Lets Meet Ferdinand Frankenstein

Eek!!!  Don't be frightened.  Welcome to The Little Yellow Corner Store....let me introduce you to my eerie but affectionate friend, Ferdinand Frankenstein.  He decided to drop in for a visit.  Fall is his favorite time of year to travel and since my grandson is just over a year old, he was anxious to meet him and get acquainted.   To my little peapod........this is Ferdinand Frankenstein and this special tablescape and story is for you.

I am also happy to mention that along with this introduction to Ferdinand, we are participating in the Halloween Tablescape Blog Hop hosted by our dear friend, Rita from Panoply beginning Tuesday, October 12, 2021.  Please visit each of the blog links listed below starting October 12th and enjoy all of the hair-raising and spine-chilling tablescapes from some of the most talented designers.  You will have a wickedly good time browsing through them all.  Now that you are here visiting The Little Yellow Corner Store, lets begin with Ferdinand Frankenstein.

Ferdinand is a gentle old soul who is generous, kind and very considerate.  His smile is contagious and he makes friends very easily.  Children gravitate to him and are taken in by his playfulness, good-humor and politeness, not to mention, his good looks.    He is so well-known for his cuddly hugs and infectious positive demeanor. Nothing is really scary about Ferdinand.  He loves everyone.

When Ferdinand was a little boy, his favorite time of the year was Fall because of Halloween.  You can say he was very fond of this season because he was "born" or put together during this time.  Many of his cherished childhood memories were of this cool weather season.  During Fall he would play with his toy spiders and bats from morning to night.  Just before bedtime, the ominous moon would appear in the night sky and shine though the spooky clouds and twinkling stars. At that time, his mother would remind him to get ready for bed.  He was to wash up, put on his bat pattern pajamas and brush his green teeth with his prized slime toothpaste.  After night time prayers, Ferdinand would burrow down into his soft and fluffy comforter and drift into a deep sleep for the entire Fall night.

As he was growing up, Ferdinand was very excited to visit his friends in caves to play, but they all loved to visit the local apple orchards even more during this special season.  They would spend hours playing peek-a-boo in the corn mazes, picking apples and joy-riding in hay wagons throughout the area.  

His spider friends just love to hang out with Ferdinand.

And who could resist leaping into huge piles of gathered leaves.  The best fun was for Ferdinand, his spider friends and bat friends to hide in the leaf piles with other children and pop out when unexpected adults were near.  Ferdinand never frightened children.  To them, Ferdinand is an oversize lovable child himself.  

Ferdinand always enjoyed asking his spider and bat friends to join him to carve pumpkins into jack o'lanterns, make sweet, crunchy peanut caramel apples, cinnamon apple pie, creamy pumpkin pie and hot apple cider.  

And for some of his spider and bat friends, he would conjure up a bubbling cauldron of witches brew for a night time beverage.  

Ferdinand adores the Fall weather since it gives him a chance to wear his warm and cozy lime green and pink laboratory sweater with matching pink neck bolts. Fall is a time to dress up in sweaters or snuggle up with blankets beside a flickering indoor or outdoor fire.  He never forgets to bring the marshmallows for roasting around the campfire.  Ferdinand says the smell of burning wood of the campfire reminds him of his grandparents who loved the outdoors and did plenty of camping and hiking, especially in Fall when the leaves would have changed a brilliant shade of red, orange, yellow and burgundy and nights become cool and nippy.

 

Of course, Halloween trick or treat is a huge celebration for Ferdinand.  It is a chance to gather with friends and have a party after going door-to-door visiting the neighbors.  Ferdinand inspires others to go "all out" and decorate for the event.  Orange and purple lights and lit jack o'lanterns are every where around his abode.  He adorns his front door with smiling ghosts and cackling witches who help welcome all the children to the front porch.  Boiling cauldrons, curious black cats and witches brooms are placed on either side of the spider-webbed door along with a huge bowl of fun Halloween candy for trick or treaters.  All are welcomed to Ferdinand's haunted castle.  

