When chef John Memering opened Cactus in Kailua 2 1/2 years ago, he learned firsthand that Oct. 31 can be a fright.

"Halloween is a horrible restaurant night," he said.

But Memering, who delivers what he calls "nuevo Latino" fare, turned his night of horror into bustling business, thanks to a tradition that has its roots in Aztec rituals from 3,000 years ago: Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead.

While at first glance the holiday might seem like Latin America’s version of Halloween, with its colorfully decorated skeletons, homemade altars and graveside meals, Dia de los Muertos is unapologetically a celebration.

The Aztecs did not believe in grieving the death of a loved one; rather, they established traditions to celebrate the deceased’s life. The holiday welcomes spirits of the dead once a year, says Honolulu Waldorf School Spanish teacher Silvia Jaimes, who was born in El Salvador and shares the tradition with students.

Classic Dia de los Muertos foods include mole, a chili-powder-and-chocolate sauce served with chicken; anise egg bread sometimes sweetened and shaped into skeletons; tamales; hot chocolate; and chocolate-and-sugar skulls.

"But the day is celebrated differently in different parts of the world," Jaimes said. "It even varies by town. Each place has its own favorite foods that are prepared."

That versatility is a perfect fit for Memering, who this year has lined up a special menu for the entire Halloween weekend that plays to his focus on Hawaii-produced ingredients.

A sampling: "Pan de Muerto," the traditional egg bread, topped with red chili- and lime-spiced "panela" butter; "bisteca," dry-aged Kuahiwi New York strip; a Regional Tamale Tasting featuring two types of freshly milled corn from Go Farm Hawaii in Waimanalo, prepared with Big Island beef and wild blue shrimp; and "sopes," fresh-ground corn "masa" cups filled with lamb shoulder topped with a mango "escabeche" that references pickled mango.

Desserts include Calabaza en Tracha, a traditional confection of candied Mexican green pumpkin; a Mexican green pumpkin flan; and "churros" rolled in raw Maui sugar and served with Kakalina Farm’s guava sauce and Madre chocolate soup.

"I use the traditions, techniques and recipes of Central and South America as well as Peru and Mexico," said Memering of his Cactus cuisine. "I also use as many locally grown ingredients as I can. My menu can be as much as 60 to 70 percent local stuff. It’s all about local ag."

The chef came to Hawaii 11 years ago well versed in "locavore" cooking.

"I spent my formative years as a chef in Portland," Ore., he said. "We went through a culinary renaissance there. Before that Portland was the kid brother between Seattle and San Francisco. Suddenly there was a provincial attitude:Why buy something from somewhere else when you could get it here? So, I was the king of the farmers market."

Memering says that because the locavore scene in Hawaii is vibrant, he keeps space on his menu to allow for flexibility, with "at least seven things that change at least weekly. I shoot from the hip depending on what farmers have."

He says it takes the efforts of more than just chefs and farmers to pull off locavore menus and credits Oahu Fresh, his supplier, for bringing him the freshest products local farmers have to offer, as well as sourcing items he may be seeking out.

"So many farms are sitting on one-quarter or a half-acre of land," he said. "These farmers wear so many hats, they cannot distribute their products. Oahu Fresh provides such a service to farms and chefs."

Memering says that because of his local approach, he can’t be a purist with the tradition-based dishes he serves.

"Truthfully, if somebody’s Salvadoran grandmother came in, she’d probably slap me," he quipped.

But he says the world is getting smaller. He saw this firsthand on a trip last year to South America.

"So many cultures have infiltrated Latino food, it’s nuts. There are German, Italian, Japanese, Chinese influences," he said. "We were in Chile at a winery, and we were served a salad of cured ham, local cheese and greens that included tatsoi, mizuna and shiso!"

ABOUT DIA DE LOS MUERTOS

Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a festival celebrated largely by Latino cultures in which spirits of the dead are welcomed. 

The official holiday is Nov. 2, though it is often celebrated between Oct. 31 and Nov. 2, which corresponds with Catholic celebrations of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. Origins of the holiday are tied to ancient corn festivals.

"The Aztecs used skulls to celebrate the entire 10th month. It was connected with the harvest, when the land died, before winter," said Silvia Jaimes, who teaches Spanish at the Honolulu Waldorf School. 

Today, skulls and skeletons still symbolize the holiday. Windows are decorated with scenes of skeletons dancing and marching, and chocolate and sugar skull treats are commonly served. 

Another practice is creating a home altar to display portraits, personal goods and favorite foods of the deceased loved one. Families also have picnics at the cemetery.

"They clean the gravestones and cover them with marigolds, and the area is filled with people, candles and music," said Jaimes. "They lay out their picnics and eat at the gravestones. It’s a happy, festive family time when they tell stories about their ancestors.

"Day of the Dead is a celebration of the continuity of life. Spirits are given divine consent to visit their families and are like guardian angels. There’s a feeling of love and warmth."