Easter Cheers to Friendship: How to Celebrate with Your Neighbours"
The one time in the year you can put all your eggs in one basket.
Oops, I know I'm tardy! My apologies.
I've been sitting tight waiting for Ann's buns to rise to perfection, so I can come back with an update on her unconventional recipe. (See below) Still waiting, so will report back another day.
For our family Easter was getting together to eat, laugh and enjoy each other’s company. Not being religious we didn’t stray from our usual family roast lunches, mostly lamb.
Whilst many of our family are no longer with us and the younger generation spread across the country, food is still the nucleus of my festivities. On Good Friday, fourteen of us gathered for a community morning tea to celebrate camaraderie, hot cross buns, and more than a few Easter eggs.
I made two batches of hot cross buns, the first I burnt the tops, with the second batch destined to be shared with my neighbours who have no family. My neighbour Ann & I did a bake off trying different recipes.
I attempted a non-traditional recipe of spiced pear with chocolate chips. Unfortunately, it didn't live up to expectations and tasted rather bland. On the other hand, Ann's baking chocolate mint buns, which I am eagerly waiting to try.
This year, I've decided to mix things up in the kitchen and try something different. After all, why not? I'm the boss of my cooking domain.
A treasured Italian friend of mine has dubbed my business "The Food Granny" as "la nonna del cibo" - I'm completely taken with the name! It rolls off the tongue so beautifully.
To celebrate my love of Italian food, I am going to cook two Italian dishes this weekend as I have all the ingredients and plenty of spinach in the garden:
Eggplant Rollatini or Involtini di Melanzane
Italian Easter Pie or Torta Pasquaina
During Easter, one of my guilty pleasures is savoring a homemade hot cross bun that's generously filled with crispy bacon and topped with my award-winning orange gin marmalade.
Short and sweet this week.
Hope your four day weekend is relaxing and full of fun food memory making catch-ups.
I’m off to see what the garden centre has to offer and of course, back into the kitchen with a glass or two. As our autumn weather is a bit unpredictable indoors is the place to be.