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Bourbon Honey Purple Potato Pie

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A pie with purple potatoes and bourbon honey with lattice work over top.

Purple potato pie is a twist on a sweet potato pie, with bright purple custard loaded with familiar fall spices and local honey. Purchase purple sweet potatoes or ube on Amazon or Etsy. You may also find these in the produce section of Asian grocery stores. Or, you can decide to head to your local farmers market where local vendors can sell sustainable produce. Chances are shopping at your local farmers market will increase the quality of your pie. Plus, get the homemade pie crust recipe from pastry chef Selina Progar here!

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A pie with purple potatoes and bourbon honey with lattice work over top.

Bourbon Honey Purple Potato Pie


  • Author: Selina Progar

Description

Try a different version of sweet potato pie.


Ingredients

Scale
  • Homemade Pie Crust
  • 2 large or 3 medium purple potatoes
  • 1 cup evaporated milk + some to thin out the custard if needed
  • 3 eggs
  • 4 tbsp (1/2 stick) melted butter
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup local fall honey
  • ¾ tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp cloves
  • ¼ tsp nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp ginger
  • 2 tbsp bourbon


Instructions

  1. Wrap potatoes in foil, and bake until fork-tender and very soft, about 2 hours. Let cool in foil on the counter. Place in the fridge overnight.
  2. Place pie dough in the bottom of your pie pan and chill for 30 minutes.
  3. Lay parchment paper on the pie dough and fill with baking beans or pie weights.
  4. Preheat the oven at 350 degrees and bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until the dough is no longer “wet.”
  5. Cut out fall leaves from pie dough for additional decoration.
  6. While the pie is baking, remove potatoes from fridge and chop.
  7. Place in a food processor, or blender with evaporated milk and blend until smooth.
  8. Remove and place in a bowl, add eggs, butter, and spices and whisk or fold until fully incorporated.
  9. This should be pourable consistency. If it is not, add 1 tablespoon at a time of the additional evaporated milk until proper consistency is reached.
  10. Pour into parbaked pie shell.
  11. Crimp the edges by pinching the dough between your thumb, pointer, and middle fingers or place leaves or braid around the edge of the pie.
  12. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.
  13. Lower oven temp to 350 degrees and bake for 25 minutes or until the filling is set and no longer moves in the center.
  14. Cool fully before cutting.

Recipe by Selina Progar
Photography and Styling by BurkleHagen

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Blueberry Maple Pie

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A Blueberry Maple Pie with leave lattice pie crust work on top.

Blueberries can be canned or frozen during summer, and used in the fall as a reminder of summer time. Its traditional appeal makes it a hit at every table it appears on.

What is the History of the Blueberry Pie in America?

Blueberry pie holds a cherished place in American culinary history, rooted in both Indigenous food traditions and early colonial cooking. Long before settlers arrived, Native peoples of North America gathered wild blueberries, using them fresh or dried in dishes like pemmican. These berries, prized for their deep flavor and nutrition, later found their way into European-style baking when colonists adapted familiar pie-making techniques to local ingredients.

By the 18th and 19th centuries, blueberry pie became a regional favorite in New England, where wild blueberries thrived in rocky, acidic soils. Recipes began appearing in cookbooks, often alongside other berry pies like raspberry and currant. The development of commercial canning and the rise of cultivated blueberries in the early 20th century helped the dessert spread nationally. Blueberry pie’s convenience, color, and tangy-sweet balance made it a summertime staple.

Today, blueberry pie is more than a dessert—it’s a symbol of seasonal abundance and American identity. In fact, it is the official state dessert of Maine, where wild blueberries still flourish. With its buttery crust and jewel-toned filling, blueberry pie connects the country’s agricultural heritage with timeless comfort food traditions, remaining as beloved on modern tables as it was centuries ago.

Chef Selina Progar shows us how to make her own Blueberry Pie recipe. Her addition of maple syrup to the filling recalls the berry’s New England roots while also adding the perfect dose of sweetness. Be sure to grab her homemade pie crust recipe to complete your masterpiece.

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A Blueberry Maple Pie with leave lattice pie crust work on top.

Blueberry Maple Pie


  • Author: Selina Progar

Description

A sweeter blueberry pie.


Ingredients

Scale
  • Homemade Pie Crust
  • ¼ cup of flour
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ½ pure maple syrup
  • ½ tbsp maple extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • 5 cups blueberries, fresh, frozen, or preserved


Instructions

  1. Mix together flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, maple syrup, maple extract, and salt in a large bowl.
  2. Fold in blueberries. Set aside until pie dough is ready.
  3. Bake at 375 degrees until the crust is golden and the blueberries are bubbling.

Story by Selina Progar
Photography and Styling by BurkleHagen

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A Pastry Chef’s Best Pie Crust Recipe

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Two pies with fancy lattice work homemade pie crust.

Chef Selina Progar, one of Pittsburgh’s finest pastry chefs, shared her favorite pie crust recipe and dishes deep about pie with TABLE readers.

Pie crust recipe aside, I was not always a “Pie Master.” About 10 years before I went to culinary school, my friend and I decided to make a pumpkin pie out of a real pumpkin and bake it inside a pumpkin. We looked through cookbooks to learn how to roast the pumpkin. That part went well, but we made a huge mess in the process of pureeing it because all we had was a hand mixer.

We added all of our ingredients (or thought we did) in unmeasured amounts, poured the totality back into the pumpkin, and put it in the oven to bake. Over three hours later, the pie was still fully liquid. I think we forgot the eggs, but I have no idea because we didn’t measure anything. We ended up just spooning it over ice cream and eating it out of a bowl.

