Why Maine People Are Scared to Cook These Dishes During Halloween
Okay, Mainers, Halloween isn’t just about costumes and going trick-or-treating, it’s also super connected to food.
As the weather gets cooler and the leaves fall, you yearn for a crockpot of Maine food filling your house with its aroma.
However, some of us Maine cooks may be hesitant or downright scared to death to cook certain traditional dishes during this spooky season. This brings the fear that specific ingredients may invoke bad luck or even haunt us forever.
If you are a superstitious person and believe that folklore comes from truth, call this article your guidebook to foods not to cook during Halloween.
Here’s a look at why historic Maine dishes come with a mega helping of superstition.
Chowdah
Maine clam chowder is iconic in Maine, but cooking with it on or around Halloween can spark anxiety. Locals may believe that certain seafood can attract unwanted spirits or bad omens. For example, the superstitions with clams. Yea, there are many, especially about the deep ocean in Maine.
One of my favorites is Maine Folklore: A Handbook. Well, a clam could be viewed as a vessel for the souls of the dead. So you may not want to dive into clam chowder during Halloween, it’ll turn your cozy meal into a nightmare.
Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin pie is probably my favorite fall dessert, especially with a huge plop of whipped cream, but it comes with its own set of superstitions. Some avoid baking pumpkin pie on Halloween, because of the specific spices used. Cinnamon or nutmeg could attract mischievous spirits.
Did you know that Egyptians used cinnamon for embalming, according to Source Journey?
These spices have been used by witches for curses for ages. So baking a pie could inadvertently summon unwelcome ghosts.
Apple Crisp
This is probably going to get me in trouble because of how many of us Mainers are low-key obsessed with this legendary dessert. However, apples can trigger bad luck.
According to Medium.com, apples are linked to temptation, and cooking with them on Halloween could invite unknown force into your home.
I will stop there so that you at least have something to cook during Halloween. But seriously, sometimes superstitions, folklore, and myths hold truth from the past.
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