Pan dei Morti (Bread of the Dead) for All Souls' Day

The crunch of old bones

The universe is nothing but life, and all that lives nourishes. - Brillat-Savarin

For much of the Western world, the cool, golden days of autumn mean Halloween, grinning jack o'lanterns and pumpkin pie, tiny ghosts, goblins, and fairy princesses digging into paper bags heavy with candy and caramel popcorn balls or bobbing for apples amid the crunch of fallen leaves. For Italians, this season brings mushroom risotto and pumpkin ravioli, truffles, grapes, and The Day of the Dead. Celebrated on November second following All Saint's Day (Ognissanti) on November first, All Souls' Day, or Day of the Dead (La Festa dei Morti, La Commemorazione dei Defunti or il Giorno dei Morti) is a day many set aside to remember and commemorate the dead. Of course, Halloween was born of this holy celebration, but in Catholic countries such as Italy, tradition still holds and on All Souls' Day Italians, arms heavy with chrysanthemums, visit cemeteries, placing the flowers on the graves of loved ones and celebrate accordingly.