This is Grace Parisi's take on the Dark and Stormy, a classic rum and ginger beer drink. Floating in the punch bowl are round ice cubes made with lychee syrup and lychees stuffed with brandied cherries, which have an uncanny resemblance to eyeballs.
Sautéed shallots and feta cheese flavor this simple spread, which is a delicious hors d'oeuvre at any time of year. Here, it's formed into a spooky spider.
You, too, can be "Peter the Pumpkin Eater" from the classic nursery rhyme when you prepare a batch of these fluffy and tender cheese puffs that look like mini pumpkins. Romano cheese gives them a nice tang and their cream cheese stems complete the Halloween or Thanksgiving seasonal look.
