I wanted to write something for Hispanic Heritage month, even though I’m slammed with taxes until October 15, which is the last, very last day you can submit your taxes for the previous year without a late penalty. People will be lined up on the Gregg House porch with their shoeboxes and pickle jars full of receipts on October 14, and all I can say is, “Do better.”

Día de Muertos will be right around the corner after that, but you have to start preparations early. I’ve written several blog posts about Hispanic heritage, art, and crafts, but only one recipe, for pan de muerto in all its anise, cinnamon, orange, and cardamom glory. It’s a perfectly good recipe, but you need so many more dishes to properly celebrate the day.

So I’m handing Dining with the Dead (Mariana Nuño Ruiz and Ian McEnroe, authors) to Johnny. If he doesn’t make all 112 recipes, he’ll get close, I’m sure. One of the great things about this book is that it goes into great detail about preparing the ingredients. Those instructions will be useful for Johnny, who grew up helping his grandfather in the family’s Vietnamese restaurant kitchen, but they’re essential for people like JD, who prepares vegetables like a party of rabid possums.

You’ll learn how to make crafts, altars, and ofrendas also to go along with your tamales, pozoles, pan de muerto, and sugar skulls. Decorations are important too. The book itself is a marvelous decoration, with more than 500 photos. Buy it today, to make your Day of the Dead the best ever. My mother and grandmother will be so proud of me when I send them the photos of my food and decor.

Hallow: A Fractured Family Tale, Black Orchid Enterprises Mystery Book 5, makes a good pairing for your fall holidays, including Day of the Dead. Buy it from this website or your favorite online store. Watch for discounts during October!