Easter 2017

easter The Malta Independent on Sunday APRIL 2017

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Easter fun food

This Easter get everyone together in the kitchen to rustle up some delicious savoury and sweet treats. rom eggs, turned into chicks to fishcakes and fritters disguised as bunnies, here are some tasty and traditional Easter treats to try.

Marzipan is a perfect sweet, par-

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ticularly associated with Easter.

And it can be molded, like play dough, into anything from Easter eggs, chicks, lambs and bunnies to spring flowers, for decorating cakes and puddings or to give as a box of Easter sweets.

This simple recipe makes 500 grams. It contains no eggs, so it lasts longer than standard marzipan.

You need: • 300 grams finely ground almonds • 200 grams powdered or icing sugar. You can use less sugar but there will obviously be less marzipan to play around with.

• 1 tsp lemon juice • 1 tsp almond essence • Approx 79 ml of water

Little chick eggs For 1 dozen hard-boiled eggs you need: • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise • 2 teaspoons yellow mustard • Pinch of salt • 1 raw carrot, thinly sliced (julienne style) • 12 black peppercorns Peel each hard-boiled egg and cut a tiny sliver off the bottom, so it will stand up. Cut about 1cm, to the yolk, off the top of the egg to form the top of the chick. Repeat with all the eggs.

Scoop all the egg yolks into a bowl. Mix in the mayonnaise, mustard, and salt. You could also add chili powder, paprika or curry powder to taste, if liked.

Put a little of the filling into each egg base about 3cm higher than the top. This will be for the face.

Place the other egg white halves on top of each chick, tipping them slightly at the back so the chicks appear to be coming out of their shells.

Cut the julienne carrot into 2cm pieces.

Place 1 piece into the yolk, as a beak, and 3 pieces on either side of the base for feet.

Finally, place a peppercorn on either side of the ‘beak’ for eyes. You may need tweezers for this.

Arrange the chick eggs on a bed of chopped lettuce or rocket, or hollow out a delicious, granary roll as a nest for the ‘chick’ as a pack-lunch surprise.

Present the traditional Easter lamb with a difference, well worth the effort

Method: Sieve the icing sugar into a large mixing bowl, add the ground almonds and mix well.

Combine the lemon juice, almond essence and water in a small jug and VERY gradually add the liquid to the dry ingredients, stirring all the time until the mixture becomes slightly damp As soon as that happens squeeze it into a lump, knead it till it becomes a firm paste then put it into a plastic bag, shape it into a roll or block, seal the bag tightly and leave it for a few hours, or over night, to harden.

Break off pieces as needed to make whatever shapes you like.

Decorate them with food colouring, fondant icing, chocolate, candid peel and angelica for realism. Larger batches of coloured marzipan can be made by kneading the food colouring in thoroughly during the mixing process.

Easter bunny lunch Polish Easter butter lamb Turn a fishcake, vegetable fritter, burger or even a slice of toasted cheese into a super snack that’s almost too cute to eat using mange touts, a black olive, peas, chives, two tiny pieces of onion, hardboiled egg white or sliced radish and a baby carrot.

This impressive table centre for Easter Sunday lunch is a traditional part of Easter in Poland.

It takes ½ kilo of salted butter and some cloves or black peppercorns.

The butter needs to be a good quality to be workable, and cool and hard enough to push through a fine strainer or garlic press at the fur making stage.

Work on the plate from which you’ll serve the lamb because moving it may spoil the effect.

Halve the butter lengthways and keep one half for the ‘fur’. Cut a piece of butter from the end of one half and attach it to the other end to make the neck of the lamb. Cut another, slightly

larger, piece off the tail end and attach to the neck, shaping it carefully into a face with a nose and two ears.

Once you have this basic shape, create the fur by forcing small amounts of the rest of the butter through a fine sieve, tea strainer or garlic press and trailing them over the lamb figure.

Start from the neck downwards and leave the more fiddly head till the end. Any leftover pieces of butter could be used to make little feet peeping out from under the body.

