Please Don't Quote Me By Caralee Aschenbrenner Last week's article concerning the oyster, a food rage of the nineteenth century and beyond got me to thinking about the upcoming holidayssooner than we'd like them to. Menus for most of America are fairly traditional at Thanksgiving and Christmas, varying only by region or ethnicityturkey, ham, a huge roast of beef repast decorate most holiday tables. I'm getting nervous having been unanimously appointed the Thanksgiving meal because we are in the process of moving to a different address in the next couple of weeks and should initiate the "new" house after fifty-one years at the "old!" What to have for the main course? Spam, hash?

Well, there's a month to think about it and decide. In the meantime another "day" approaches before that. Halloween. Besides caramel apples, popcorn balls, cider or brownies is there a traditional menu for Halloween?

Searching through a couple old cookbooks and the "research" files stuffed in the filing cabinet, some ideas did pop up. Thank you Inglenook and long ago newspaper items. Don't blame me if your tummy goes anxious when reading this. Buck up and read on.

These are ALL legitimate foods any time of the year but could be a Halloween specialty. How 'bout HEAD CHEESE? It is made of real heads; a kind of sausage cooked down to a jelly ... "Wash as many hogs heads as you wish, scrape clean, take out the eyes, put in a kettle with sufficient water to cover and keep water over the top till meat begins to drop from the bone; to each gallon of meat allow 1 tablespoon of pepper, 2 teaspoons of ground sage, 1 teaspoon of salt; with the hands squeeze up all together, taking out the lumps that will not mash, then mod in dish or granite pan and set in a cool place; when cold slice in thin slices and serve."

BRAINS Yes. Calves brains are best but they have to be ultra fresh; first parboil them, blanch in cold water and scramble with eggs. Do you feel smarter?

SOUSE: PIGS FEET Which is to clean the hog's hocks and put to boil till tender! Remove the bones leaving meat in as large a pieces as possible. Put meat in a mold, pour broth over to cover. Add sour vinegar, season with pepper and allspice. Set where it will get perfectly cold. Of course, there's pickled pig's feet, too, that you can easily find in a jar in many places so you don't have to go the old-fashioned way at the stove.

BLOOD PUDDING Use pork blood, add raisins, sugar, chestnuts, rice, oranges, figs, salt and pepper. Bake for an hour. This is a popular European farm recipe.

We're still into animal body parts and there are plenty yet to feature such as TRIPE The lining of a cow's stomach that is simmered to jellied consistency. It is a favorite in France and Mexico.

Don't forget HAGGIS, also a stomach but a sheep's which is stuffed with oatmeal, liver paste and other unmentionables. It may take getting used to if you're not a Scotsman where haggis is a national food. It does take getting used to like the bagpipe.

SWEET BREADS This body part is otherwise known as the thymus or pancreas of a young animal. Smothered in a rice sauce like the French do, you might not guess its origin.

Of course, you've all heard or tasted beef tongue, stewed kidneys, baked heart ... "Take out the strings (if it's been prepared before hand) to stuff it. LIVER Everyone's heard of or tasted liver and onions, liver and bacon. It's even served in diners on a regular basis.

Such recycling of body parts is nothing new even on days other than Halloween. There's such as MOUNTAIN OYSTERS which are testicles of young animals sauteed, deep fried or braised. Into a special category of testicles? Our neighbor Byron has a long held an annual Turkey Testicle Festival. Check it out.

CHITLINS aren't by any means the last body part to mention but perhaps they should be. Small intestines of a pig that must be cleaned, soaked, cleaned again because after all they are intestines but can be cooked by various methods.

Right down to the bone is MARROW. It is found in the center, the hollow of a bone. That could be an eerie entry on the Halloween menu. Europeans have a specific long, narrow marrow spoon to scoop the cooked tissue from the bone perhaps to spread on bread.

Other animals or their body parts can be a creepy addition to your Halloween menu. You could start a tradition. How about SNAILS! Delicious in a garlic butter. Or TURTLE ... It's not too uncommon around here.

A CROC POT? In Australia crocodile is served every which way ... Does it taste like chicken?

And speaking of chicken, there's UNHATCHED EGGS ... Egg yolks only, without the whites or shells are found within a hen. Such, reference states to be found in a kosher deli.

ONE HUNDRED YEAR OLD EGGS We've heard of these but the Oriental exaggerate on the time span ... Perhaps only for a week or two the eggs are immersed in tea leaves, soda, lime and rock salt then eaten with ginger. They've been kidding us.

FROGS Yes, frog legs are sometimes found on "seafood" menu but there's another type made with two eggs, one cup of milk, a little salt and enough flour to make a stiff batter. Drop into boiling lard, the recipe directs which when printed more than a hundred years ago cholesterol hadn't yet been invented. Serve hot with syrup or sweet cream.

From this list you'll have plenty of variety to serve your Halloween victims ... Er, ah, guests, that is. Halloween was once a serious observation paying tribute to those who have passed to the Great Beyond. Today it's for a fun time. Do your part to make it that way using any of the above recycled parts or their pretend substitutes. Recycling food however has long been called "leftovers."