual portions are easiest: bat hand pies, mummified shepherd’s pies in small crocks, ghost shortbread cookies, and berry spiders.

Are there meatless options?

Yes. The roasted squash salad, jack o’lantern beets, berry spiders, and ghost shortbread contain no meat, and the hand pies have a meatless filling. For strictly vegetarian guests, check the labels on store-bought ingredients like pie crust, which may be made with lard.

Is there a Halloween punch for adults?

Yes. Our Poison Apple Punch is a big-batch cocktail made with vodka and prosecco. It serves 18.

Who developed these recipes?

All eight were developed and styled by TABLE food stylist and recipe developer Anna Franklin, tested in the TABLE studio, and photographed by Dave Bryce.

Looking for more? Try our Halloween cocktails, Halloween treats to make with kids, and apple cider recipes.

About the Recipe Author

Anna Franklin is TABLE Magazine’s food stylist and recipe developer. A Pittsburgh native and graduate of the Indiana University of Pennsylvania Academy of Culinary Arts, she spent many years cooking in restaurant kitchens and photo studios before moving into food styling. Anna tests, plates, and styles the recipes and restaurant features in TABLE’s print and digital editions, working alongside photographers Dave Bryce and Laura Petrilla. Read more of her work at TABLE.

About the Photographer

Dave Bryce is TABLE Magazine’s contributing architecture, interiors, and food photographer, based in Pittsburgh. He photographed Fallingwater: Living With and In Art (Rizzoli, 2025) and regularly shoots for Pittsburgh Magazine and American Farmhouse Style, working with architects, interior designers, and hospitality brands. See more at davebrycephotography.com

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine‘s print edition.

Savory Pumpkin Dip with a Halloween Skull Cheese Board

By

Anna Franklin

-

October 5, 2026

0

We’re so accustomed to pumpkin showing up in sweet treats that we forget this vegetable’s savory side. Mixed with brown butter, bacon, garlic, shallot, cream cheese, and cheddar, roasted or canned pumpkin transforms into a bewitching dip. Serve it cold with crackers, or bake it until it’s hot and bubbling.

This dip is one element of our Halloween cheese board. A little sculpting turns two small rounds of Brie or Camembert into a skull, with pomegranate seeds for eyes and black sesame seeds for the nose and a stitched mouth. A row of yogurt-covered pretzels becomes her spine, artfully curled slices of salami become her hair, and a crown of marigolds and zinnias makes her a wonderful lady skeleton. Surround her with your favorite cheese board elements, including crackers, local cheeses, and the darkest grapes you can find. This crowd-pleasing party tray will keep everyone in good spirits as they sip their Poison Apple Punch or other Spooky Halloween Cocktail.

TABLE developed this Halloween recipe collection so our readers would have the most amazing, amusing, and gorgeous food and drink for their Halloween parties this year. Every recipe was developed and styled by Anna Franklin and photographed by Dave Bryce, and every one works as well at the office as it does at home.

Why Savory Pumpkin Dip Belongs at Your Halloween Party

It’s unexpected. Pumpkin is usually dessert, so a salty, smoky, cheesy pumpkin dip surprises people. It’s easy. The pumpkin mixture cooks in a few minutes, and a stand mixer does the rest. It’s flexible. Serve it cold on a cheese board or bake it and bring it out bubbling. And it makes the board. Its deep orange color is the perfect Halloween counterpoint to the white skull, black grapes, and red pomegranate.

Canned or Roasted Pumpkin?

Either works. Canned pumpkin is quick and consistent. Just make sure the label says pure pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling, which is already sweetened and spiced. If you roast your own, choose a small sugar or pie pumpkin rather than a carving pumpkin, which is stringy and watery. Roast it until tender, scoop out the flesh, and mash it smooth.

Browning the butter first gives the dip a nutty depth that echoes the roasted pumpkin, and cooking the pumpkin briefly with the garlic, shallot, and spices blooms the flavors before the cheeses go in.