Use cloves, or black peppercorns if you prefer, to make the lamb’s eyes and nose and garnish with parsley

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Triumphant statue of the risen Christ celebrating Easter in Malta

The goddess Eostre, who was often depicted with a rabbit

The evolution of Easter The earliest Easter celebrations took place long before Christianity and were very different from the ones we hold today. hese have evolved over the centuries from Jewish customs or pagan practices, depending where in the world they originated.

Two thousand years before Christ, spring festivals were held by the ancient Babylonians. A description of their celebrations of the festival Ishtar includes our

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equivalent of hot crossed buns, coloured eggs and a sunrise ceremony to honour their god, Tammuz, who was brought back from the underworld by his mother/wife, Ishtar. Ishtar was actually pronounced “Easter” in most Semitic dialects.

Phoenician families worshipping Adonis and Astarte; or heretic Israelite families honour-

ing the Canaanite Baal and Ashtoreth also held such pagan festivities at the same time of year.

Christian European Easter celebrations were a replacement for the Anglo-Saxon acknowledgement of the goddess Eostre, often depicted with a rabbit. But with the passing millennia and changes in beliefs, customs and cultures changed.

A cross decoration and page from a 1,200-year-old text, telling part of the Easter story

Early Christians, as instructed

by Jesus, continued to observe Passover, as He had done. But it was with new feelings and in commemoration of the events following the Passion. In the second century, when they were persecuted, wherever they were, Christian missionaries attempting to make converts had to do so secretly. To celebrate different holy days from those which were already observed risked punishment or death. So, they cleverly spread their religious message to allow the people to continue celebrating their feasts, but in a Christian manner.

The pagan festival of Eastre occurring at the same time of year as the Christian observance of Christ’s Resurrection, made it easier to turn the festival into a Christian celebration, with the name Eastre becoming Easter.

Before the fourth century Jewish Christians, the first to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, timed their observance of a festival of redemption commemorating both the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, in relation to Passover.

Some may even have celebrated both Passover and Pascha. Most Gentile converts however hesitated about adopting Jewish festivals, especially since the Jerusalem Council decreed that Gentile converts to Christianity need not observe Jewish religious practices. By the fourth century, the emphasis was on Holy Week

– Good Friday, and Easter Sunday became a distinctly Christian celebration.

Easter, remained, like Passover, a moveable feast, with the date being based on a lunar calendar from a system chosen in AD 325 by the Council of Nicaea. Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday following the first full moon after the spring equinox. This means the date of Easter Day occurs between March 22 and April 25. The Jewish Passover is calculated differently so the actual dates for Passover and Easter do not coincide. But sometimes the first day of Passover will fall during Holy Week.

Nowadays, Easter is a sevenweek season beginning the evening before Easter Sunday and lasting 50 days to Pentecost Sunday. During this time, on a Thursday 40 days after Easter, Ascension Day is celebrated marking the ascension of Jesus into heaven, a truly fitting succession to Easter’s Resurrection Day. Easter is one of the two most important events in the Church and secular calendars. School and national holidays are set around this period each year.

And although, in Malta, school holidays are not very long, and Good Friday is the only public holiday, over the weekend, many families will be taking all the time they can to celebrate their beliefs, just as families did many thousands of years ago.

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Collaged eggs

Egg art Use humble hen’s eggs to make beautiful Easter decorations. Children can join in too. you can because the inks dry fast.

You could also use coloured markers to give more control over where you apply the colour and metallic inks such as silver or gold to deepen and enrich the pattern.

Leave the eggs to dry on their skewers then use a clear polycrylic or liquid varnish, in shiny or matt finish, to keep the colours bright. It is probably better to dip the eggs in the varnish as brushing it on might disturb the ink. Leave the eggs to drip dry for a minute and smooth away any bubbles with a soft, flat brush.

echniques for changing something as easily accessible as eggs into a work of art can be as simple or elaborate as you are prepared to make them. And, at the end of the day, you still have a major ingredient for some delicious cakes or savoury treats.

Unless you want to go for papiermâché or plastic eggs, which have the advantage of a choice of sizes, you will need blown eggs. White eggs will give a better colour result but you might like to experiment with a sepia theme and use brown ones.

