Spiceberry Polenta Cake

Three green plates with slices of Candy Corn Blondies on top.

We’ve heard that candy corn is the Halloween equivalent of peeps: they’re everywhere you look but not a fan in sight. Maybe. But also maybe not. The taste of candy corn delivers a heavy dose of nostalgia, when all that sugar and corn syrup melted on the tongue and gave way to a sugar high like no other.

What Makes Our Candy Corn Blondies Different

Because sugar and corn syrup are not really flavor profiles anyone brags about anymore, we worked up this blondie recipe with a key ingredient: spiced rum. It elevates the recipe’s components into something brag-worthy indeed. Try it: you’ll like it. Also… a sugar high is likely to ensue. Put some Pink Floyd on the Sonos and let it wash over you.

Print

Rum Pecan Candy Corn Blondies

Author: Keith Recker
Yield: 8 servings 1x

Description

Even if you aren’t a fan of candy corn, a little rum can go a long way.

Ingredients

Scale

½ cup butter, melted
1 large egg
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 tbsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup Kingfly spiced rum
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 ¼ cup King Arthur unbleached flour
1 cup candy corn, plus a handful to use as garnish
1 cup pecans, roughly crushed

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Grease a 10” pie plate.
In a mixer, cream melted butter and brown sugar until smooth and light.
Add egg, almond extract, vanilla extract and rum, and continue to mix until well combined.
Add baking soda, salt and flour and mix until just combined.
Stir in candy corn and chopped pecans.
Turn out the mixture into pie plate. Even it out with spatula.
Garnish with extra candy corn, taking care not to let any candy touch the pie plate.
After 18 minutes or so, cover with a sheet of foil to protect the candy corn. (Optional)
Bake 25 minutes, or until a skewer emerges without crumbs.
Let cool completely before slicing and serving with a bit of whipped cream, and a mug of mulled cider or a glass of milk.

Recipe, Story, Photography, and Styling by Keith Recker

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine‘s print edition.

Pumpkin Cookies

By

-

October 11, 2023

An aerial view of two Pumpkin Cookies, orange in color, with cream frosting on a green plate. pumpkin cookies recipe

Mediterra Cafe shares their recipe for seasonal pumpkin cookies with a cream cheese icing. We embrace this most excellent reason to embrace “cookies for breakfast!” Or, enjoy any time of the day.

Watch Out for This When You Make Pumpkin Cookies

These cookies can be sticky after baking, because pumpkin puree has a high moisture content. If you don’t drain pumpkin puree a little bit before mixing into the batter, the pumpkin puree can lead to more of a cakey texture than a cookie texture, which you don’t want. So, be sure you’re draining the puree. Nobody wants soggy cookies!

Pumpkin Cookies

Author: Mediterra
Yield: 36 1x

Ingredients

Scale

For the Cookies

2 ½ cups AP flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp salt
½ cup butter, softened
1 ½ cups white sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups confectioners’ sugar

For the Frosting

1/4 cup butter
8 oz cream cheese
1 to 2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract

For the Glaze

3 tbsp milk
1 tbsp melted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

For the Cookies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and salt. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of butter and white sugar. Add pumpkin, egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to butter mixture, and beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients. Drop on cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls; flatten slightly.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven. Let cookies cool.

For the Frosting

While cooling, blend frosting ingredients with a mixer until fluffy. In a bowl, use a whisk to blend glaze ingredients, adding a bit of extra milk to loosen it if needed.
Apply glaze to room-temperature cookies. Allow glaze time to set before frosting.

Recipe by Mediterra Cafe / Photography by Dave Bryce / Styling by Keith Recker

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine‘s print edition.

Tom Collins

By

-

October 10, 2023

Two beverages in tall glasses, light yellow in color. Tom Collins cocktail

Step up your gin and tonic game with this classic instead. For this Tom Collins cocktail, start with a standard Collins glass; gin and lemon are simply topped with bubbly water and garnished with a cherry and lemon.

History of the Tom Collins Cocktail

The Tom Collins is one of the most famous basic cocktails. It gets its name from the fact that it traditionally had a base of Old Tom gin, and was poured into a tall Collins glass. Unlike some other cocktails, you build it in the glass rather than in a shaker. It comes from the Victorian-era boom of cocktail making. This period of barmen slinging gin drinks set the stage for much of the modern world of mixology. Another interesting potential origin for the cocktail is the “Tom Collins” hoax in American small towns in the 1800s, where people would ask each other “Have you seen Tom Collins?” and pretend someone by that name was asking about them at a local bar. When someone stormed into a bar and asked for Tom Collins, this was the drink they got. Pretty annoying, but great marketing tactic.

