Happy Easter/Passover

I admit I am not the most religious person around, but I do respect the Holy traditions of those who are.  I was raised in a Christian home, with Christian values.  Those values still guide me today and have shaped and molded me into who I am.  Even though I do not practice or follow any formal religions, I am still very much a believer and do my best to live by the Golden Rule – Do unto others as you would have done unto you.  Easter and Passover are two very important holidays to Christians and Jews around the world.  Both were just celebrated by millions of people worldwide.  Though they are different, they also have their similarities, as do many other Judeo/Christian beliefs and traditions.  Both holidays are thought to be among the Holiest of days to both religions.  In both religions, the holidays are celebrated by feasting with loved ones and honoring God.

To Christians, Easter represents the resurrection of Christ. It symbolizes a new beginning, and sins of the past are forgiven to create a relationship with God.  It is not completely known how the word Easter came to be, but it is believed to parallel the German word Ostern.  Some also say the word itself dates back as far as the 8th century, and comes from either the words Eostre or Eostrae, which were names used for the Anglo-Saxon goddess of fertility.

Passover, or Pesach in Hebrew, commemorates the story of the Isrealites who departed from ancient Egypt during the times of extreme famine in Canaan.  During these times, Jews were persecuted by the ancient Egyptians and were blamed for all the hardships and woes that Egypt was suffering from during those times.  After their exodus and journey, the Jews landed at the foot of Mount Sinai.  The Passover Haggadah is the story of the Holy man or the Blessed one who saves his followers from their enemies.  The Passover celebration is the celebration of the birth of the eternal nation.

We celebrated and feasted with friends who are really family.  We went to our friends’ Jonathon and Priscilla’s house.  There were 12 of us all gathered together to take part in the Easter festivities.  Priscilla made a lot of the food, her friend Laura made a lot of the food, and I made a lot of the food.  We brought it all together and shared it with all.  As always, the food was delicious, the house was beautifully decorated, and the company was fantastic.  Who could ask for a better way to celebrate?

My culinary contributions for our Easter celebration were Patatas Bravas Patatas Bravas,  citrus almond cookies Another Batch of Cookies, cranberry pistachio cookies Cranberry Pistachio Cookies, chocolate pistachio bites Chocolate Pistachio Bites and focaccia with caramelized shallots and garlic.  We also had 2 different kinds of quiche, ham, a delicious Spring salad, cake and mimosas.

We had a wonderful Easter celebration.  I hope you all did as well.

Author: ajeanneinthekitchen

I have worked in the restaurant and catering industry for over 35 years. I attended 2 culinary schools in Southern California, and have a degree in culinary arts from the Southern California School of Culinary Arts, as well as a few other degrees in other areas. I love to cook and I love to feed people. View all posts by ajeanneinthekitchen