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Here is how to make a blown egg: Grip the egg firmly but gently and make a small hole at either end. Start with a very sharp heavyduty sewing needle or pointed knife, so the shell doesn’t crack and slowly enlarge it, with a skewer perhaps, till the holes are wide enough for the whole egg to be blown out into a bowl. Be sure the ‘skin’ inside is broken at each end first. If the skewer breaks up the egg inside it will be easier to blow out.

Hold the egg over a bowl and cover the top hole with your mouth, then gently blow through the egg until the contents have completely emptied into the bowl.

Next, flush warm water through the egg to clean it out. This part of the exercise is probably best left to an adult.

When the eggs are perfectly dry they can be decorated by any of the following methods. Start with whatever you need nearby to make it all easier and more enjoyable.

More ideas: Collaged eggs using sequins

Alcohol inked eggs Make eggs resemble marble, glass or semi-precious stones using alcohol inks and or copic markers, which come in many gorgeous colours.

Two colours per egg are probably enough. They mix very quickly on the shell and you want to avoid a dull smudgy effect.

Hold the egg steady on a skewer with a little sellotape or blutac, so your hands are free.

With a small, flat, natural hair brush apply a dab of ethanolbased Claro Extender to prime the egg’s surface so the ink spreads evenly. Remove any bubbles.

Next drop small amounts of different ink colours onto the egg and gently turn it to let the colours mingle and prevent any ink running. If you get a patch you don’t like brush it with more extender to dilute it. Work as quickly as

These designs simply depend on whatever decorative items you have to hand and your imagination.

Collaged eggs For these you need blown or plastic eggs, coloured, patterned paper, old greetings cards, maps or strong tissue napkins with a very small designs on them and clear paste or glue. If this is very thick add a tiny drop of water.

Dip the pieces of paper into the glue and place them on the egg, letting them overlap to get the effect you like and covering the egg completely.

When that is done, spread a generous amount of glue on a brush and coat the egg to give it some strength and a beautiful shine. You could also add small ribbons, pearls, fabric flowers

Beautiful alcohol inked eggs

Eggs covered in tiny buttons and beads

Beautiful alcohol inked egg

and lace to customise each egg.

Eggstra bling • Cover the eggs in strong, clear glue and roll them in a shallow bowl or saucer full of glitter, sequins or minute beads, covering the surface of the egg. Assorted small buttons would be an original substitute for beads. Use tweezers to make them easier to apply.

• Alternatively, before spreading the glue, mark out a pattern on each egg with masking tape, cut

into extra thin strips. Cover the rest of the surface with glue then roll the eggs • You could also use dabs of glue instead of tape. Cover the eggs with glue dots and swirls and roll them in the same way to make a design of spots and curls.

Any excess glitter can be removed with a dry paint brush.

• Stick loops of string or ribbon into the hole at the top of the eggs if they are to be hung up, or cover the holes to match the rest of the eggs and arrange them in jars, small nests, flower arrangements or table centres.

Sophisticated monochrome design using tissue paper and beads

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Collaged eggs

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Easter expectations are EXPANDING Once celebrated almost entirely as a religious feast, Easter is fast taking on the many of the aspects of Christmas There are Easter cards filling stationers’ shelves or flying round the world in on-line creations.

Tree branches, with or without buds, adorn shop windows loaded with baubles featuring coloured eggs, adorable rabbit, chick and lamb ornaments made of wood, fabric or feathers and mock birds’ nests full of tiny chocolate eggs.

And decorated wreaths of spring flowers and/or miniature eggs are hanging on front doors up and down the streets. There are even boxes of Easter crackers on the market. Will the next step be children hanging up decorated baskets for the Easter Bunny to fill? Why not?

A celebration in spring with its warmth, longer sunny days and the beauty of blooms and blossoms in the countryside is exactly what we all need after the cold, damp, darker days of winter. And, as the time that friends and families can all spend together seems so limited these days, it’s only natural we should take the chance to decorate our surroundings and share the happiness and optimism Easter brings.

And if this means gifts, why not? They need not be huge, extravagant monuments to mammon but they can be sentimental, simple and, naturally, sweet – as in chocolate eggs!

