Skip to main content

An Easter Celebration in the Time of Isolation #EasterinPlace


There are a few times a year that I cook for my parents and their friends - usually Thanksgiving and Easter. So, I was saddened to think that this year I wouldn't be able to plan and execute a menu for Nonna, Nonno, and their ballroom dancing buddies as we all hunker down in our homes and shelter in place to flatten the curve of the coronavirus.


In 2014, we had a Hoppy Easter; 2016 had the Mann Clan on the road for Spring Break, but I created a menu and cooked the dishes ahead of time for Joe and Sally's Easter Brunch.


In 2017 I served a Locally-Inspired Menu; Easter 2018, though, we were just back from a three-day robotics competition, so we went to our favorite restaurant and had La Balena Carmel serve our Easter feast.


Obviously there are a lot of years missing in that line-up. But here are a couple of throw-back photos that I love of the Nonni with the boys at Easter, doing Easter crafts or playing games at the table after the meal.

 

I decided that I wasn't going to let required social distancing keep me from creating an Easter menu. So, on Sunday, I'll be making this and delivering the meal to my parents. We'll wave at them from a safe six-foot distance and wish them a Happy Easter!


Maybe I can still get D to make an Easter centerpiece for them.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Hot Chocolate Agasajo-Style {Spice It Up!}

photo by D For my Spice It Up! kiddos this week, I was looking for an exotic drink to serve while we learned about saffron. I found a recipe from food historian Maricel Presilla that mimicked traditional Spanish hot chocolate from the 17th century where it was served at lavish receptions called agasajos . When I teach, I don't always get to shoot photos. Thankfully, D grabbed my camera and snapped a few. Ingredients serves 14-16 1 gallon organic whole milk 3 T dried rosebuds - or 2 t rosewater 2 t saffron threads, lightly crushed 3 T ground cinnamon 3 whole tepin chiles, crushed 2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise 1 C organic granulated sugar 1 lb. bittersweet chocolate Procedure In a large soup pot that can hold a gallon plus, combine milk, dried rosebuds (or rosewater, if you are using that), saffron threads, ground cinnamon, chiles, vanilla beans, and sugar and warm over medium heat till it steams. Whisk to dissolve sugar, then lower heat an...

Ki Ngombo = Okra

In honor of Mardi Gras, I searched for traditional recipes for gumbo...only to discover that there is no canonical recipe for gumbo. It seems there are as many recipes for gumbo as there are cooks!  The only two constants in a gumbo: variety and okra. The term 'gumbo' likely comes from an African dialect whose word for okra is ki ngombo .  Gumbos can have meat, seafood, just about anything.  In Mark Huntsman's "The History of Gumbo" he refers to written mentions of using muskrat and owl in gumbo recipes.  I embraced the unlimited potential of ingredients and opted for a combination of fish, chicken, pancetta, oysters, mussels, octopus, shrimp, and squid...and lots of okra!

A Cheese Board Anchored on a Trio of Italian Cheeses + A Pinot Nero from Alto Adige #ItalianFWT on CulinaryCam.Com

I am in the process of migrating over to my new domain. Come on over to read " A Cheese Board Anchored on a Trio of Italian Cheeses + A Pinot Nero from Alto Adige " for December's #ItalianFWT.