Tom Collins

Author: Sarah Cascone

Description

A classic cocktail you’ll love.

Ingredients

Scale

For the cocktail:

2 oz Tanqueray London Dry Gin
1 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
½ oz simple syrup (recipe below)
Soda water
Garnish: Lemon wheel and Luxardo cherry

For the simple syrup:

1 cup water
1 cup sugar

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

For the cocktail:

You will build your cocktail in the glass.
Take the Collins glass, pour in the simple syrup, then fill the glass with ice, pour the gin and fresh lemon juice over the ice, and top the cocktail with the soda water.
Garnish the cocktail with a lemon wheel wrapped softly around the Luxardo cherry on a pick across the rim of the glass.

For the simple syrup:

In a small saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Allow the syrup to come to room temperature. Then pour into a container.
This simple syrup will last a minimum of 2 weeks as is in the refrigerator or if you add a tablespoon of vodka or rum it will last longer.

Recipe by Sarah Cascone
Photography by Dave Bryce

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine‘s print edition.

Mint Julep

By

-

October 10, 2023

two cocktails in metal rocks cups, garnished with mint. mint julep recipe

As the official cocktail of the Kentucky derby, this traditional mash of mint leaves and sweet bourbon serves to refresh and quench all day long. If it’s not fresh mint, it’s not a Julep!

Why Do People Drink Mint Juleps at the Kentucky Derby?

The mint julep originated in Virginia as a “breakfast drink” (uh, let’s hope not for people on their way to the office), and spread in popularity across the South. Originally, it was called a Virginia dram. Then, at the first Kentucky Derby in 1875, Southerners enjoyed it at the race. The mint julep became the official drink of the Derby in 1939. Chris Goodlet, curator of the Kentucky Derby Museum said of its origins to CNN, that “[The cocktail] ties together two of Kentucky’s most well-known industries: horse racing and bourbon.” People were pretty mad during Prohibition, when they couldn’t enjoy Juleps at the Derby anymore, so you may partially have their nostalgia for it to thank for the fact that alcohol is legal now.

Mint Julep

Author: Sarah Cascone

Description

A celebratory cocktail for the Kentucky derby or all toasting occasions.

Ingredients

Scale

For the cocktail:

12–15 fresh mint leaves
2 ½ oz Woodford Bourbon
½ oz simple syrup (recipe below)
Crushed Ice
Garnish: Fresh Mint Sprig

For the simple syrup:

1 cup water
1 cup sugar

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

For the cocktail:

Place 12-15 fresh mint leaves into your cocktail shaker, add in a scoop of ice cubes, add in the simple syrup, and shake vigorously for 30 seconds to release the mint oils into the simple.
Add in the bourbon and shake again for about 20 seconds. Add crushed ice to your julep cup, creating a dome.
Strain and pour your cocktail over the domed ice. Add the fresh mint sprig as a garnish.

For the simple syrup:

In a small saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a boil, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Allow the syrup to come to room temperature. Then pour into a container.
This Simple Syrup will last a minimum of 2 weeks as is in the refrigerator or if you add a tablespoon of vodka or rum it will last longer.

Recipe by Sarah Cascone
Photography by Dave Bryce

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine‘s print edition.

Savory Stuffed Apples with Apple Cider Reduction

By

ZAIN

-

October 10, 2023

Savory Stuffed Apples served in small plates with four forks on the side

This allergy-free savory stuffed apple recipe from Liz at @octofree works as a side dish for your holiday dinner or a festive standalone meal for one or two guests. With traditional Thanksgiving ingredients such as apples, turkey, wild rice, and lots of fresh herbs, it’s nostalgic and whimsical and will make your guests feel like they’re getting extra-special treatment.

Print

Savory Stuffed Apples with Apple Cider Reduction

Author: Liz Fetchin

Description

Apples are better for a lot more than slices.

Ingredients

Scale

6 Honeycrisp or Braeburn apples
1 tbsp olive oil or spray olive oil

For the filling:

2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 shallot, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
1 tbsp chopped fresh sage
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1 lb ground turkey
1 ½ cups prepared long-grain wild rice (for a time-saver, you can get the prepared 365 brand Long Grain Brown & Wild Rice from Whole Foods and just use it straight from the bag)

For the apple cider reduction (optional):

2 cups apple cider
Optional garnish: Fresh sprigs of thyme

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare the apples:

Using the apple corer, remove cores from apples.

Carefully scoop more of the apple flesh out from the center of the apple using a melon baller or small spoon, being careful not to remove so much that the skin breaks. Begin at the top and leave approximately ½ inch of flesh on the inside of the apple to accommodate about ¼ cup of filling.

