We’re serving up an extra frightful hour of Milk Street Radio! Folklorist Lesley Bannatyne reveals the mischievous origins of the jack-o’-lantern, and Oaxacan tour guide Gabriel Sánchez shares memories from Day of the Dead celebrations. Candy historian Susan Benjamin recounts candy’s surprising history in America — and the ghostly encounters in her candy shop — and we uncover a modern recipe for the Witches’ Brew from Macbeth. And, to further satisfy our sweet teeth, Stella Parks hops on the phone with Chris to take on your autumn baking calls.

Questions in this episode:

"I've made 80-100 loaves of banana bread and I'd like to branch out. What are some other bread variations I can make?"

"I've been trying to recreate my grandmother's apple cake for the last 30 years and it never comes out right. What am I doing wrong?

"I have a recipe for bark cookies that calls for corn flakes. Every time I make bake them, the corn flakes come out like rubber pellets. What's causing this and how can I prevent it?"

"I enjoy making layer cakes, but with a small household of 2, it can be a waste. I'd love some insight on miniaturizing 3-layer cake recipes."