Celebrating Samhain

Samhain slow living tips, a recipe for salted chocolate pumpkin tart and a giveaway! 🍂

This evening in Edinburgh we were plunged into darkness at approximately 4.40 p.m. after the clocks went back last night here in the UK - always a shock to the system when nighttime arrives so suddenly and so soon, with the knowledge that sunset will continue to creep even earlier - around 3.30 p.m. by the shortest day in December. My instinct to nest, cook and eat delicious, nourishing food and embrace cosiness has well and truly kicked in. I’ve started seeing Christmas adverts on social media already and I know as soon as November 1st arrives an onslaught of festive content will be filling our feeds, but there is so much more of Autumn to cherish yet. If, like me, you want to cherish the season we’re in then read on for how I’m leaning into slow, seasonal living this Samhain, including a recipe for salted chocolate pumpkin tart. Make sure you scroll to the end for an exciting giveaway too!

Slow Down

Today marks the start of “daylight saving” in the UK: more light in the morning – for a while at least - but much earlier sunsets. I know I feel robbed of the daylight in the afternoons, and the day itself seems over before it’s even begun! This is a time of year where it’s understandable to feel lethargic due to the dwindling daylight and the attendant changes to our circadian rhythms. Not to mention the dreicher weather. It’s not surprising that we crave hibernation if we leave for work in the dark and return in the dark. Modern conveniences have made contemporary life much easier - and we certainly don’t take those privileges for granted - but our 24/7 society can also mask our inner instinct to slow down. At the same time, rest is even more important in Winter, so give into your body’s craving for slowness as much as possible: quieter evenings, more time at home, making your surroundings cosy and treating yourself kindly with comfort food and little treats (our apple crumble is in the oven as I type this). I’m also making a real effort to get out for our daily walk earlier in the day to make sure we get some light and Vitamin D as well as getting our steps in. Be kind to yourself: remember that our ancestors used to hibernate (perhaps not shocking) and go slow where you can.

Nesting Season

On a similar note, try to enjoy the process of preparing for the colder months: a slow, mindful Autumn ritual that makes you cherish the seasonal shift. During this cold, dark time of year I have an almost instinctive drive to start nesting, deep cleaning and prepping the house for the months ahead. I bring out weightier blankets ready for the season (it’s worth giving them an air first) and embrace cosier fabrics (like flannel and brushed cotton bedding) as well as adding a weightier duvet (I have two lighter summer ones I pin together for Winter - extra cosy!). In addition, I’m rarely seen at home without my hot water bottle about my person (currently coveting this hottie from If Only If to match the nightie I treated myself to for the Autumn) and fluffy slippers. Embrace softer lighting too - I’ve been working on some DIY bobbin lamps that I posted about in my paid community here, and they’re bringing a lot of joy. I also make sure my candle collection is topped up (there are step by step instructions for how to make your own hand poured candle in my book, Slow Seasons). There’s not a room in our house without fairy lights in Autumn and Winter (well, most of the year round, really!) as I think we need as much sparkle as we can get at this time of year!

Autumn Crafting

Dreich days and longer evenings call for a spot of Autumn crafting. Popping a cosy film on and getting out a crafty activity along with a pot of tea is my dream afternoon. I have a few craft projects on my Winter to-do list for the coming months, including an advent calendar and Christmas stocking for baby L that I’ll share step by step instructions for in my subscriber community (make sure you’re signed up to see!). We also had a lovely afternoon today at local micro flower farm and flower studio Ochre Botanical Studios making an Autumn wreath (we were doing tag team crafting with baby L!) with dogwood and honesty seed heads and it was just the tonic I needed after a 3 a.m. wake-up call today! There’s something about losing yourself in a craft that I find so soothing for the mind. I made so many wreaths last year on my book tour and workshop attendees attested to its therapeutic effects! There are instructions for how to make an Autumn wreath in my book, which I also previewed in my subscriber community.

