By: Shahir Massoud
And just like that, Easter is here! It’s one of my favourite holidays of the year because it’s a time to celebrate with family when the weather is warmer, the days are longer and the sun is shining a little brighter. So, to make your Easter gatherings that much “hoppier,” I’ve put together some of my favourite Easter tips. Hop to it and have a read!
- Egg Decorating is Always in Style
Every Easter, my mom would colour hard-boiled eggs and hide them around the house as part of our morning hunt. But, she even took it a step further by dyeing the eggs one colour, letting them dry, then wrapping elastic bands around them. Then, she would dye them another colour. When you peel away the elastics, you get a beautiful two-tone stripe effect! It’s a great way to get creative with patterns, colours, stickers, etc., and they’re also a smart way to make ahead the egg component of your Easter brunch that you can enjoy afterwards.
- Speaking of Eggs…
My mom was also famous for forgetting where she hid all the chocolate eggs and treats! It wasn’t uncommon for my brother and I to stumble upon an Easter treat at the beginning of June. Don’t forget—playing the Easter bunny is your duty, but so is remembering where all of the goodies are. Try to create a little system of where the hidden eggs will go as opposed to randomly throwing them under every nook and cranny in your house.
- Easter Brunch 101
Now, most people will cook up a glorious turkey dinner to celebrate Easter, so you may be thinking, “you now want me to cook a huge brunch!?”. Yes, yes I do – but there’s a smart way to do it. Think about make-ahead staples (remember those coloured eggs I mentioned above, you can do those a couple days ahead) or easy dishes that require little to no prep (like my ramekin-baked eggs with lean Butterball turkey bacon – recipe of course on butterball.ca). You can also re-purpose the leftovers from the night before. For example, try my “Bubble and Squeak” or a giant frittata, and throw in the leftover turkey and veg. Buy a few fancy pastries, sweet brioche, a fruit platter or anything sweet to complement your brunch meal, which still keeps the menu simple, but plentiful and impressive for your family and guests.
- Don’t Forget to Spring-ify!
The best part about Easter is that it always lands when spring has sprung. The gloomy winter is coming to an end, and this is your chance to embrace everything about the year’s most revitalized season. Make sure your menu celebrates in-season produce (asparagus, rhubarb, radishes, etc.) and your table setting showcases the colours, flowers, and scents that are representative of the new season. I personally love tulips, and so does my wife, Mila! I picked up some for her in the airport after coming home from a business trip last week, and they’ve brought so much life and colour to our home.