Easter has got to be one of my very favourite holidays! The fresh feeling of spring in the air, everyone bathing in the long awaited sunshine combined with an easter brunch, what more could anyone ask for!? Not to mention the adorable crocuses and paper whites peeking out of the ground!
The night before, Julia and I got together and dyed eggs. First, we wanted to try to dye them with natural food colouring, which did not work out as well as we thought. Ju' once again saved the day (Easter, really.) and told me about how she used to dye eggs with her mother at home. They used to use onion peels, boiled in water, as the colouring for the eggs. We did that and let the eggs sit in the water over night. They turned out so beautifully!
Egg dyeing ideas and tips:
-use beeswax to draw on the eggs before dyeing
-avoid using chemicals-i.e. food colouring as they leach through the eggshell!
-use beets (red), onion peels(brown), turmeric(yellow), spinach (green) instead
-use vegetable oil to polish the eggs just before serving
I very much miss my family and home country around Easter time. It was therefore so,so nice to get together with friends to celebrate spring and to eat lots of Lindt Chocolate eggs.
Thanks to my parents, who found an amazing Swiss chocolatier in Armstrong, B.C., I got to eat a very Swiss Easter bunny this year! Actually, it was a hen, but hey, it was the real deal and that's all that mattered. They even make dog easter "bunnies"! ...I certainly appreciate Swiss chocolatiers immigrating to Canada, come on over anytime! :) (Welcome to Canada!)
Here's the link: http://www.wix.com/chocolatesweety/chocoliro_sample
European Swiss Easter Brunch Menu:
-Zopf bunnies
-Dyed Easter eggs
-"Russenzopf Rolls" (looks like a cinnamon bun. It's a sweet, yeasted dough with a moist almond filling, glazed with a lemony icing sugar glaze)
-Cheese!
-Muesli
-Espresso& Green Tea from France