I have since gotten a lot better at making pies and baking in general. It’s what I do for a living, and I love it. I’m happy to share my best pie crust recipe with you, as well as three delicious pie recipes.  

A pie crust with lattice work over top.

6 Tips for the Making the Best Pie Crust Recipe

  1. Roll it out ¼-inch thick.
  2. Keep it cold, by taking it in and out of the fridge and working in small batches.
  3. Use lots of flour and use 2 pastry brushes – one for flour dusting, one for egg wash.
  4. Do not overwork the dough, and if you need to form the scraps back together, allow it   to fully chill before reworking it.
  5. Buy fun cookie cutters and pastry rollers.
  6. Egg wash to help the dough stick to itself and create a glossy golden brown appearance.
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Two pies with fancy lattice work homemade pie crust.

Pie Crust


  • Author: Selina Progar

Description

The only pie crust recipe you’ll ever need!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 sticks butter, cold
  • 4 cups AP flour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 8 fluid oz water, cold


Instructions

  1. Cut butter into small cubes, and place in the fridge for 30 minutes. Once the butter is cold, add to the flour and salt, and mix by hand or with the paddle attachment of a mixer in first speed.
  2. Mix until the butter is incorporated, and about the size of peas. Add the cold water, and continue to mix just until together. Form into a square, and wrap in plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
  3. When rolling out, use plenty of flour, but keep a pastry brush handy to brush off excess.
  4. Place ½ the dough on a floured table and using a rolling pin, roll in all directions evenly until it’s about a ¼ of an inch thick.
  5. Lay down pie pan and cut a circle two inches larger than your pan.
  6. Place this piece of dough in the bottom of your pie pan, then slightly pull the dough up the sides of your dish all the way to the edges.
  7. Place back in fridge for 30 minutes.
  8. Place desired filling in the pie.

 

How to Make a Lattice Top

Create a lattice using your remaining pie dough! Roll out the dough evenly. Using a pizza cutter, or a fluted pastry wheel cut 1-inch strips of dough, straight and neat. At this point you can cut and use strips or braid or twist for a more elaborate crust. Place the strips back in the fridge for 15 minutes. Dust off the excess flour.

Remove your pie crust recipe from the fridge, and fill with desired filling. Remove strips from fridge. Lay strips vertical over filling with 1 inch in between each piece. Fold back pieces 1, 3, 5, and 7 (if applicable). Lay one piece horizontally over pieces 2, 4, 6. Fold pieces 1, 3, 5, and 7 back over the horizontal piece. Fold back towards you pieces 2, 4, and 6. Lay a second horizontal piece over 1, 3, 5, and 7. Repeat until you have a fully weaved pie.

Crimp the edges and pinch off any excess dough. Brush the pie dough with egg wash to create a golden crust. Follow these steps, and my best pie crust recipe is sure to become yours, too.

Try your new skills on Selina’s recipes for a Blueberry Maple Pie or Bourbon Honey Purple Potato Pie.

Story by Selina Progar
Photography and Styling by BurkleHagen

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A Black and White Ball for Halloween

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A woman with a lace eye mask standing behind a candelabra with 3 lit white candles in a room washed in red lighting.

In straightforward, black-and-white terms, the reason for this party was simple: We love the people we work with, and a great party is great gift! We wanted to create something memorable, luxurious, and unusual…but also fun for us and for everyone we invited. None of us felt like renting a Big Bird costume. Nor did we relish “investing” even $9.99 in a Naughty Nurse getup or a Chippendale’s rip-away shirt and bow tie. So we settled on timeless elegance for Halloween.

The OG Black and White Ball

On November 28, 1966, writer Truman Capote hosted what is still the gold standard for high-fallutin’ parties: The Black and White Ball at New York’s Plaza Hotel. Capote claimed that the whole thing was designed to honor Washington Post publisher Katharine Graham, but almost 60 years later, it’s not Graham but Capote who’s the focus of attention. He curated a showy guest list of Hollywood royalty, literary figures, political elites, and society figures — from Frank Sinatra, Mia Farrow, Candace Bergen, and Andy Warhol to most of Capote’s swans: Babe Paley, CZ Guest, Lee Radziwill, and Gloria Vanderbilt.

Four people dressing in black and wearing masks toasting with wine at a TABLE Magazine costume party.

TABLE Publisher Justin Matase, photographer Laura Petrilla, writer Camila Alarcón Cordón, TABLE Director of Operations Star Laliberte.

The rules were simple: Dress in black-and-white, with masks optional. Some wore expensive designer duds. Some wore elaborate masks, drawing upon traditional Venetian commedia dell’arte shapes. Others, fueled by imagination, invented confections of lace and fake jewels that towered over other guests and created a stir. If they respected the boundaries of black-and-white-only, anything was possible. This sounded like a challenge our extended TABLE crew
would really enjoy.

Black and White in 2025

And enjoy it they did. Some, like mixologist Zak Durkin and his wife, Holly, looked like they stepped out of one of the parties in the 1957 Academy Award-winning film, Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Justin Matase, James Mohn, and Star Laliberte went with feathered masquerade pieces. Jason Grant of Medici Importers Global went classically Venetian with an all-black Carnevale mask. Dani and Dave Bryce added touches of 21st century scale and dynamism to their Venetian-inspired masks, as did Janet Wizig, her daughter Tori Barankin, and Stephanie Cravotta. 

A collage of pictures from a Black and White Ball with people wearing masks.

Tori Barankin, TABLE Director of Advertising Janet Wizig, TABLE Director of Digital Advertising Stephanie Cravotta. Holly and Zack Durkin. Chef Selina Progar and her mom. Olivia Jobe and Cole Modell.