How to Build a Halloween Skull Cheese Board

The skull is the centerpiece, so build the board around her. You’ll need a large round tray or board, plus a small bowl for the dip.

Carve the skull. Chill two 8 oz rounds of Brie or Camembert so they’re firm. With a small, sharp knife, trim one round into the rounded cranium and cheekbones of a skull, and cut the second into the jaw. Set them together at the center of the board.
Add the face. Press pomegranate seeds into two eye sockets, a small mound of black sesame seeds into the nose, and lines of sesame seeds across the jaw for a stitched mouth.
Build the spine. Line up yogurt- or white chocolate-covered pretzels below the jaw to make a spinal column.
Give her hair. Fold and curl thin slices of salami and other charcuterie around the top of the skull like a wig of red curls.
Crown her with flowers. Tuck marigolds and other bright orange, red, and yellow flowers into the curls.
Fill in the board. Add the bowl of pumpkin dip, then fill the gaps with crackers, cubes and wedges of local cheeses, a second salami, the darkest grapes you can find, and a scattering of pomegranate seeds.
Let loose the spiders. Set a few [LINK: Berry Scary Spider Treats] creeping across the board. Made from blackberries and blueberries with candy eyes and chocolate legs, these little critters look frightful but taste like fresh berries and chocolate.

Our board includes seeded crackers, dark rye crisps, a peppercorn-crusted salami, herbed cheese cubes, marbled cheese wedges, white cheese sticks flecked with black, a wine-rinded goat cheese, and long, dark grapes. But feel free to choose your favorite cheeseboad ingredients and make this recipe your very own.

Tips for Making Savory Pumpkin Dip and the Skull Board

Soften the cream cheese. Room-temperature cream cheese blends smoothly with the pumpkin. Cold cream cheese stays lumpy.

Cool the pumpkin mixture. If it’s hot, it will melt the cheeses and make the dip greasy.

Fold in the bacon by hand. The mixer would break it into crumbs. Save a spoonful to sprinkle on top.

Taste before salting. Bacon and cheddar are both salty, so add the salt a little at a time.

Carve cold cheese. Brie and Camembert are much easier to shape straight from the fridge. Let the board sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before guests arrive so the cheeses soften.

Use flowers grown to eat. Choose pesticide-free flowers from a garden or grocery store, not a florist, since they’ll touch the food.

Make it ahead. The dip keeps in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in a sealed container.

Know your guests. The board contains dairy, pork, wheat, and sesame, so label it at a party or office potluck.

Print

Savory Pumpkin Dip Recipe

Author: Anna Franklin
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 3 cups 1x

Print Recipe

Description

A savory pumpkin dip of brown butter, garlic, shallot, cream cheese, cheddar, and bacon, served cold or baked until bubbly.

Ingredients

Scale

2 tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 shallot, minced
1 cup roasted pumpkin or canned pure pumpkin purée (not pie filling)
1 (8-oz) block cream cheese, softened
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 cup cooked, crumbled bacon (about 8 slices)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp red pepper flakes

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and cook, swirling, until it turns golden brown and smells nutty, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and shallot and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the pumpkin, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Let cool, about 15 minutes.
In a stand mixer, blend the pumpkin mixture with the cream cheese and cheddar until evenly combined.
Fold in the bacon by hand.
Serve cold, or spread the dip in a small oven-safe dish and bake at 350°F until bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 to 25 minutes
Category: Appetizer, dip, party food
Method: Stovetop and mixer; optional bake
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Calories: 160

Savory Pumpkin Dip FAQs

Can I use canned pumpkin?

Yes. Use pure pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling, which is sweetened and spiced.

Should I serve the dip hot or cold?

Either. On a cheese board, cold is easiest. For a warm appetizer, bake it at 350°F until bubbly and serve it with crackers or toasted bread.

Can I make it ahead?