Place each apple on a 6-inch square piece of foil, then wrap sides but leave the tops of the apples open.

Place foil-wrapped apples into the muffin tin slots (this helps hold the apples upright as you fill them and as they bake.)

Spray or brush the insides and tops of each apple with a little bit of olive oil.

Make the filling and stuff the apples:

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat in a large saute pan.

Add garlic and shallot and cook, stirring often, until onions are soft and translucent, about 2 minutes.

Add salt, pepper, sage, and thyme and cook for another minute.

Add ground turkey and break it up into small pieces as it cooks, stirring often until the turkey is cooked through but not yet brown, about 10 minutes.

Stir in prepared wild rice until it is distributed evenly throughout.

Carefully spoon about ¼ cup of the turkey filling into each apple, filling each one all the way to the top.

Place muffin tin into the preheated oven for about 50 minutes, until apples are soft but not wrinkled or brown.

Make the apple cider reduction:

*Note: the reduction has to be used immediately or it will harden.

When there are about 20 minutes left on the cook time for the stuffed apples, pour 2 cups of apple cider into a small saucepan.

Bring to a boil and stir occasionally, allowing to simmer over medium-high heat and reduce for about 40 minutes.

The end result will be dark brown and resemble the consistency of caramel.

Assemble the final dish:

When stuffed apples are done cooking, remove them from the oven and allow to cool slightly for a minute or two.

Remove each foil-wrapped apple to a plate or bowl and carefully remove foil.

Drizzle with apple cider reduction and garnish with fresh thyme sprigs. Serve!

Recipe by Liz Fetchin, Octofree®
Food Styling Anna Franklin
Photography by Dave Bryce

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine’s print edition.

Pittsburgh Happenings: October 17-23

By

-

October 10, 2023

See what else we’re excited about this October.

A young black woman in a tie dye outfit sits with smiling, center of the frame, with her hands on her face and her elbows on her knees. — Photo by Jeff Swensen

It’s a choose-your-own-adventure type week in Pittsburgh! With multiple titillating events to pick from occurring on the same October nights, which path will you choose?

Photo courtesy of Carnegie Museum of Natural History’s Facebook.

Haunted Museum After Dark

Carnegie Museum of Natural History, October 20
If you’ve always wanted to go on a Night at the Museum like escapade, now’s your chance to do so in a legal capacity. The haunted edition of this 21 and over After Dark series invites you to take part in a trick or treat search, a meet and greet with the museum’s animals, and more spooky fun after the sun goes down.

three adults smile and stand around a pumpkin with a creepy face craved out of it. pittsburgh october events — Photo courtesy of The Westmoreland Museum of American Art

Art on Tap: Art After Dark

The Westmoreland Museum of American Art, October 20
For something just as spooky but leaning more towards the art world, The Westmoreland Museum of American Art’s Art on Tap utilizes its collection for a mystery quest, where attendees are tasked with finding clues, completing challenges, and solving the evening’s puzzling riddle. The evening also includes live music, pumpkin carving, beer tastings, and various other surprises.

a long brown haired women softly looks into the camera and tilts her head to the right — Ann Wilson, Photo by Criss Cain

Women Who Rock

Stage AE, October 21
An evening of live music, a rocker chic dress code, and helping save lives: the proceeds from this 100% female-fronted benefit concert go to understudied women’s health research at Magee-Women’s Research Institute & Foundation. Leading 2023’s Women Who Rock event is rock queen Ann Wilson of the ’70s and ’80s powerhouse band Heart, alongside black metal, shoegaze Austrian group Tripsitter. Wilson recently joined forces with Tripsitter for the newly released LP, Another Door.

Hellbender Ball

Thunderbird Cafe & Music Hall, October 21
If you’d rather put on a costume and listen to local tunes, WYEP’s annual tribute show takes place across the Allegheny River. Here, Pittsburgh bands and musicians perform at set as famous artists or groups. This year’s lineup features String Machine as Lady Gaga, Nash.v.ill as Betty Davis, Chet Vincent and The Music Industry as George Harrison, Clara Kent as Erykah Badu, and Water Trash as The Doors.

pittsburgh october events — Photo by Forsaken Films

The Scary Furnace

Carrie Blast Furnaces, October 21
While the weather hasn’t completely turned frigid yet, you may be looking for your last taste of outdoor entertainment for the season. Enter The Scary Furnace. Presented by Beers of the Burgh and Brew Gentlemen, find witchy craft vendors and a tarot booth alongside music, food trucks, and pumpkin beers from across the U.S.

Story by Jordan Snowden / Send your events tips to jordan@tablemagazine.com

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine‘s print edition.