Our favorite trio of North Siders, Meg Van Dyke, Leah Hohman Esser, and Katie Long deployed handmade embellishments that were the envy of all. Dominika Bronner and Laura Petrilla were at the crest of a wave of intricate laser-cut lace masks that both revealed and concealed their wearers. Camila Alarcón and several others followed suit. Selena Progar went with beaded fringe, as did a handful of others. Danny Mankin, Kirsten Necochea, and Cara George blended lace and netting and other chic trimmings from their wardrobes with a few classic costume-party touches that leaned toward Halloween. My own devil’s horn sunglasses and Moroccan cape went in the same direction.

Why Black and White Parties Still Work

Nearly six decades later, the Black and White Ball is still a reference point for clever party planners. The simplicity of the theme allows it to transcend seasons and styles. It can be interpreted as sleek and modern, vintage and romantic, spooky and surreal, or minimalist and avant-garde. You can scour local vintage shops for accessories or go online to find some surprisingly unique pieces. If you’re crafty, though, you don’t have to stop at shopping. Imagination and play are welcomed and encouraged: you can whip up your own grand idea and stun your fellow partygoers!

If all of that sounds too much for your busy schedule and overburdened mind, just reach into your closet. There’s a good chance you already have something in there that’s just right. A little black dress, a crisp white shirt, tailored trousers, or a classic blazer can form the base of your look. You can stop there, or continue on with a vintage strand of pearls, a velvet dinner jacket, a dramatic feathered headdress, or a sequined ball masque. These touches let you showcase your personality without the pressure of sourcing an elaborate costume. The Black and White Ball theme lets fashion and fun meet with minimal effort.

How to Plan Your Own Black and White Ball

Make a guest list. Go online and find a resource like evite.com to create a classic monochrome invitation. Send out the invites with a note that reassures people that black-and-white is the only rule. For people who asked additional questions about the dress code, we sent some vintage YouTube videos from Capote’s 1966 party. That did the trick!

A collage of pictures from a black and white ball with people wearing masks.

Photographer Dave Bryce, Dani Bryce. Cara George, Danny Mankin, Kirsten Necochea. Katie Long, Meg Van Dyke, Leah Hohman Esser. TABLE Editor in Chief Keith Recker and Dominika Bronner.

Next up: food and drink. The Fluted Mushroom suggested just the right thing: classic hors d’oeuvres like deviled eggs with a sprinkle of caviar, mini potato latkes, and other delicious party fare. They parked a large cheese and charcuterie board off to the side…and that was that. We stocked up on sparkling wine, as well as red, white, and rosé, and sparkling water. Our friends at Weisshouse loaned us a massive clam shell to fill with ice to keep things cold. Sweet Talkers provided some on-theme cookies. After that, we didn’t give food and drink another thought: we were as free to enjoy the party as everyone else. And enjoy it we did!

Story by Keith Recker
Production by Star Laliberte
Food by The Fluted Mushroom
Balloons by Party on Butler
Cookies by Sweet Talkers
Linens by Party Mosaic
Photography by Jeff Swensen

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Pittsburgh Events: Your Guide to October 20-26

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A person places a garnish on a cocktail glass as a bottle of whiskey sits behind it on a marble counter.

If you’re looking for proof that Pittsburgh never slows down, then we present to you the week of October 20-26 and all the events it holds. These adventures leave the city buzzing, offering a mix of experiences that will satisfy your craving for culture, fine dining, and pure entertainment. You can choose to spend an evening immersed in the powerful, masterful work of some of the country’s most vital performers. Or, you can step out for an exclusive, elevated culinary experience that honors a remarkable legacy. However, we wouldn’t blame you if you took the family-friendly route, choosing to celebrate the spooky season before October ends. It’s all waiting just right outside your door. 

Pittsburgh Events Happening October 20-26

Sphinx Virtuosi with Cellist Sterling Elliott

Sphinx Virtuosi with cellist Sterling Elliott
Photo Courtesy of Sphinx Virtuosi

October 21, Carnegie Music Hall

Lose yourself in the fierce talent of The Sphinx Virtuosi. This flagship ensemble of the Sphinx Organization is one of the most vital chamber orchestras of our time. Their 2025 program, Visions of Peace, explores resilience through music that reflects on conflicts past and present. Accompanied by cellist Sterling Elliott, the concert will feature works by Prokofiev and William Grant Still alongside premieres of newly commissioned pieces.

Uncle Nearest Whiskey Dinner at fl.2

A person places a garnish on a cocktail glass as a bottle of whiskey sits behind it on a marble counter.
Photo Courtesy of Uncle Nearest

October 23, fl.2

For those who want to expand their relationship with bourbon, this exclusive evening honors the legacy of Nathan “Nearest” Green. To celebrate the first known African American master distiller, guests enjoy a specially curated menu by Chef Canales. Each dish is thoughtfully paired with Uncle Nearest award-winning whiskeys for a dining experience that’s both delicious and historic.

Pumpkin Palooza: An East Liberty Halloween Adventure

Various people sit on a tie dye background for a Halloween celebration.
Photo Courtesy of Kelly Strayhorn Theater

October 25, Kelly Strayhorn Theater

Dress up the little ones and head out to spend the day inside the Kelly Strayhorn Theater to celebrate Halloween a few days early. Families can enjoy candy, crafts, and fun activities with community partners throughout the lobby. Plus, you won’t want to miss the performances from Hope Academy, Alumni Theater Company, K-Theatre Dance Complex, and Los Sabrosos’ Breakin’ for the Kids. 

Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra

Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra
Photo Courtesy of Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra

October 25, Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild

Experience the swinging sounds of the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra at the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild. Led by Grammy-winning bassist John Clayton and acclaimed drummer Jeff Hamilton, this big-band ensemble brings virtuosity, storytelling, and decades of jazz experience to the stage. Fans of big-band jazz will not want to miss this performance.