Yes. Make the dip up to 3 days ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator. Fold in the bacon the day you serve it so it stays crisp.

How do I carve an 8 oz wheel of Brie into a skull?

Chill it well, then trim it with a small, sharp knife, using one round for the cranium and a second for the jaw. Press pomegranate seeds into the eye sockets and black sesame seeds into the nose and mouth.

What else goes on a Halloween cheese board?

Dark grapes, blackberries, pomegranate seeds, salami, crackers, a mix of local cheeses, yogurt-covered pretzels, and edible flowers in autumn colors.

More Halloween Party Recipes from TABLE

These are one of eight Halloween party recipes from Anna Franklin. Pair them with our Poison Apple Punch, a color-changing big-batch Halloween punch. For more ideas, try our Halloween cocktails and Halloween treats to make with kids.

About the Recipe Author

Anna Franklin is TABLE Magazine’s food stylist and recipe developer. A Pittsburgh native and graduate of the Indiana University of Pennsylvania Academy of Culinary Arts, she spent many years cooking in restaurant kitchens and photo studios before moving into food styling. Anna tests, plates, and styles the recipes and restaurant features in TABLE’s print and digital editions, working alongside photographers Dave Bryce and Laura Petrilla. Read more of her work at TABLE.

About the Photographer

Dave Bryce is TABLE Magazine’s contributing architecture, interiors, and food photographer, based in Pittsburgh. He photographed Fallingwater: Living With and In Art (Rizzoli, 2025) and regularly shoots for Pittsburgh Magazine and American Farmhouse Style, working with architects, interior designers, and hospitality brands. See more at davebrycephotography.com

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine‘s print edition.

Roasted Squash Salad with Mozzarella Skulls for Halloween

By

Anna Franklin

-

October 5, 2026

0

Start your Halloween party with a healthy salad of roasted dumpling squash, chopped apple, kale, and pepitas. Get crafty (and fun!) by using a microwave to melt mozzarella cheese in microwave-safe, skull-shaped candy molds. Pop these winningly grinning creations on top of the salad and dress it with a homemade fig and honey vinaigrette.

The squash roasts until its edges are golden and crisp, the Granny Smith apple adds a tart crunch, and the salted pepitas bring a nutty, salty snap. It’s a bright, fresh counterpoint to all the candy and heavier party food, and the skulls guarantee it won’t be a sad salad that everyone ignores.

TABLE developed this Halloween recipe collection so our readers would have the most amazing, amusing, and gorgeous food and drink for their Halloween parties this year. Every recipe was developed and styled by Anna Franklin and photographed by Dave Bryce, and every one works as well at the office as it does at home.

Why This Halloween Salad Belongs at Your Party

It’s healthy. Squash, apple, kale, and pepitas give your guests something fresh among the treats. It’s a conversation piece. Nobody expects a salad full of skulls. It’s make-ahead friendly. The vinaigrette keeps for two weeks, and the squash and skulls can be made hours ahead. And it tastes of fall. Caramelized squash, tart apple, and sweet fig and honey are autumn in a bowl.

What Is Dumpling Squash?

Sweet dumpling squash is a small winter squash with cream-colored skin striped in green or orange. Its flesh is sweet and tender, often compared to sweet potato, and its thin skin is edible once roasted, so there’s no peeling. Look for it at farmers markets and grocery stores in fall. If you can’t find it, delicata, acorn, or a small pie pumpkin will work, though acorn squash and pumpkin have tougher skins you may want to peel.

How to Make Mozzarella Skulls

This is the fun part, and it takes only a few minutes. You’ll need a few silicone skull-shaped candy molds that are labeled microwave-safe, and ciliegine, the cherry-size fresh mozzarella balls sold in tubs of water at the grocery store.

Drain the mozzarella and pat it dry, then place one ball in each skull cavity. Microwave in 10-second bursts, checking each time, until the cheese has completely melted into the shape of the mold. Refrigerate the mold until the cheese is completely set, then gently pop out the skulls. Each ball keeps the shape of the skull, grin and all.