If you ever tasted one of Ferdinand's dutch apple pies, you would never want to taste any other.  It is loaded with slightly tart and slightly sweet sliced apples from the orchard and mixed with spices, sugars and lemon juice to form a caramel sauce.  His scrumptious cinnamon dutch apple pie is award-winning each year at the Monster Fair.  The aroma of this delectable pie brings all of the ghouls in the neighborhood to his house.  The pie is topped with a crunchy cinnamon topping and served with a scoop of smooth and creamy vanilla ice cream.  Ferdinand really knows how to bake and make everyone feel at home.  Below is his recipe that he is willing to share with friends like you.

Ferdinand's Dutch Apple Pie

1 homemade or refrigerated pie crust

12 apples (peeled, cored and sliced into pieces 1/8 inch thick) (Assorted apples such as Granny Smith and Gala)

2 T lemon juice

1/4 tsp of lemon zest

3/4 C brown sugar

3/4 C granulated sugar

5 T flour, all purpose

1/3 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

3/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp cardamom (optional)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

Topping:

1 C flour

1/3 C brown sugar

1/3 C granulated sugar

1/2 C cold, cubed butter

1 tsp. cinnamon

Peel, core and slice apples into pan with lemon juice.  cook over medium heat.  Add sugars, flour, salt and spices.  Cover and cook gently for approximately 15 to 20 minutes stirring very often.  Remove from heat and add vanilla extract.  Cool it down completely.  

In the meantime, slightly pre-bake refrigerated pie crust in 350 degree oven for 5 to 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and add chilled apple pie filling.  

Now mix the topping ingredients until it forms crumbs.  Sprinkle on top of the apple filling.   Bake at 375 for approximately 50 -60 minutes.  Cool down and cut into slices.  Serve with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  Enjoy!

Would you like Ferdinand as a friend?  He says "thank you" for the visit, a chance to share his story and the opportunity to get acquainted and become your friend too.  He and his friends send their best wishes for a Happy Halloween.  Come visit with him again.

The story about the life of Ferdinand Frankenstein is much loved by children and adults alike.  I hope you enjoyed it.  Adults at any age love to celebrate Halloween too.  

So with that acknowledgment and the end of the story of Ferdinand Frankenstein, we offer a little refreshment for adults...a glass of apple cider sangria.  The recipe includes apple cider (2 or 3 C) mixed with 1 bottle white wine (750ml.), 1 bottle of ginger beer (12 oz.), apple, lemon and orange slices and star anise, cinnamon sticks and ice cubes in the shape of skulls and bones for embellishment.  It is cold, slightly sweet and has the refreshing flavors of Fall.  Lets make a toast to Ferdinand!

Now let's continue with more chilling, spooky Halloween fun by visiting the following table designers in the Halloween Tablescape Blog Hop.  (Remember the links below will be active starting Tuesday, October 12, 2021.)

Pandora's Box - Black, White and BOO

The Little Yellow Corner Store - Let's Meet Ferdinand Frankenstein

Panoply - hOWLoween Tablescape

Home is Where the Boat Is - Happy Haunting Tablescape

Hyacinths for the Soul - Whooo's Ready for Halloween

Debbee's Buzz - Batty Black, White and Purple Halloween Table

The Sweet Sensations - Ghoulish Glam for Halloween

Everyday Living - No Tricks, Only Treats

Corner of Plaid and Paisley - Halloween Tablescape - Got That Feeling Someone is Watching You?

Life and Linda - Happy Hallow-Queens Party

Tablescapes at Twenty-One - The Spider & the Fly

Zucchini Sisters - Halloween Tablescape Featuring Creepy Plastic Spiders

Bluesky at Home - Halloween Tablescape Ideas for the Patio

The Bookish Dilettante - Halloween Tablescape Blog Hop

My Hubbard Home - Festive Halloween Party Decor Ideas

Dinner at Eight - A Haunted Table for Halloween

Red Cottage Chronicles - Black Magic Halloween Tablescape

The Painted Apron - Set the Scene, It's Almost Time for Halloween!

Me and My Captain - Trick or Treat

Happy Halloween to All!