Rocky Horror Drag Brunch

Two women stand on the sides of Dr. Frankenfurter from Rocky Horror Show.
Photo Courtesy of Pittsburgh CLO

October 26, Greer Cabaret Theater

‘Give yourself over to the absolute pleasure’ of the Rocky Horror Show by Pittsburgh CLO with a special drag brunch beforehand. Dixie Surewood and Chi Chi de Vivre present a pre-show party full of live drag performances, trivia, and giveaways. Throughout the show, guests will dine on a brunch food and cocktail menu that’ll leave them in antici-…pation for more.

Story by Kylie Thomas
Featured Photo Courtesy of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey

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Fresh and Frightening Halloween Treats

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kids table halloween treat assortment
Stacked from 5 images. Method=B (R=4,S=1)

Healthy Halloween snacks are for young and old alike. Anyone who thinks Halloween is the worst is no fun; I am one of those people. The decorating, costumes, planning, and expenses, oh my!

Spooky but Simple Seasonal Treats

You would think having two children with a natural flair for acting and dress-up 365 days a year would have changed my mind. But no. I am adamant that fake cobwebs and face paint belong in Hell, along with the mini Mounds bars they rode in on. 

Fresh and Frightening Halloween Treats

Be that as it may, when October 1 rolls around, I start hyping myself for all the chaos that is about to ensue. Fake tombstones in the yard, endless searching for a character mask that doesn’t exist, avoiding large quantities of candy around the house taunting me, and my favorite: stepping on small plastic spiders hiding in the carpet, which are worse than Legos.

Kid-Approved and Adult-Loved Recipes

Even though I suffer from self-diagnosed seasonal curmudgeonry, I’d rather not have my kids remember me as the crazy lady who turns off the porch light at 8 p.m. sharp. Luckily for me (and them), Halloween cooking is my jam: my mad-scientist kitchen skills shield my children from my harsh inner reality. 

This Halloween looks as though we will likely be staying indoors with our loyal quarantine crew. Nonetheless, we plan to do it up right by transforming some of our favorite healthy foods into spectacularly spooky treats that kids and adults alike will love. Though most don’t associate Halloween with healthfulsnacking, there are plenty of ways to mix up the sugar rush with real food that is scary-satisfying.

Cooking with kids can be fun any time of year, but there is something marvelously magical about the excitement of turning typical foods into supernatural artworks. Although these treats look dangerously difficult to master, I assure that they are manageable for novice cooks of all ages, and frightfully flavorful.

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mummy dip

Mummy Dip


  • Author: Kelly Kinsey

Ingredients

Scale
  • 16 oz cream cheese
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp basil
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella
  • 1 cup shredded or grated Asiago
  • 8 oz spaghetti sauce (I love Rao’s)
  •  
  • 1/2 cup of yellow pepper, diced
  • 4 oz pepperoni (reserve 2 slices for eyeballs)
  • Sliced green or black olives for eyeballs
  • 5 sticks mozzarella string cheese


Instructions

  1. Lightly spray an 8-inch baking dish or pie pan with olive oil.
  2. Fold together cream cheese and seasonings, spread evenly across the pan.
  3. Combine the shredded cheeses and sprinkle over the cream cheese.
  4. Spoon on the spaghetti sauce, being sure to cover to the edges.
  5. Layer the bell peppers and diced pepperoni.
  6. Top with remaining cheese mixture.
  7. Use the extra pepperoni slices and olives to make eye balls on the pan, then layer the string cheese all over the pan (around the eyes) to make “mummy” come to life.
  8. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.
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spooky spider deviled eggs

Deviled Spiders


  • Author: Kelly Kinsey

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 tbsp mustard (I like to use pale-ale style from Trader Joe’s)
  • 1/8 tsp of salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1 scallion, finely chopped
  • 2 pieces bacon, finely chopped


Instructions

  1. Cut the eggs in half.
  2. Scoop out the yolks and add to a mixing bowl.
  3. Mash the yolks with a fork and fold in all of the above ingredients, mixing well.
  4. You may need to add more sour cream, depending on what consistency you desire.
  5. Pipe the mixture into the egg white shells, and then decorate them with the black olive spider parts.
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halloween pumpkin and bat chips

Spooky Charcuterie Board


  • Author: Kelly Kinsey

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 bag of carrots
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • ½ to 1lb white cheese, thick-cut sliced
  • ½ to 1lb yellow cheese, thick-cut sliced
  • 2 large yams
  • 1 tbsp cream cheese

Not Halloweenified, but other items that I use for killer boards:

  • 1 lb prosciutto
  • 1 lb salami, thinly sliced
  • 1 lb assorted olives
  • 4 to 6 oz Marcona almonds
  • 8 oz pickled green beans
  • Popcorn or corn nuts


Instructions

For the Carrot “Fingers”:

  1. Peel and cut each about 3 inches from the tip.
  2. Carve out a small “shelf” on each carrot tip to make a secure spot for the red pepper fingernail.
  3. Slice the red bell pepper to size in chunks to fit on the carrot finger. You can use a dollop of cream cheese, to secure the “nail” in place.