Microwaves vary, so watch closely: cheese that overheats turns rubbery and can bubble over. Check that one ball fits each cavity of your mold before you start.

Fig and Honey Vinaigrette

The dressing is a simple shake-in-a-jar vinaigrette. Fig and honey conserve gives it body and sweetness, Dijon mustard holds it together, and sherry vinegar brings a nutty, mellow acidity that suits the roasted squash. A couple of tablespoons also go on the squash before roasting, where the conserve helps the edges caramelize.

If you can’t find fig and honey conserve, fig jam and a drizzle of honey make a good substitute.

Tips for Making Roasted Squash Salad with Mozzarella Skulls

Slice the squash evenly. Slices about 1/4-inch-thick roast evenly and crisp at the edges.

Watch the squash. The honey and fig in the vinaigrette can scorch at high heat, so check the slices after about 15 minutes.

Chill the skulls while the squash roasts. Both will be ready at about the same time.

Soften the Tuscan kale. Massage the chopped Tuscan kale with a spoonful of vinaigrette for a minute to soften it.

Dress at the last minute. Add the vinaigrette just before serving so the kale and pepitas stay crisp.

Bring the dressing to room temperature. Olive oil firms up in the fridge. Let the jar sit on the kitchen counter for 15 minutes, then shake.

Print

Roasted Squash Salad with Mozzarella Skulls Recipe

Author: Anna Franklin
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 6 servings 1x

Print Recipe

Description

Roasted dumpling squash, Granny Smith apple, baby and Tuscan kale, and pepitas, topped with mozzarella skulls shaped in a candy mold and dressed with fig and honey vinaigrette.

Ingredients

Scale

For the salad:

1 Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped
1 sweet dumpling squash (or other seasonal squash), halved, seeded, and sliced 1/4 inch thick
4 cups baby kale
1 cup Tuscan kale, chopped
1/2 cup roasted and salted pepitas
1 (8-oz) container ciliegine (cherry-size fresh mozzarella balls), drained and patted dry

For the vinaigrette:

3 tbsp fig and honey conserve (or fig jam)
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Equipment: Microwave-safe silicone skull candy mold, baking sheet, parchment paper, and a mason jar

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

For the vinaigrette:

Add all the ingredients to a mason jar and shake well until combined.
Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes and shake again just before serving.

For the salad:

Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Toss the squash slices with 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette and spread them on the baking sheet. Roast until the edges are golden brown and crispy, 20 to 25 minutes. Set aside.
While the squash roasts, place one mozzarella ball in each cavity of a microwave-safe silicone skull candy mold.
Microwave in 10-second increments until the mozzarella is completely melted. Refrigerate the mold until the cheese is completely set, about 30 minutes, then pop out the skulls.
Arrange the kale, squash, apple, and pepitas on a platter. Top with the mozzarella skulls and drizzle with vinaigrette just before serving.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Salad, side dish, party food
Method: Roasted and microwaved
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Calories: 250

More Halloween Party Recipes from TABLE

These are one of eight Halloween party recipes from Anna Franklin. Pair them with our Poison Apple Punch, a color-changing big-batch Halloween punch. For more ideas, try our Halloween cocktails and Halloween treats to make with kids.

About the Recipe Author

Anna Franklin is TABLE Magazine’s food stylist and recipe developer. A Pittsburgh native and graduate of the Indiana University of Pennsylvania Academy of Culinary Arts, she spent many years cooking in restaurant kitchens and photo studios before moving into food styling. Anna tests, plates, and styles the recipes and restaurant features in TABLE’s print and digital editions, working alongside photographers Dave Bryce and Laura Petrilla. Read more of her work at TABLE.

