A welcome spring
Easter's not a popular holiday in the Trainer household, but celebrating the return of spring certainly is. So, with the blessings of a fine spring day that just happens to let the goslings enjoy the games and sugar-highs at the same time as their friends, the family finds itself celebrating.
The day begins with a late breakfast of bacon and stilton frittata,
potato farls, hot cross buns, pears stewed in pomegranate syrup, and mango-pineapple smoothies.
After breakfast, when the table was cleared and the dishes done (and the kids doubtless dancing with impatience), they were allowed out of the kitchen to hunt for their treats. The beautiful decorated and tea eggs they'd made the night before were hidden in all manner of kid-height nook and cranny through the house, along with dozens of boxes of sweets:rose, lavender, and chamomile hard candies, cordial drops (rose, orange, anise seed, maraschino, peach, and Chartreuse flavors), pastilles (banana, vanilla, peach, maraschino, violet, anise-seed, and rose flavors), mini chocolate eggs, sesame honey candies, maple sugar candies, jelly beans and chocolate bunnies. There were other gifts as well: stuffed animals, trinkets, books and other little things wrapped in pastel papers and silky bows.
If that weren't enough, there were spicy filled chocolate eggs for the adults and butterfly eggs for the goslings waiting too.
After the ensuing sugar rush and naps, Ali headed out to the Nexus with anyone who wanted to come along to set out goodies for another hunt. There were plenty of people there who needed to have more fun, after all.
Supper, when there were appetites for it, was a late but festive affair: nasturtiums stuffed with cream cheese and nuts, herbed buttermilk popcorn and hearts and flowers salad; grilled leg of lamb with pomegranate molasses with ragout, roasted baby potatoes, braided Easter egg bread and saffron bread; and strawberries with rose cream for dessert.
The day begins with a late breakfast of bacon and stilton frittata,
potato farls, hot cross buns, pears stewed in pomegranate syrup, and mango-pineapple smoothies.
After breakfast, when the table was cleared and the dishes done (and the kids doubtless dancing with impatience), they were allowed out of the kitchen to hunt for their treats. The beautiful decorated and tea eggs they'd made the night before were hidden in all manner of kid-height nook and cranny through the house, along with dozens of boxes of sweets:rose, lavender, and chamomile hard candies, cordial drops (rose, orange, anise seed, maraschino, peach, and Chartreuse flavors), pastilles (banana, vanilla, peach, maraschino, violet, anise-seed, and rose flavors), mini chocolate eggs, sesame honey candies, maple sugar candies, jelly beans and chocolate bunnies. There were other gifts as well: stuffed animals, trinkets, books and other little things wrapped in pastel papers and silky bows.
If that weren't enough, there were spicy filled chocolate eggs for the adults and butterfly eggs for the goslings waiting too.
After the ensuing sugar rush and naps, Ali headed out to the Nexus with anyone who wanted to come along to set out goodies for another hunt. There were plenty of people there who needed to have more fun, after all.
Supper, when there were appetites for it, was a late but festive affair: nasturtiums stuffed with cream cheese and nuts, herbed buttermilk popcorn and hearts and flowers salad; grilled leg of lamb with pomegranate molasses with ragout, roasted baby potatoes, braided Easter egg bread and saffron bread; and strawberries with rose cream for dessert.