For the Cheese Ghosts/Bats & Sweet Potato Pumpkins:

  1. Use Halloween cookie cutters to carve out cheesy ghosts and bats (Miceli Dairy mozzarella cheese for the ghosts, and pumpkins, bats, moons and leaves made from Middlefield Original Cheese Company Gouda, cheddar and Colby. If ya’ll find black cheese, let a girl know!).
  2. Using the same method, slice the yams into ½-inch thick slices, and using the pumpkin cookie cutter, imprint the design to the sweet potato.
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bat shaped healthy halloween chips

Homemade Halloween Crackers


  • Author: Kari Moore at Le Craker

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 cup water
  • Additional sea salt for topping


Instructions

  1. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder.
  2. Add olive oil and using a fork or your fingers, mix until combined and mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  3. Add water and mix just until dough comes together into a ball.
  4. If the dough is too crumbly, add a bit more water. If it’s too sticky, add a bit more flour. Try not to overwork the dough.
  5. Allow dough to rest for 30 minutes then roll out on a floured surface to 1/8 inch.
  6. Cut into shapes using your favorite cookie cutters. Place cut-outs on parchment-covered baking sheet.
  7. Sprinkle with sea salt. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until lightly browned and crispy.

Story Kelly Kinsey
Photography and Styling by BurkleHagen

Your October 2025 Horoscope for the Full Moon in Aries

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A full moon hides behind a twisty, black bare tree.

The first lunation of the new season is finally upon us: a full Moon in the middle of Aries. It takes place on October 6 at 11:47pm.

Aries is one of the equinoctial signs; when the Sun crosses Aries and Libra, we get quick turns and sudden shifts that prepare the ground for what follows. Change under these signs is often fast and visible, but things don’t tend to settle; instead, space is cleared, and some direction gets set that moves us toward a conclusion. The effect is heightened because Aries carries the charge of Mars and, secondarily, the vitality of the Sun. The result is a sudden burst of energy, adrenaline, and movement after the wishy-washiness of the Virgo–Pisces axis that we visited in last month’s eclipses.

The Ram of Aries is youthful and forward-leaning, sometimes brave, sometimes rash. Under this lunation there’s a push to speak, act, or decide without much delay. That can be useful as action gets easier, but don’t expect humility in your day-to-day encounters. Admitting fault or apologizing isn’t the Aries way, even when people want to talk. Arguments and public debates are as likely to shed fire as light under configurations like this.

Full Moons always draw attention to relationship dynamics; here the focus is less on harmony and more on honest engagement. This is a good time to notice where you’re eager to take a stand or try something new, while remembering that first impulses set tone even if later revisions will follow.

Venus and Saturn with Jupiter’s interlude

Venus moves through a demanding meeting with Saturn, a contact that presses on love, partnership, art, and mutual understanding. The period often comes with some relationship strain, coolness in affection, or a forced accounting of what a bond is worth. Money matters can feel tight and priorities that should be soft start to sharpen under this opposition.

Saturn is retrograde, so unfinished business returns – past partners, unresolved debts, or choices left unsettled may resurface. Before that reckoning, Venus draws on a brief and supportive link to Jupiter. This can appear as a gift, an encouraging ally, a financial lift, or a creative opening that renews confidence. Taurus, Libra, Virgo and Pisces feel these themes most closely, yet everyone may observe them in personal life, cultural stories, or public figures navigating love and value under pressure.

The Lights Square Jupiter

Both Sun and Moon form tense squares to Jupiter, inflating mood and ambition beyond practical limits. Feelings swell with hope for growth, yet can push faster than conditions allow. The Moon shows this through emotional reach – generosity, optimism, and faith that more is possible. The Sun amplifies the urge to expand plans, take risks, or preach a big idea. Cancer, Sagittarius and Pisces take the brunt of this surge, but anything touching both lights is likely to be felt universally.

Some astrologers (myself included) might suggest that the challenge this describes is one scale: commitments, spending, or promises may exceed real capacity. At its best, this aspect drives learning and wider perspective; it tests belief systems and long-term vision against lived reality, encouraging measured growth and confidence grounded in what can actually be carried forward. Whatever the case, molehills become mountains under Jupiter contacts, and one micro-moment can come to define the whole period – for better, worse, or neither.

The Mars-Heavy Sky

This full Moon lands in Aries, Mars’ daytime sign, while Mars itself stands strong in Scorpio. Mercury has just crossed into Scorpio as well, tying everyday speech, writing, and news directly a sharpened blade. Information moves quickly and with keen edges; debates spark and actions follow fast. Aries pushes outward and initiates, while Scorpio Mars works with depth and strategy – together they create movement that is both immediate and penetrating. Mercury’s role adds friction to conversation, contracts, and the small exchanges that shape daily life. Cooling these conditions comes through the kind of steadiness we see in the earth signs: slow your reactions, check facts before answering, ground choices in tangible evidence. Discernment keeps action effective and prevents heat from turning to flames.

The Moon on Alpheratz, the Hair of the Woman in Chains

This full Moon rises on Alpheratz, the bright star marking Andromeda’s head. In myth, Andromeda is the princess chained to a rock as sacrifice to the sea monster sent by Poseidon, later freed by Perseus. Her story is one of peril and release, or vulnerability and heroic rescue.

Astrologically, Alpheratz has long been read as a fortunate star, blending the warm, generous qualities of Jupiter with the grace of Venus. It suggests independence, freedom, and the power to emerge from limitation with dignity intact. When joined with the Moon, the star’s influence turns inward and personal: emotional courage, creative self-possession, and the ability to break free from inherited or imposed bonds.

Placed here at the first full Moon of autumn, Alpheratz offers an image of reclaiming agency as seasons shift. It encourages working through what constrains us – be they expectations, old fears, even cultural patterns – while honoring the resilience gained from those very same struggles.

Seasonal Guidance: Fall is Finally Here

Autumn begins as the year tips from heat toward coolness and from the active, outward push of summer into a slower, more inward rhythm. The air dries, nights start to lengthen, and a subtle coolness replaces summer’s restless blaze. In humoral terms, we leave the choleric (hot and dry) months and enter a more melancholic time (cold and dry). Energy can feel sharper but also thinner. This is the season to steady yourself against increasing dryness, preserve warmth without overheating, and cultivate routines that protect mood and resilience as the outer world grows cooler and darker.

