Amy Sedaris’ ghoulish Halloween get-together

By Jolène M. Bouchon

updated 11:36 a.m. ET Oct. 20, 2008

Make no bones about it: Amy Sedaris is an entertainer extraordinaire — and we don't just mean as a comedian, actor, and co-creator of such oddball gems as the Comedy Central series "Strangers with Candy." Sedaris is also an entertainer of the domestic variety, charming guests with her culinary stylings and party-throwing panache. She loves hosting so much, in fact, that she's published a book about it, "I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence."

"Entertaining alone is one of the most creative and rewarding experiences I can think of," Sedaris says. But she doesn't believe it has to be complicated. According to Sedaris, you don't need to be a celebrity chef or a style maven to throw a great party, spending hours making elaborate recipes and heirloom-quality decorations. Nor does she buy into the trappings of formal etiquette. "Who can have fun with all those rules?" she asks. For Sedaris, entertaining is more about the gathering of friends, which is why she named her book "I Like You": "That's what you're saying when you invite someone into your home."

Since fall is her favorite season, we asked Sedaris to share her secrets on holding a Halloween celebration. Her answer: a discount-movie-theater dinner party that's sure to charm your guests. What's more, it couldn't be easier: Just scare up some creepy movies, set out some crafty decorations, whip up a meal made to be eaten in the dark, add some frightfully good drinks, and enjoy!

The fun
"For the last few years I've entertained people on Halloween," Sedaris says, "I've rented a scary movie and turned my apartment into a discount movie theater — vacuuming before the lights come up and all."

Steven Sullivan

It's a simple idea that's easy to execute. Choose your film right off the, ahem, bat. That will serve as the basis for your drink and decor decisions. "The fun of the party to me is the movie I'm featuring," says Sedaris, whose favorites include the classic versions of "Dracula" and "Frankenstein," "Hush, Hush," "Sweet Charlotte," "The Trilogy of Terror," "The Bad Seed," and "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?"

The next step, she says, is creating an in-home theater. To be certain all your guests have a clear view of the movie, place your television or projection screen in a central location, with the seating arranged around it. Make sure, too, that your seating is cushy enough to keep your guests comfortable for a couple of hours — or more, if you're showing a double feature. Finally, give your guests dining trays or set out some small side tables to give them a place to put the dinner and drinks you're going to serve.

The food
It's true that discount movie theaters aren't exactly known for their dinners, unless you count stale popcorn and dusty chocolate candies as a meal. However, no hostess worthy of her charm-school crown would ever be caught dead letting her guests go hungry.

For her discount-theater dinner parties, Sedaris usually serves meat loaf, mashed potatoes, and corn. "I choose this menu because you don't have to see it to eat it," she says. "This is important, because the lights are out." Nor does the menu require a knife — the one-handed fork operation makes it easier for guests who prefer to hold their plates while eating rather than placing them on a table or tray. It also provides an extra measure of safety should there be psychotic murderers lurking about.

In homage to the season, Sedaris also makes a pumpkin pie decorated with bats and owls. She likes to use the recipe on the back of the canned pumpkin, cutting out shapes in the dough with Halloween cookie cutters to place on top. (Set these on the pie after it's been baking for 15 minutes, she instructs.) Or, use our recipe for Spirited Pumpkin Pie. You can also make Sedaris's famous cupcakes, decorating them with orange and black sprinkles or frosting (use food coloring), or seasonally appropriate sugar shapes or plastic cupcake picks, available at baking sites such as sugarcraft.com or babykakes.com.

Sedaris also likes to have her guests help carve a jack-o'-lantern at the beginning of the party. "You have to bake the seeds from the pumpkin," she says. "People have an association with that smell." Place cleaned seeds (give them a good rinse, then dry) on a lightly oiled cookie sheet, sprinkle with salt, and then bake them in a 350-degree-F oven for about 10 to 15 minutes until lightly browned. Cool, then set out in a bowl for snacking.

Amy's spooky movie menu

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