Darina Allen: Fiery Pumpkin Soup

HALLOWEEN in the US is almost as big a deal as Christmas, I’ve just recently come back from Chicago and although it was several weeks before Halloween, the celebrations had already begun.

A whole series of spooky events were planned throughout the month of October. Tickets for the Haunted Halloween Ball were in hot demand, the Guide to Chicago Haunted Houses was flying off the shelves.

There were drive-ins with spooky movies. The Club Zone was offering a Freaky Deaky Halloween Express shuttle – the mind boggles! Halloween costume stores were doing a roaring trade in scary gear for both adults and children alike.