Another good use for eggs!
Easter is my favourite public holiday but it's got nothing to do with God! I love some of the religious traditions but have one of my own to share. Grab yourself some lemons!
It makes complete sense to me that we have the opportunity at the beginning of Spring to pause over a weekend of Public Holidays here in the UK. The anticipation of Spring buds, more light, some warmth and brightness, and blooms of primroses, bluebells, daffs, and all against the backdrop of new, lime green are all something to be celebrated.
Despite being an atheist I intentionally buy Hot Cross buns from the baker on Good Friday and sing the song (if you know, you know) just before I eat them. Slathered in butter and home made lemon curd. Generations of atheists before me, my Parents and Grandparents immersed me in a unique concoction of Easter traditions that always felt like liquid joy. Egg hunts in the garden, chocolate on the end of the bed on Easter Sunday, group cups of tea and cakes with mini eggs and in my adult life my Mum has mastered the mini Simnel cake and given them at Easter. My Easter gift (yes! we give gifts at Easter!) of choice is Lemon Curd. I think my Grandma invented Lemon Curd! Making my own is the easiest way to feel close to the memories of my Grandma. A recipe will always do that I suppose; I’m not unique in that regard. I’m pleased that the last time my Grandma wrote down her Lemon curd recipe for me, I kept it and after she died I laminated it so I’d preserve it for longer. It was a good idea and I ended up laminating lots of other recipes people had written down for me and I keep them in a box. It’s almost like a memory box full of everyone’s favourites and my favourite people…I don’t think I have a recipe from someone I don’t like. Strange that.
Lemon curd is a strange Easter tradition but to me it has all the right symbols of hope. The colour alone is symbolic of all the hope and anticipation we have that Spring will bring us more light and bright and the yellow daffs and primroses that signal we don’t have much further to trudge down the road of Winter. Making a preserve with eggs too feels deeply connected to the treats of Easter. In the past, my Mum introduced the making of Lemon curd to some Spanish friends who have had lemon groves in their family for generations. They no longer farm the groves as the supermarkets have driven the cost down so low they can’t justify picking them. Rubbish! It was a great day watching my Mum stand and show Lola how to make Lemon curd and there have been many moments since that Lola has delighted in sharing her new found treat.
I digress (as usual) but the purpose of my blog is really to share my Grandma’s recipe with you. It’s so easy, basically an all in one method and requires basic equipment. A great one to make with children.
This video of me pouring in the curd is a bit long but I hope it gives you some idea of the consistency you’re aiming for. I don’t bother with the setting technique of putting a plate in the fridge and testing the drag like I would with marmalade or jam but then I’m not worried if the curd isn’t as set as jam. I like it a bit runny in yoghurt and once the jars have cooled I always keep the curd in the fridge so it tends to stay thicker anyway.
Covering the jars with some cloth makes them perfect for an Easter gift!
No! I don’t make my own crumpets! I couldn’t resist some mass marketing this year and bought rabbit, yes, rabbit shaped crumpets from M & S. You can’t expect an Easter freak like me to resist a rabbit shaped crumpet; that’ll be my breakfast tomorrow.
I haven’t chatted about the iconic chocolate egg and in truth this year I’ve felt very cynical and sad about some of the pressures, supermarkets have put on their consumers this year, especially where chocolate eggs are concerned. Drenching the aisles with thousands of eggs, wrapped in plastic and cardboard at prices that aren’t easy to afford has for the first time ever appeared a little tacky and insensitive to me. I’ve given my grown up kids small bags of mini eggs, some curd and crumpets and hope they forgive me for not keeping Cadbury’s in dividends!
Don’t get me wrong though, this Easter fan loves an egg hunt but did anyone else notice how hard it was to buy individual small eggs this easter that weren’t plastic shells for hunting? Surely the traditional egg hunt is the best way to discover chocolate on Easter Sunday but supermarkets have decided we all have to “go large” and fill the trolley up with stuff we’ve got to squeeze in to the recycling the following day.
Give me an Italian Easter egg, wrapped in colourful paper and filled on the inside and I’m back on board. I’ve often mused opening an Italian shop just so I could spend Easter immersed in all the delights the Italians exchange at this time of year. Best time of year to visit Italy is when the shops are full of eggs!
France is pretty wonderful at Easter too and whenever I’ve been lucky enough to go at that time of year, I’ve enjoyed visiting Poitier and going to the chocolate shops and buying individual delicate Easter treats. It’s interesting how the sweet shop or chocolate shop has survived in these provinical towns. We used to have a sweet shop here in Kingsbridge until recent years and well…if I get bored of Classics then watch this space!
My nod to Easter has been the window with Liberty eggs, the new cushions and my sprinklings of Spring flowers. Above the shop, I’ve got my pink and yellow candles, pots of tulips, my Mum’s simnel cakes, and some simple parcels to give out to the kids.
I hope to get some decent allotment time in this weekend and am more interested in that than sitting in and stuffing myself with Roast; although I may be lying on my back in my allotment polytunnel stuffing myself with simnel cake! Thanks Mum!
Sharing the love.
Finally I’d like to leave you with some pictures that I took from a visit to an open studio with Emily Powell who is a Dartmoor based artist. It was my Mum’s idea…
“I just thought it would be nice to go and see some colour”
If you are bouyed by seeing adventures in colour and love being inspired by people who can express their vision of the world in vibrant and explosive ways then Emily’s artwork is a tonic. She paints from a barn on a farm shop site in Dartmoor and her art is just heavenly. I envy her ability to continue to see the world through, in my opinion the hope of childhood. Her paintings more often than not include hopeful, wistful and sometimes just cosy comments about surroundings and observations. It’s just happy!
If you love the colour of lemon curd and are keen to re ignite some of your childhood nostalgia then Emily is the artist for you! I hope you’re pleased to be introduced!
Today’s edition has been writing in amongst what has literally been a hustling high street day in the shop. Kingsbridge has been full of that old fashioned feeling; people coming out in the Spring sunshine to experience their commnuity, explore their holiday environment, talk to people and reveal themselves again after hibernation. It’s certainly bouyed me and given me hope. There are still some chocolate eggs leftover that people didn’t scoop up so I’m going to put the kettle on now for the cuppa I didn’t sit down with!
Happy Easter/Spring break to all you wonderful subscribers and good luck with the curd!