(Illustration via AllYou.com where you can find instructions for making them, if you are so inclined)
Yesterday my inimitable colleague Miss Plumcake told us of her great fondness for black jelly beans, and wished us all the delights of the season. Right back at you, Plummy.
But that got me thinking about the seasonal treats for this time of year, both commercial and more homespun, that mean so much to many of us. And that made me curious: what’s the culinary treat you look forward to at this time of year?
Is it decorated hard boiled eggs? Challah? Cadbury Caramel Eggs? Leg of lamb? Something only your family created?
For me it’s buns. Specifically, it’s dove and rabbit-shaped buns my mother used to make every year for Easter. They were tasty, yeasty buns with raisin eyes and shiny crusts that melted in my mouth, and we got them just one morning of the entire year.
I miss those buns.
I also went through a period of several years in which I was something of an Easter egg queen. Each year I would get together with a good friend and we would create glorious egg art using dyes, crayons (it’s basically a form of wax-resist dyeing; you use your crayons on the egg shells, and the bits you leave alone get the color while the areas you crayoned are the color of whatever crayon you used), stickers, and assorted tools of the trade.
The problem was, nobody wanted to crack those puppies open and eat the eggs once we’d made them so pretty, but boiled eggs only last so long if nobody eats them. And as much as I enjoy a good hard boiled egg once in a while… there are only so many I can consume before I become bilious and don’t want to see another egg for months. Still, every couple years or so, I’ll get myself a half dozen eggs and do something to pretty them up after I boil them.
So tell me about your favorite taste treat from the holidays at this time of year! I can’t wait to read all about them.
Vegetable spring rolls. No, I have no idea how it started. My birthday is around this time of year, and my parents got into the habit of getting some vegetable spring rolls (from an actual takeaway! we didn’t have a lot of money) as a treat.
So I associate it with having my loved ones around me, and Easter, and being made a fuss of.
Comment by Liz — April 7, 2012 @ 6:04 pm
White chocolate bunnies and coconut cream eggs. I still make myself an Easter basket every year (I’m 54).
Comment by Michelle Evans — April 7, 2012 @ 9:09 pm
Cadbury eggs. Yeah, I know…
Comment by barbara — April 8, 2012 @ 12:00 am
Chocolate toffee covered matzah. (Melt a stick of butter with 3.5 oz. light brown sugar, simmer for 5 minutes, spread on matzah in a greased rimmed baking sheet, bake at 350 degrees till golden for 10 or 12 minutes, spread 1/2 c chocolate chips over the matzoh with a spatula, cool in refrig or freezer, break into pieces, EAT IT ALL!!!)
Comment by Nancy — April 8, 2012 @ 9:35 am
Cadbury MINI eggs!
Comment by Rebekka — April 8, 2012 @ 10:02 am
I always got to get the “goo” on during the Easter season with at least one Cadbury egg. It usually only takes one since they are so sweet. My MIL also makes these heavenly cinnamon rolls on Easter Sunday every year. I call them “Happy” rolls because they make everyone high for a few hours.
Comment by Moe aka @biggirlblue — April 9, 2012 @ 12:26 am
In general I’m not sure what my answer is but yesterday it was definitely the deviled eggs!
Comment by Astra — April 9, 2012 @ 11:06 am
Cadbury mini eggs!! (totally better than eggies)
Comment by Cone — April 9, 2012 @ 6:30 pm
Cadbury mini eggs and my mom’s banana cream pie. Yum!
Comment by Jennifer — April 10, 2012 @ 7:49 pm
I’m sorry, but those peeps just CALL OUT TO ME! They are perfection. Especially the yellow ones.
Comment by tovah — April 11, 2012 @ 5:56 pm