Samhain Celebrations

31st October marks Samhain in the Celtic calendar - the official end of the harvest seasons and the start of Winter. Traditionally, the day was celebrated with fire and feasting, so why not give thanks for Autumn’s bounty by hosting a celebratory meal at home? It’s a lovely reason to set the table, get out your best tablecloth, treat yourself to seasonal flowers and light lots of candles while you gather with loved ones. There are lots of ways to decorate sustainably and avoid mass-produced decorations and single-use plastic: turning to nature instead is not only more sustainable but beautiful too! For instance, I recently made beeswax preserved leaves into a garland, and I’m looking forward to making some spooky-themed paper chains with baby L. Pumpkins play a starring role in my decorating, but instead of huge, watery supermarket pumpkins that are bred for their size rather than taste, I try to seek out different varieties instead that look beautiful and taste even better! Speaking of which…

Make the Most of your Pumpkins

Of course, pumpkins fit the bill for both sweet and savoury treats (you can find a recipe for the former below). 24 million pumpkins are sold each year in the UK for Halloween, but 18,000 tonnes of pumpkins are thrown away, ending up in landfill. This makes me so sad. There is a whole section on pumpkin celebrations and the history of Samhain in my book, Slow Seasons as well as some favourite, go-to gourd recipes. Once I’ve finished using my pumpkins as decorations, I’ll be making both my pumpkin and sweet potato chilli and spiced pumpkin soup from the Samhain chapter, as well as plenty to stock the freezer! What are you making with your pumpkins?

Salted Chocolate Pumpkin Tart

This salted chocolate pumpkin tart has a quick buttery biscuit base (no faffing with chilling pastry or blind baking here!) and is filled with a rich, chocolatey pumpkin ganache that is tempered by sea salt. Trust me, it’s just the right amount to balance out the sweetness. To make the tart, you will need:

For the base:
225g digestives
85g melted butter
For the filling:
200g pumpkin purée
180g milk chocolate
Generous pinch sea salt
20g butter
20ml warm milk
25g white chocolate to decorate

First, make the base: bash the digestives into crumbs and stir in the melted butter. Press the mixture into a greased, loose-bottomed tart tin and pop in the fridge for 20 mins or so while you preheat the oven to 160C Fan. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Once the base is cooled fully it’s ready to fill. Melt the chocolate and mix into the pumpkin along with the butter and warm milk (important or it will make the chocolate seize). Mix vigorously until a smooth consistency is reached. Pour into the tart and smooth the surface.

Melt the white chocolate and pour it into a piping bag. Pipe circles on top of the ganache, then use a skewer to quickly drag out from the smallest circle to the edge of the tart to make the feathered, cobweb shape. Leave for several hours in the fridge to firm up then serve in slices.

If you enjoy my seasonal recipes, to do lists and tips, do consider joining us in my paid subscriber community for more regular posts each week. Together in this wee corner of the Internet we are creating a beautiful community of like-minded old souls who want to slow down, simplify and connect with the seasons. Here’s a flavour of what I’ve been posting over there this last month:

Slow Decorating: Bedroom Seasonal Details for Autumn (including my DIY bobbin lamp!)

Sow, Grow, Harvest, Rest Reading Group: October

Autumn in the Orchard and a Recipe for Apple Crumble Cake

Rosie Makes: Everlasting Autumn Wreath Garland

Seasons of Life

I’d be delighted if you joined me in my subscriber community, and if you enjoyed this free newsletter please share it to help me spread the word!

Lastly, a giveaway! To celebrate Samhain, I’m giving away a copy of Slow Seasons and a free subscription to my paid community for one year, worth £50. All you have to do is be subscribed to the Sow, Grow, Harvest, Rest newsletter. The competition opens now (8.30 p.m. GMT, 27/10/24) and will close next Sunday, 1/11/24 at 8.30 p.m. The winner will be selected at random using an automated tool from my list of subscribers and I will get in touch with the winner via email.* Tell all your friends!

Thanks for reading, and see you next month xxx

*Terms and conditions: this giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed or associated with Substack. To be entered you must be subscribed to Sow, Grow, Harvest, Rest newsletter. I will contact the winner via email: if they do not respond within one week of my email then another winner will be selected at random.