Fire Signs (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius)

Fire signs are naturally warm and dry, and autumn’s cool dryness can leave them parched and a bit over-wound as temperatures fall. Focus on moisture: stewed fruits, broths, cooked grains with a little oil. Use spices lightly and drink more warm liquids than you think you need. Keep movement early and steady rather than late or explosive; save ambition for when the body feels nourished. Evening rituals that quiet the nerves – reading, stretching, slow conversation – help keep inner fire from running too fast as days shorten.

Earth Signs (Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn)

Earth is cool and dry by nature, and the season adds another layer of dryness that can harden routines and slow digestion. Counter with warmth and gentle moisture: roasted vegetables, slow-cooked meats or legumes, spiced grains, and a bit of healthy fat. Avoid long fasts and cold salads. Walk after meals or do moderate, warming exercise to keep circulation easy. Small variations in routine – a new route, fresh flavors, occasional outdoor meals – help prevent autumn from becoming heavy and rigid.

Air Signs (Gemini, Libra, Aquarius)

Air signs carry lightness and motion, but the dry, cooling turn of autumn can make energies brittle and easily depleted. Anchor with warm, substantial foods: lentils, root vegetables, hearty grains. Eat at regular times rather than grazing. Protect sleep by reducing evening screen time and giving the mind a quiet landing. Choose rhythmic, moderate movement – cycling, dance, brisk walking – to keep the body engaged without scattering energy. Social life is healthy in balance; give yourself clear pauses to restore steadiness.

Water Signs (Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces)

Water is cool and moist, and autumn’s cool dryness can draw that moisture away, leaving energy flat and mood thin. Keep meals warm and moist – soups, stews, hot cereals – and drink hydrating teas through the day. Skip extremes of raw or very spicy food that strip what little moisture remains. Gentle morning exercise and stretching help keep circulation smooth without draining reserves. Prioritize emotional replenishment: calm surroundings, trusted friends, and regular sleep all help sustain vitality as the season deepens.

Sabian Symbol for 14° Aries: in a quiet moment, a creative individual experiences the flow of inspiration

This image is about craft, story, and continuity. A figure sits at day’s end, working threads into pattern. There’s a practical and creative side to weaving a blanket, which offers warmth and protection, but may be done so in bright, vibrant colors and pictures. Multi-generational weavers are often quoted saying that each thread holds memory: inherited skill, cultural knowledge, even the quiet dignity of making something by hand. In a world that often prizes speed and novelty, this symbol asks us to value slow creation, work done carefully, without rush, when no one is watching.

The setting Sun suggests time passing and light fading; the day’s energy is nearly spent. Yet rather than scramble or chase more, the weaver keeps at their work. The weaver is enjoying a private rhythm, losing themselves in the act of shaping something real from what once lived only in their imagination. Maybe this symbol is a call to translate inner vision into tangible form, to let work become meditative and meaningful.

Under this full Moon, the symbol certainly seems to encourages steady attention to craft and heritage – to the “warp and weft” of life itself. It favors practical expression over endless thought, and warns against letting dull routine erase meaning. Work that honors tradition, skill, and care builds both security and a quiet sense of place.

Find the October Full Moon in Aries Horoscope for Your Zodiac Sign

Aries

This full Moon can heighten anxiety and make everyday pressures feel sharper than usual. Yet Mars, your ruling planet, is powerfully placed in Scorpio, signaling strength and deep reserves. You’re well positioned for progress if you can step back and hold the bigger picture in view. Decisions made now have momentum, but they land best when taken from a calm, measured frame of mind. Keep adrenaline in check so your drive works for you rather than scattering focus.

Taurus

This full Moon may feel demanding. Venus, your ruling planet, moves into a hard exchange with Saturn, bringing relationship or financial strain into focus. At the same time, Mars crosses your seventh house cusp, energizing partnerships and encounters with others. Astrologers joke about this transit as “going to war” because it often feels combative, though most conflicts are symbolic rather than literal. Expect extra friction and try not to force perfect outcomes. Next month looks gentler; for now, respond steadily and avoid pressuring yourself to solve everything at once.

Gemini

Saturn is nearly finished with its long stay in your tenth house of career and public standing. Saturn moves slowly and tends to bring large, structural challenges rather than single dramatic events – extra responsibility, pressure to mature, or delays in advancement. As it prepares to leave, those burdens begin to ease. You may find yourself stepping into responsibility with more confidence, or watching obstacles dissolve so work feels lighter. Career matters aren’t effortless yet, but the path forward grows clearer and more manageable.

Cancer

This lunation may pull you in several directions at once. Work could bring sudden developments or chances to make a strong impression and move forward. At the same time, themes of leisure and creativity ask for space, so leave room for personal joy. Travel looks touchy under this Moon – if plans are set, review details carefully and prepare for changes. Aim to balance ambition with replenishment so you can seize opportunities without letting stress drain your reserves.

Leo

Attention turns toward family, home, and close ties – including elders and long-standing relationships. This full Moon highlights those spaces as worth time and effort. The Venus–Saturn opposition touches your second and eighth houses, so be deliberate with spending and shared resources; keep finances clear and avoid knots that take months to untangle. Travel shows promising signs under this sky – planning or short trips could refresh perspective and help balance heavier domestic themes. Invest in security while leaving space for movement.

Virgo

This full Moon highlights the Venus–Saturn opposition, placing extra weight on relationships and emotional sensitivity. Protect your natural tenderness; don’t let the world’s heaviness press too hard on your heart. At the same time, local life looks lively and promising. Neighborhood gatherings, markets, and outdoor events before the chill sets in can lift spirits and connect you with supportive people. Revisit old friends or familiar spaces for grounding. Gentle social activity and nearby pleasures help balance heavier feelings and restore some coziness.

