A Celebration of Easter - Faith, Family & Food

Chef Sharon Pye explains the meaning behind the Christian holiday

Hospice counsellor and author Kate McGahan once said “The very first Easter taught us that life never ends, and love never dies” which is why, after an Easter church service, it is usual for families and friends to get together to enjoy a welcome respite from their busy lives and

partake in sharing delicious food.
 
Customs and religious beliefs are also shared and passed down to the children during this wonderful time. Easter is one of the most important and oldest festivals on the Christian church calendar, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This celebration also coincides with the arrival of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere, hence the name Easter, from the old Germanic word Eostre, meaning rebirth and fertility.
 
In traditional times, Orthodox churches dyed eggs red, signifying the blood of Christ. The red dye was created using onion skins, beets and red cabbage. The Germans introduced us to the Easter bunny, signifying fertility, and to the Easter egg hunt. Ukraine began the tradition of decorating eggs with modern traditions such as Easter bonnets, baskets, chocolate bunnies, big family brunches, lunches, and dinners coming later.
 
In South Africa and most European countries, roast lamb is traditionally served at Easter lunch, representing Christ as the human sacrificial lamb. Oddly, in the US, ham is the firm favourite for these holidays having been cured during the winter months and consumed in Spring.
 
"In my huge family, we meet up for brunch each year at one of the cousin’s houses. The
children come prepared for the Easter egg hunt armed with Easter baskets and adorned with homemade hats, while the men insist on hiding the eggs and of course try to outdo each other."
 
"I have had to lay down some simple rules such as ensuring the same number of eggs hidden is the same number found, eggs cannot be hidden in birds’ nests and glow-
in-the-dark eggs are forbidden! My children started screaming one evening and looking outside, we saw glowing orbs of light in the grass and trees, the lost and forgotten eggs!"
Since then, they have had an unnatural fear of birds’ nests and nervously embark on Easter egg hunts staring up into tree branches above and missing out on the eggs hidden in the grass below.
 
"This year is my turn to host the Easter lunch and I have decided that, considering the real possibility of load shedding, I will make use of other cooking methods and not rely on electricity. So I am going to use our outdoor area in the garden under some shady trees and host an al-fresco lunch, with a long table set up reminiscent of my favourite movie, Chocolat."
 
"Hopefully, my family will be as spellbound by the meal as the characters in the film. My trusty gas braai will be converted into a smoker and slow-cooked beef brisket will be served surrounded by harvest table salads, charcuterie boards filled with cheeses, cold meats, fruits, nuts, breads and preserves. A blueberry lemon no-bake cheesecake served in jars will finish off the meal."