It is freezing cold outside, snow ankle high on the fields but sun is shining and the first daffodils are looking out of the frozen cover. On Facebook they say Santa Claus this year will be the Easter bunny to hide eggs and sweets for the kids. Well, looking out of my window I would guess so…
I am not quite sure why I like Easter more than Christmas but I think it’s because it is more bright, has more joy and especially (normally) warm weather. This year it’s different with the weather I see. And the brightness too. I had a look at the history of this Christian celebration and it seems that early Christians celebrated the Jewish Passover as the first Easter – the time Christ was sacrificed. Though in many languages the name of the feast is Pasch, Pascha and similar (in Italian it is called ”Pasqua” for example). The word ”Easter” has its origin maybe of an Anglo-Saxon goddess, Eostre, the Indo-European dawn goddess. And its festivities at the same period.
When it comes to traditions I found out that the Easter eggs are a symbol for the empty tomb of Jesus. Here it’s interesting to know the meaning: the egg symbolize the tomb stone, the bird hatches from the egg into life – like Jesus rose from his grave into eternal life. That’s fascinating! But it’s not far away from the fertility symbol of eggs that was used thousands of years. Also the decoration of the eggs is an ancient tradition. The eldest decorated eggs ever found (in Africa) are 60.000 years old. This reminds me how the old pagan traditions were integrated into the Christianity. Instead, hiding Easter eggs is more for entertaining the children who will get a reward after finding them.
Traditionally in Italy there are a few typical meals that are served in this period. Of course the eggs but also the ‘Colomba pasquale” (a sweet, soft cake of yeast dough) in a form of a lamb or pigeon (Colomba). Typical for the region Campagnia is to prepare the Pastiera (a cake with ricotta cheese, orange essence and candied fruit) and the ”Casatiello” (a salty cake with whole eggs, bacon and cheese in it).
Well, I don’t prepare anything of these for my very own. I have the habit to eat boiled eggs on Easter Sunday and Monday. And I used once to have a picnic on Easter Monday with my friends when I lived still home. But for me it symbolize the welcome to spring with all its colors and the start to live again outside.
This spring I’ll start also with a white temptation. Bounty truffle are so beautiful, so fresh and have such a great taste. They are easy to make and have nearly no carbs. And are perfect for Easter.
- 100 gr coconut flakes
- 50 gr coconut oil
- 2 tbsp white almond puree
- 20 tbsp honey
- some drops bourbon vanilla
- coconut flakes (for coating)
- Put the ingredients together in a bowl and mix all well to a smooth dough.
- Take a teaspoon and make small balls.
- Roll them in the coconut flakes.
- Organize them on a dish and let them cool a little bit in the fridge in order to harden them.
To make them even more 'crunchy' put a white almond inside the praline.
The ready truffles can be organized on a nice plate or in truffle forms. Take all colors, makes them shine even more.