Libra

It may be time to make some financial calls, Libra! This is a good time to take decisive action with money – investments, savings, or improvements to your home and surroundings. Hard work is paying off, yet the pace could push toward burnout if you don’t pause to restore yourself. Regeneration matters; even short breaks or day trips can help reset energy. Steady progress should be preferred over huge leaps, and make choices that secure your future while keeping daily life sustainable.

Scorpio

I’ve got some good news for you: momentum is with you! Mars, your ruler, moves through your first house and doubles the effect of your efforts. This is a period to advance personal goals, launch projects, and assert direction with clarity. Your actions carry unusual weight and follow-through, making now ideal for taking initiative. Over the next two months, others may look to you for guidance or support; how you respond can shape your role well beyond this season. Use the present drive to move forward with focus.

Sagittarius

Old romance may surface – a former partner, lingering feelings, or unfinished story. Give it room to breathe rather than rushing resolution. If love isn’t the issue, Venus at your midheaven can point to friction with friends or colleagues, or a sense of overwork without enough appreciation. Relief builds later this month as Mars moves into a smooth trine with your ruler, Jupiter, giving courage and fresh energy. New plans or adventures started then have tailwind and feel easier to sustain.

Capricorn

You may feel drawn inward just as outer demands pile up. Both spaces matter; use trusted partners and friends to help sort priorities and avoid overwhelm. Saturn, your ruling planet, is preparing to station direct, a turn that strengthens discipline and helps you rebuild momentum after months of reflection (maybe even upheaval). Let others support where they can while you focus on what truly matters. Structure and steadiness are coming back – avoid scattering your energies before that clarity arrives.

Aquarius

Professional power is front and center. Mars energizes your tenth house of career and public reputation, giving you a rare push to act decisively and claim space. Use it to advance, lead, or break through barriers that have slowed you. At the same time, watch financial matters closely. The Venus–Saturn opposition tightens budgets and can stall large investments or shared-resource plans. Strategic restraint now helps avoid strain before conditions improve in 2026. Keep ambitions high while closely managing your bottom line.

Pisces

Saturn is preparing to leave your sign for decades, easing a long period of self-discipline and weighty responsibility. Its final act may involve relationship review, as Venus opposes Saturn from your seventh house. Some romantic disappointments or clarifications could surface. Jupiter in your fifth house offers a release valve: leisure, joy, and creative expression can balance heavier themes. If romance isn’t central now, use this time to play, create, or reconnect with pleasures that renew optimism while Saturn completes its work.

Horoscope Author

Wade Caves, based in Brooklyn, NY, is an astrological consultant and educator specializing in problem-solving applications of astrology. He teaches astrological divination and astronomy at the School of Traditional Astrology. Wade also publishes his work on world astrology through Skyscript’s In Mundo publishing desk. He even hosts the World Astrology Summit. A conference dedicated to the advancement of astrology for global problem-solving. Website: wadecaves.com • skyscript.co.uk/inmundo. Email: hello@wadecaves.com.

Story by Wade Caves
Photo Courtesy of Pramod Tiwari

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Christopher Hahn Calls Out the Top Moments of Pittsburgh Opera’s 2025-26 Season

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An opera singer poses in a long pink dress on stage with flyers flying around her.

If you haven’t explored Pittsburgh’s Cultural Distract then you’re missing out on a world of professional performances by some of the best talent in the world. Among these are performances from the Pittsburgh Opera, a cast of fantastic singers and actors rooting their vibrant performances in the traditional side of opera. For the 2025-26 season, the Pittsburgh Opera explores five different productions spanning across genres and decades. General Director of Pittsburgh Opera Christopher Hahn takes us through what he’s looking forward to in his last season with this company prior to his retirement.

The Pittsburgh Opera 2025-26 Season with Christopher Hahn

A man sits in a chair looking up at a woman holding a candle.

La Bohème

I’m very excited to hear the combined talents of Vuvu Mpofu (our recent spectacular Violetta in La Traviata) in a role debut and our very own Daniel O’Hearn returning to us after a stint at the Metropolitan Opera. I am expecting major chemistry!

Two men in suits sit on a bench, looking at each other.

Fellow Travelers

This entire story, set in the repressive world of Washington DC in the 1950s during the McCarthy era holds up a mirror to our current challenges in a quite uncanny way.

An illustration of a man carrying a stick and another man with his arms raised behind him.

Curlew River

The opportunity to see and hear Britten’s powerful piece Curlew River, in the solemn splendor of Calvary Episcopal Church in Shadyside, is something I am so looking forward to. It is powerfully impactful and rarely performed, and a great gift to our Pittsburgh community.

A drawing of an open school locker for an opera season flyer.

Time To Act

Our latest world premiere Time To Act brings the fine team of composer Laura Kaminsky and librettist Crystal Manich together to bring to life the struggles of young people dealing with weighty matters in the context of their school’s drama class. This promises to be very compelling indeed.

An illustration of a man with deer antlers between two women.

Falstaff

Falstaff is one of my favorite operas, and Verdi’s last, brilliant statement about life and laughter. When the curtain comes down on the final performance (which will also mark the final performance of my tenure as General Director) I know we will emerge from the theater with a renewed optimism and anticipation for what lies in store for this wonderful Pittsburgh Opera and its many devoted supporters!

Story by Christopher Hahn
Photos Courtesy of Pittsburgh Opera

Featured Photo Courtesy of David Allen for Opera San Jose

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Speculaas Gingerbread Cookies

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Two wooden gingerbread cookie molds, one of which a child's hands are pressing dough into, next to a ball of dough, a rolling pin, and small bowls of flour and sliced almonds.