Creamed Spinach with Dippy Eggs

By

-

October 9, 2023

An aerial view of a dippy egg sitting on top of creamed spinach. a few pieces of sliced french bread sits off to the left of the plate.

Why not start your day with Creamed Spinach and Dippy Eggs that are sure to give you the boost of energy you need weekday mornings. Over easy eggs, known as dippy eggs to many Pennsylvanians, are an easy yet nutritious dish to whip up in the morning (or really any time of day you’re craving a yolky meal). This recipe features creamed spinach, adding a rich and decadent touch.

Where Does the Term Dippy Eggs Come From?

The term dippy eggs actually comes from across the pond rather than from the midwest like most Americans believe. This British dish refers to boiled eggs somewhere between soft and medium, where the yolk is still runny but the whites are cooked through. In this form, you can take a slice of toast and dip it into the egg yolk to sop up all the deliciousness. Later, the Pennsylvania Dutch also took on this term in their own dialect. But, besides the UK and the midwest, Canadians will also use the term in certain areas.

Creamed Spinach with Dippy Eggs

Author: Anna Franklin

Description

A delightful start to your morning with plenty of nutrients.

Ingredients

Scale

1 – 16 oz container of baby spinach
1 shallot, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp olive oil
1 container of Boursin cheese
1/2 cup heavy cream
4 eggs
Salt and pepper to taste
1 baguette for dipping

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

In a large sauté pan, add olive oil, shallot, pepper flakes and garlic and cook over medium-high heat until slightly browned and aromatic.
Add spinach and cook until wilted.
Add boursin cheese, heavy cream, and simmer until the cheese is completely melted.
Using a spatula, make little holes in the creamed spinach to crack each egg into. Turn the heat to low and cover with a lid. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the egg whites are cooked but the yolks are still runny.
Serve immediately with a warm and crispy baguette.

Recipe and Styling by Anna Franklin
Photography by Dave Bryce

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine‘s print edition.

Butterfinger Pecan Crumble Coffee Pastry

By

Keith Recker

-

October 9, 2023

An aerial shot of Butterfinger Pecan Crumble Coffee Pastry on a baking sheet

Here’s a treat to offer unexpected guests making an afternoon visit. Brew up some coffee. Assemble this little treat, perhaps by stealing a few mini-Butterfingers from your kid’s Halloween stash. However you source the ingredients, you will create a perfectly delicious autumn party in no time.

You might also consider sending the kid off to school with a slice in his or her lunchbox for dessert. It’s a crowd-pleaser!

Butterfinger Pecan Crumble Coffee Pastry Recipe

Makes approximately 12 squares

INGREDIENTS

1 Pillsbury crescent dough sheet
½ cup butter
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground allspice
½ tsp ground cardamon
½ tsp ground ginger
¾ cup chopped pecans
8 mini-Butterfingers, crushed

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease a cookie sheet.
In a saucepan, melt butter. Stir in spices and let simmer for a minute or two.
Add pecans to the spiced butter. Stir once or twice to combine.
Spread Pillsbury croissant dough sheet. Gently stretch it to the edges of the cookie sheet.
Brush spiced butter and pecan mixture evenly across the sheet of dough. Leave a bit of clean edge if you wish.
Evenly spread crushed mini-Butterfingers on top of the butter, spice, and nut mixture.
Bake according to dough sheet package directions.
When removed from oven and slightly cool, use a sharp knife to cut into squares.
Eat with a while warm (with a mug of coffee) for best flavor, but it’s tasty at room temperature too.

Recipe, Story, Photography, and Styling by Keith Recker

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine‘s print edition.

Vegan Apple Cider Muffins

By

Kylie Thomas

-

October 9, 2023

Vegan Apple Cider Muffins placed on a dish in front of a white themed backdrop.

Baking is one of the joys of living, and veganism only opens opportunities for new recipes. These Vegan Apple Cider Muffins are soft, fluffy, oil-free, and full of chunky apples and cinnamon spice. They are delicious fresh out of the oven and even better finished with a streusel topping!

What is an Egg Replacer?

Egg replacers in vegan recipes create a binding agent without coming from an animal. A lot of times you can find an egg replacer that comes in a powder form which you add water to at your local grocery store. But, if you’re looking some something a little more organic, there are actually other substitutes you can use. Just note, you may have to adjust the amount for an equal balance of dry and wet. You can use ground flaxseed mixed with water to form a gel-like substance that can bind ingredients and add moisture. Chia seeds, which are similar to flaxseed, also forms a gel when mixed with water, making them another good egg substitute. Lastly, if you puree silken tofu, you can use it to add moisture and richness in baked goods like our Vegan Apple Cider Muffins.

Vegan Apple Cider Muffins

Author: Mikyla Meckelson