Since discovering Day of the Dead several years ago, I’ve made my own small offerings like these empanaditas de calabaza. According to tradition, a spirits' sense of smell can be their last connection to the human world, so the pumpkin used in this recipe is slowly simmered with aromatic spices to lure them back. Tucked into an anise-flavored pastry crust, they can also be easily carried away, just in case the visiting spirits really can take any of the day's offerings with them.