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Easter Memories

Krista: The other day I saw a meme on Facebook with three little girls dressed in their new Easter coats and hats. I don't think I ever had a new coat for Easter, but quite often there was a new Easter dress. We didn't wear hats. I think they were going out of vogue around that time. But there was always a huge Babka on the dining table for breakfast. White glaze drizzled over the top. Daffodils and forsythia always found a place in the dining room as well as cute carved wood Easter bunnies from Germany. Breakfast was simple, in fact, it's what I do for Easter breakfast today. Fast and easy! No wonder my mother made it a tradition. Dyed eggs, of course, sliced ham, homemade bread, and roasted asparagus. And the Babka for dessert! Leslie: My poor mother had fantasies of dressing me in those Easter coats and dresses, with shiny new shoes. But in Montana, Easter often arrives in a snowstorm, and delicate fabrics and floral prints lose their charm when paired with snowboots! (I admit being tempted by the new Wellies with bright designs and colors.) My parents always bought Russell Stover jelly beans "with pectin" -- the magic ingredient really did elevate them above other beans. I still snare a bag or two when I can, and serve them in an egg-shaped covered dish my mother made. (Watercolors by Leslie)

LINDA:  Love the watercolors, Leslie!! I remember getting something new to wear every year. In fact I have one photo, which I can't even be bribed to share, with me wearing a new pale green suit, standing the backyard, holding some long-stemmed white lilies. My Mom was always keen on flowers being held in pics. I think I was about 12 or 13, definitely still in my baby fat stages, but the flowers looked great! What I remember most from when my son was young, was sneaking into his bedroom after he'd gone to sleep to hide Easter eggs. He'd get a real kick out of searching first thing in the morning. We also used to make decorative eggs, the kind with the shrink-wrapped sleeves. Easy peasy. LUCY: Oh come on Linda, I'll show you my photo if you'll show yours! We always had new dresses (often sewn by my mother), and new hats, and wonderful Easter baskets full of chocolates and died eggs and other goodies. Mid-day dinner after church was a big deal too, with a baked ham and scalloped potatoes, and probably green beans. This is my family with our next-door neighbors, the Grambors in our Easter finery. I miss those old days! (Can you tell which one is me?) 
Okay, sharing my photo(s). We always had matching dresses (until my older sister turned 13). They didn't have to be the same color, though in these pictures they are. The tradition was going with our grandmother to buy the dresses and new shoes and new socks. Then we would go to Blum's and have their delicious cake. We would wear the dresses to Easter brunch at my grandmother's house, which was quite formal. Eggs, ham, and waffles with warm syrup. Almost like Christmas breakfast but different, you know? Sometimes we would do an Easter egg hunt at home before we went to breakfast. I don't remember having anything special for those. Baskets and such. But we must have. Must go through all the old albums. FYI, this was my version of Blum's cake that I shared on Mystery Lovers Kitchen.  At Blum's the cake was entirely frosted with the whipped cream and topped with the candy. Decadent. The candy is the special part of it.    Here's the recipe LINK Sheila: When our daughter was young (somehow she turned thirty-something this month), we used to gather all the stuffed bunnies in the house, and while she was sleeping, we'd tiptoe into her room and arrange them all around her bed. I still have quite a few of those bunnies. Hmm--maybe it's time for another bunny party. And I will admit that I bought yet another one just last week. Too cute to leave behind.

One food note: my grandmother lived in Manhattan, and for holidays she would arrive with a wealth of exotic goodies. For Easter this usually included a box of marzipan bunnies about one inch high, dipped in dark chocolate. They were wonderful. I'm grateful nobody ever told me that marzipan was made from nuts, because I claimed to hate nuts. Still like marzipan, though!


As far back as I can remember the Swanson family always gathered at my Uncle Billy's and Aunt Pooch's (her real name was Delores, but no one called her that) house. Since there were so many of us long tables were set up in the garage and Uncle Billy's work bench was covered in a white cloth and all the food was lined up there. First the men went through the line, then the kids, and finally, the women who had actually cooked the food. LOL.

Everything was homemade from the rolls to the pies and my grandma always made my favorite dessert--apple slices. Peg: My mother dressed me in those pastel dresses and coats for Easter, too. My grandmother worked in the garment industry in NYC and made my Easter outfit every year.  When I turned about 12, I decided I wanted an Easter suit instead.  I’ve never really been the frilly dress type of person.   We went into NYC together and visited various fabric stores.  I chose a pale blue and cream herringbone material.  Afterwards we went to the Automat for lunch.  My grandmother whipped up the suit—lining and all—in no time and I was so proud to wear it to church on Easter Sunday.  I was convinced I was the chicest person there!

As for food, that same grandmother made a huge Italian feast for Easter complete with homemade ravioli and cannoli for dessert!

As long as we're sharing goofy old pictures, I think mine takes the cake! Here I am in my suit--at the awkward age of 12, before contacts and before I grew my hair. Go ahead, and laugh. I did. Labels: Daryl Wood Gerber, Easter, Easter traditions, Krista Davis, Leslie Budewitz, Linda Wiken, Lucy Burdette