About the Photographer

Dave Bryce is TABLE Magazine’s contributing architecture, interiors, and food photographer, based in Pittsburgh. He photographed Fallingwater: Living With and In Art (Rizzoli, 2025) and regularly shoots for Pittsburgh Magazine and American Farmhouse Style, working with architects, interior designers, and hospitality brands. See more at davebrycephotography.com

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine‘s print edition.

.cls-1{fill:#111;}Table Magazine

You Can See Everything Documents Elizabeth Holmes’ Final Days of Freedom

Nathan Fielder Is Another Unreliable Narrator in a Swamp of Confusion

It May Be More Fiction Than Nonfiction, But It’s Fascinating and Entertaining

Whalefall, Street Fighter and Sense & Sensibility All Hit Theaters This Weekend

Back to a Classic

About the Author

What Does a Taurus Full Moon Represent?

Mercury Square Mars: Force Against Cleverness

Mercury and Venus Retrograde: Two Personal Planets in Review

Venus Sextile Jupiter: Help From Familiar Places

The Moon Conjunct Sheratan, One of the Twin Stars in the Ram’s Horn

Mid-Autumn Seasonal Guidance for Your Zodiac Sign

Fire Signs – Aries, Leo, Sagittarius

Earth Signs – Capricorn, Taurus, Virgo

Air Signs – Libra, Aquarius, Gemini

Water Signs – Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces

The Sabian Symbol for 2° Taurus: Natural Steps Up to a Lawn Blooming With Clover

What Does October’s Full Moon in Taurus Mean for Your Sign’s Horoscope?

Aries Horoscope

Taurus Horoscope

Gemini Horoscope

Cancer Horoscope

Leo Horoscope

Virgo Horoscope

Libra Horoscope

Scorpio Horoscope

Sagittarius Horoscope

Capricorn Horoscope

Aquarius Horoscope

Pisces Horoscope

About the Author

Where Was The Silence of the Lambs Filmed?

Lamb Recipes at a Glance

8 Lamb Recipes to Celebrate The Silence of the Lambs Anniversary

How to Plan a Silence of the Lambs Dinner Party Menu

Tips for a Silence of the Lambs Movie Night

The Silence of the Lambs and Lamb Recipe FAQs

Where was The Silence of the Lambs filmed?

Can you visit the Silence of the Lambs house?

About the Author

The Social Reckoning Stars Jeremy Strong as a CEO Wearing Blinders

Mikey Madison Plays a Whistleblower with an Uneasy Ally

The Filmmaking Is Pedestrian, but the Script Speaks Clearly

Oscar Winner Jessica Chastain Gets Literally Unhinged and More New Movies Out This Week

A Look at the Prior Weeks’ Releases

About the Author

How to Infuse Vodka with Pumpkin Spice

Building a Pumpkin Spice Espresso Martini

What to Serve with a Pumpkin Spice Martini

Description

Ingredients

For the Cocktail:

For the Garnish (Optional):

Instructions

Notes

*Pumpkin-Spice Infused Vodka

*Caramel Simple Syrup

Nutrition

About the Author

About the Stylist

About the Photographer

Cancer Compatibility with Every Zodiac Sign

Cancer and Aries Compatibility

Cancer and Taurus Compatibility

Cancer and Gemini Compatibility

Cancer and Cancer Compatibility

Cancer and Leo Compatibility

Cancer and Virgo Compatibility

Cancer and Libra Compatibility

Cancer and Scorpio Compatibility

Cancer and Sagittarius Compatibility

Cancer and Capricorn Compatibility

Cancer and Aquarius Compatibility

Cancer and Pisces Compatibility

About the Author

Aries Compatibility with Every Zodiac Sign

Aries and Aries Compatibility

Aries and Taurus Compatibility

Aries and Gemini Compatibility

Table Magazine

**Where Was The Silence of the Lambs Filmed?**

**How to Plan a Silence of the Lambs Dinner Party Menu**

**Tips for a Silence of the Lambs Movie Night**

**Where was The Silence of the Lambs filmed?**

**Can you visit the Silence of the Lambs house?**