The traditional egg theme can be followed perfectly by including them in sweet or savoury dishes, as gifts for busy people.

Children can help make figolli and paint plates or trays to put them on. By all means take advantage of the many plants and flowers around at this time of year. But, also, consider other outdoor ideas like statues, bird-

baths, nesting boxes, lanterns or small water features.

The gift of a day out with a picnic, visit to an exhibition, film or concert would be just perfect for someone who cannot usually get out much.

Time itself is a valuable gift and short family holidays, in nearby Gozo perhaps, will recharge everyone’s batteries,

especially if you can bare to be somewhere without internet or a phone signal! And days spent exploring the spring countryside will be a real escape. There are always new city sights and seaside windows to discover too.

Huge family meals in a favourite venue, also create a holiday atmosphere, and the only effort it takes is booking the table. Many

local places are suitable for all generations and will be having special menus and entertainment, so no one will miss out on the fun.

A traditional Easter egg hunt will never fail. But turning it into a treasure hunt with clues written on coloured, egg-shaped cards will make it even more exciting. Prizes can include small

Easter soft toys and mugs, egg cups or little bags of tiny eggs.

And, of course, at the end of the day there are the famous processions with a statue of the risen Christ to attend. It would be a shame if Easter became just another over-commercialised holiday. It is significant and joyful and that is certainly a cause for celebration.

Al Ponte Pizzeria & Restaurant Al Ponte is renowned as one of the best restaurants on the island. It is highly esteemed for its delicious Mediterranean food complimented by a wide selection of local and foreign wines.

The restaurant’s open kitchen allows anyone to appreciate our chefs at work preparing mouthwatering dishes including a wide selection of pizza cooked to perfection in our renowned stone oven.

This celebrated à la carte restaurant boasts a rustic vault ceiling along with a beautiful terrace for the enjoyment of al fresco dinning, available throughout the year.

Al Ponte also offers a Cafeteria Menu including a Baker’s Corner during the morning hours, whereas the full menu is served from mid-day onwards.

dishes, live grill and carving station, accompanied by a wide selection of mouth-watering home-made desserts.

The Les Jardins Restaurant is impeccably designed, with a traditional Maltese style of soft, natural colours and typical stone. It is situated adjacent to the splendid views of the landscaped garden and its pool.

Large glass windows face the garden with all the natural light that enhances and compliments the restaurant’s décor to provide a truly unique experience.

Les Jardins Restaurant Discover a culinary voyage that will awaken all your senses.

Join us and explore our lavish buffet based on different cuisines carefully prepared by our award-winning chefs, featuring a vast selection of antipasti, freshly-prepared pasta

MARITIM Antonine Hotel & Spa George Borg Olivier Street, Mellieha MLH 1021 Tel: 00356 2289 2000 · E-Mail: info@maritim.com.mt Facebook: maritim.malta

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In an EASTER garden A miniature garden is an attractive Easter decoration the whole family can enjoy making hether you build an Easter garden in a corner of your own garden or yard or an old baking tray, there are lots of ways to make it special by using elements traditionally associated with spring and the joyful Easter story of Christ’s Resurrection.

Collect some soil or potting compost for the base and, depending on the size of the garden, as much moss, lichen small twigs fresh or silk spring flowers and blossom, pieces of bark, shells, and gravel as you will need, plus a small white or gold candle.

Begin by filling the outside area you’ve chosen, or a large flat tray, with stones, earth or compost.

Make the surface uneven with small hills and sunken paths to add interest. You can put tiny pebbles, white stones or sand around the hills and they can be covered with moss, bark, and twigs of pine, thyme and rosemary. You could even insert a shallow glass dish, to make a pond.

At the side of a hill build a small cave from stones to hold the candle. Cover the opening with a larger, flat, round stone. This can be rolled aside on Easter morning and the candle lit to represent Christ’s Resurrection.

Place real or artificial spring flowers, such as primroses, violets and other small blooms in the rest of garden; or insert egg-cups and jars full of water into the soil and fill them with flowers.

You can also give your garden a springtime theme by including little figures of birds and baby animals.

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