Easter Traditions Never Die

1 / 4 2 / 4 3 / 4 4 / 4

As a child in Italy as others that lived in small towns, we slaughtered our own lamb/goat. You could not have Easter without lamb. It was fun to see nonna so apt at dissecting that lamb that we enjoyed so much. When my family moved to Venezuela it was hard to find that lamb we needed for Easter. We lived in a beach resort area and lamb was not one to be found easily. So, my dad had to travel inland to small rural areas to find some, and we were able to celebrate Easter.

Then we moved to America, ah America! The land of the free wasn't so keen to eating other than beef. We went back to our roots, drive somewhere in no-man's land to find goats to slaughter, and we did. After so many years of doing that, it started to be more difficult to travel for our precious Easter meal. By then, stores were being more generous in selling lamb, praise God! We started buying lamb chops, lamb neck to make sauce, and then, rack of lamb from New Zealand, hurray! It was so much easier to just slice those chops! Now I BBQ those chops for my family, even my 3-year-old great-granddaughter digs into them, pictures to prove it. This is how my Easter dinner goes, for all 35 of us:

We first have apperitivi and spumante to socialize and start the festive day, Jesus Has risen! Then we sit at tables well decorated (yes, sit down), and serve antipasti. Following the Italian tradition, pasta is served in large bowls for everyone to serve themselves. After savoring the pasta, with freshly made sauce with braciole, pork, lamb necks, so good! pasta bowls are then cleared to make room for braciole (traditional of the Puglia region) and fried vegetables. Then comes the frenzy. While everyone is eating braciole and vegetables I'm at the BBQ tending to the 80+ lamb chops seasoned the night before that were ordered from the store assuring they came from New Zealand, and as soon as they're done to perfection they are immediately put on a large platter and served to the guests. Mind you, these people have been eating now for approximately two hours and you would think they're full, right? You're joking! No way! They swarm on those hot lamb chops like they haven't eaten for days. Accidenti! You barely get around to the 35 plus people and the platter is empty. Better take two as there might not be a second time around. You were right to take two.

You have to follow that with salad for as you know, Italians eat salad last.

Continuamo with dinner, it is then followed with fresh fava beans planted in November to be harvested at Easter, all sort of cheeses, finocchi, fresh peas or fresh ceci beans, whatever fresh vegetables we can find to digest the food. Well, you can't leave out "nuts", yes, nuts of all sorts, not the kind that's already peeled and canned, not for Italians, you have to work for your food, and the hostess better be prepared to have lots of nut crackers, and don't forget the wine that goes with the nuts . Did I mention fruit? After a little digesting comes the fruit. You guessed it, not the pre-cut, pre-peeled fruit, not for Italians, we have fruit that you have to work for, you have to peel it so that you can really smell and enjoy the flavors. What do you think comes next? You guessed it, panna cotta with caramel sauce. Obviously, you cannot have dessert without limoncello or rosolio, none of that whiskey stuff. Aspetta! There is more! Espresso!!!!, certamente, and it better be short and strong. You may even want to dip in it some of those pastine that I make for Easter, same dough as the Scarcelle for kids or put some Sambuca in it.

Those are good times. Unfortunately, this year we're going to miss it because of the virus. Everyone is staying away, it's for our own good. At least we'll have memories of years past and look forward to next year when we'll be able to enjoy once more.