2 3
Descend into Edinburgh’s dark underbelly... M any pass through this famous Old Town location all year round but what better time to explore its leaky underground walkways and shadowy paths than on All Hallows’ Eve? Experience the Real Mary King’s Close in all its haunting glory in the very i rst Close Fest, a week-long festival of special events from murder mysteries and drama to music and comedy to celebrate the attraction’s tenth year.
Quite suitably, the series kicks off on Hallowe’en (Thu 31 Oct) with Fringe favourite The Dark Truth Tour. This tongue-in-cheek, interactive tour through Edinburgh’s murky past is dei nitely one for those looking for a particularly spooky way to spend their Hallowe’en. You’ll no doubt have heard of the famous gravediggers Burke and Hare but if you’re daring enough then haunting psychological drama Burke will teach you everything you ever wanted to know (and everything you’d rather not) about one half of the grim Scottish criminal duo on Sun 3 Nov.
If you fancy something a little cheerier, check out Twonkeys Blue Cadabra, Paul Vickers’ award-nominated cabaret Fringe show, on Wed 6 Nov. Then, after a week of murderous makeovers, spooky book readings and underground sleepovers, everything is brought full circle with a special Murder Mystery Evening on Sat 9 Nov. It’s an especially haunting game of whodunit set during World War II and something the thrill seekers among you will not want to miss. (Nina Glencross) ■ Close Fest, Mary King’s Close, Edinburgh, Thu 31 Oct–Sat 9 Nov.
HALLOWE’EN
Make Devilled Pumpkin Soup...
Elaine Mason, head soupmonger at Union suggests a recipe for spicy pumpkin soup of Genius, Scotland’s i rst soup cafe,
to perk up your October
I usually use Crown Prince pumpkins, or the little bright orange winter squash
called Uchiki Kuri. If the only pumpkin you can i nd is the big ones people buy for carving, I’d suggest mixing that pumpkin with butternut squash 50:50 – those biggies have very little l avour. This recipe makes about 1 litre.
• 350g pumpkin, peeled, de-seeded and roughly chopped
• 80g rough-chopped potato • 100g rough-chopped onion
• A clove of garlic, crushed
• A pinch of chilli l akes
• 1cm slice of ginger, peeled and chopped • 1 stem of lemongrass, split and ends crushed, but stems still whole
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp tamarind (or to taste) • 1/2 tsp chipotle chilli (or to taste)
• A dash of sour cherry juice • 750ml vegetable stock
Saute the onion, garlic, ginger and potato in oil. Add the pumpkin, veg stock, lemongrass and the bay leaves. Add the chillis and tamarind to taste. Simmer for 30 mins.
Remove the bay leaves and lemongrass and blend. Add the sour cherry juice. Taste – it should be chilli hot, deeply sweet and tart. A nice trick for serving is to cut out a small snaggle-toothed face in cardboard, hold it over each soup bowl and sprinkle black onion seeds over, making a scary face. Cute.
■ Union of Genius, 8 Forrest Road, Edinburgh, unionofgenius.com
17 Oct–14 Nov 2013 THE LIST 17