There’s a chill in the air and mist on the ground, Halloween sneaks up on us with nary a sound and historian, photographer and actress Traci Law of Ghost Detectives ushers in a frightfully good time, with scary good eats.
Traci’s background in the supernatural began as a child, and as an adult Traci always found her way back into the realm. By combining her love of history, photography, acting and the supernatural, Traci is someone you want by your side when investigating an old building for ghostly vibes.
“I grew up in the paranormal, though not in the sense that it is today. I come from a long line of people who are more sensitive to presences in a room or location. We aren’t mediums or psychics; it’s more of a sixth sense,” Traci explained. “As a kid, weekend outings were often to old cemeteries or historic sites rumored to be haunted. I got involved in the field as it is today when I was working as an archaeologist at a site in Philadelphia. We became a popular destination for paranormal groups due to our possible link to pirates.”
With Traci’s busy schedule as an actor and historian at expos and appearances, she would always chat with the NEPA Paranormal Group, which evolved into a paranormal reality show called Ghost Detectives. They asked Traci to join the show as their historian and an investigator. The show can be seen on The CW WSWB at 9:30 p.m. Saturday nights, as well as through Roku and online at paranormalwarehouse.com.
For Traci and the Ghost Detectives team, most weekends are spent filming the show and discussing their progress, especially now at Halloween. It goes without saying that ghost hunting works up an appetite!
“Filming can be crazy, so more times than not we’re finding a 24-hour diner at two in the morning to refuel. But staying hydrated is very important—lots of water and coffee for me,” Traci noted. “I try to eat healthy, so thinking ahead is crucial. I pack snacks such as granola, roasted almonds and fruit. It’s not easy to eat in between filming and checking out abandoned buildings.”
Everyone on the team has their way of staying nourished, although spooky snacks will make a ghostly appearance.
“I recently discovered a recipe for candy apples. It’s basically regular candy apples with a creepy twist. I’ll be making these for an upcoming filming.”
Recipe: Poison Candy Apples
Traci adapted this candy apple recipe from Southern Living, modifying it by not adding any cinnamon (as the original calls for), adding black food coloring and deeming them Poison Candy Apples.
Ingredients
6 apples
3 c. sugar
1 c. water
½ c. light corn syrup
1/4 tbsp. red food coloring
1/2 tbsp. black food coloring
Method
Remove stems and skewer apples with wooden dowels or sticks.
In a saucepan over high heat with a candy thermometer attached, heat sugar, water and light corn syrup, stirring until sugar dissolves.
Bring to a boil until mixture reaches 300 degrees F. Remove from heat and stir in red and black food coloring.
Dip apples, one at a time, then transfer to a greased baking sheet. Let cool about 10 minutes.
Enjoy if you dare!
When autumn starts, Traci becomes the pumpkin-spice-everything girl. “I love pumpkin spice coffee, which reminds me of fall and Halloween. Pumpkin spice coffee is a great way to get into the ghostly spirit,” Traci says. “And caffeine helps keep me awake during filming.”
Recipe: Spicy Pumpkin Coffee
Adapted from many recipes over the years.
Create a unique spice blend using all your favorite fall flavors: a teaspoon each of cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, pumpkin spice and cloves. Mix well and store in an airtight jar.
Open a can of pumpkin; strongly brew a pot of coffee and pour yourself a mug.
Into the mug drop 2 teaspoons of milk (or coconut or almond milk, or soy beverage) and stir.
Add in a half teaspoon of your spice mix and top with a teaspoon of canned pumpkin then stir some more. No need to add in syrups, as the spices and pumpkin spice up the mellow coffee for a great fall treat. Top with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of the spice mix.
Traci’s Scariest Place to Visit?
“Locally, Fort Delaware never disappoints. I’ve had chains rattle that were too heavy to be from rats or the wind, heard a few voices and sighs, what sounded like a cap gun go off right next to my ear when I was alone in the room and footsteps,” she explains. “It’s a pretty amazing place both as a historic site and for the paranormal. I’ve also had some very interesting experiences in London and Romania that still can’t be explained.”
Stay tuned with Traci and her team as they explore this Halloween season, and stay spooky!
- Traci Law photo: Jen Sweeten
- Additional photos: Traci Law