Nothing says “winter holiday” like gingerbread. The smell alone puts us mentally in front of a roar fire, mug of hot cider in hand, munching on a delicious treat. When we mentioned our nostalgia for gingerbread, our friends at Mediterra smiled knowingly. “There’s a recipe for that,” they said. And here it is.

What Is the History of Speculaas Gingerbread?

Speculaas: A Spiced Biscuit with a Story

Speculaas is more than just a cookie: it’s a window into centuries of European culinary tradition. Since their first appearance in the Netherlands during the late Middle Ages, these spiced biscuits have risen in popularity thanks, in part, to the Dutch East India Company’s lucrative spice trade. Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, and white pepper—precious imports at the time—were blended into the signature speculaaskruiden, giving the cookies their unmistakably warm flavors.

Speculaas became especially tied to the feast of Saint Nicholas, celebrated on December 5–6 in the Netherlands and Belgium. Bakers pressed the dough into intricately carved wooden molds, producing detailed images of the saint, biblical stories, or folkloric figures. The result was both sweet treat and edible artwork, a centerpiece of holiday festivities.

Unlike the thicker, chewy gingerbread of Germany or England, speculaas is thin, crisp, and deeply spiced. Its influence spread widely: in Germany it became Spekulatius, in Indonesia it mingled with local flavors, and in the 20th century Belgium’s Lotus brand transformed it into the globally beloved “Biscoff.”

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Two wooden gingerbread cookie molds, one of which a child's hands are pressing dough into, next to a ball of dough, a rolling pin, and small bowls of flour and sliced almonds.

Speculaas Gingerbread Cookies


  • Author: Mediterra

Description

These classic holiday cookies are made with a blend of warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves, giving them a rich, fragrant flavor. The dough is chilled, pressed into molds or cut into shapes, then baked until golden brown for a crisp, spiced treat that’s perfect for the winter season.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 cups KA flour
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 ½ tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • ½ tsp ground cloves
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp kosher salt
  • ¼ tsp ground white pepper
  • 1 ½ sticks of unsalted butter (12 T)
  • ¾ cups packed light brown sugar
  • ¼ cup honey
  • ⅓ cup milk


Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, coriander, ginger, cloves, baking soda, salt, and white pepper. In the bowl of the stand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until it’s light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl, and slowly add honey. Scrape the bowl again and add half the flour mixture and mix until incorporated, then add the milk and repeat with flour mixture. Divide the dough and shape it into 2 disks. Cover in plastic and chill for at least 1 hour.
  3. Flour cookie molds. Working with 1 disk at a time, break off small chunks of dough and press into a floured cookie mold. The dough should fill the mold area and there might be a little sticking up the mold, which is ok, just press lightly against a flat surface to smooth it. Tap the long edge of the mold on the counter to loosen the cookies. Transfer the shaped dough pieces to the prepared baking sheets, spacing the pieces 2 inches apart. Chill cookies in pan.
  4. No mold, no problem. Roll the dough out like a sugar cookie and use a cookie cutter. If you have a glass with a crystal bottom, you can press that into the cookie to make a pretty design.
  5. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 16–18 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking pan for a couple minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Notes

Tips:

  1. For a softer cookie, modify your sugars to the following quantity: ½ cup brown sugar, ½ cup honey.
  2. If you would like a sweeter cookie without spice, omit white pepper.
  3. Freeze the cookies again for another few minutes before putting in the oven, this helps the cookies from spreading while baking.

Recipe by Mediterra
Photography by Adam Milliron

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Orange Apple Bread Pudding

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A plate of bread pudding with dried fruit and raisins, a fork resting on the plate, next to a mug of coffee and a small jug of cream on a dark wooden tray.

The secret ingredient in this truly stunning Orange Apple Bread Pudding dessert? We think it must something to do with Greek heritage, because it blends rosemary bread from the Ambeliotis family’s Mediterra Café, and orange-infused olive oil from the Liokareas family’s line of imported foods. The combination is sunny on the palate — just what we need in the short days of December.

This cozy winter dessert combines rosemary bread cubes, apples, raisins, and warm spices with milk, eggs, and orange‑infused olive oil for a rich, fragrant pudding. Enjoy!

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A plate of bread pudding with dried fruit and raisins, a fork resting on the plate, next to a mug of coffee and a small jug of cream on a dark wooden tray.

Orange Apple Bread Pudding


  • Author: Keith Recker

Description

Bread pudding isn’t just for grandmas.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 cups two-day-old Mediterra Café rosemary bread cubes
  • 1 cup raisins
  • 1 apple, cored and cubed
  • 1 ¼ cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 ½ cup milk
  • ¼ cup amaretto
  • ¼ cup Liokareas Orange Olive Oil
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 tsp rum extract
  • 2 eggs, beaten


Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease casserole dish or loaf pan with Liokareas Orange Olive Oil.
  2. In a bowl, toss all dry ingredients, making sure everything is evenly mixed.  In a separate bowl, combine all wet ingredients and whisk until well combined.
  3. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and toss until bread cubes are well moistened.  Pour into baking container. Use spatula to scrape the bowl!
  4. Bake 50 to 60 minutes.
  5. Remove from oven and sprinkle about a tablespoon of Amaretto on top. Best served while warm…with a scoop of vanilla, honey or cinnamon ice cream if you wish, or perhaps a drizzle of Greek yogurt sweetened with honey.

Notes

For more on Liokareas imported olive oils and herbs: liokareas.com

For more on Mediterra Café, now located in Sewickley and Mount Lebanon: mediterracafe.com

Recipe by Keith Recker

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