016. Easter is better than Christmas
In praise of daylight savings, Easter, and not a cream egg in sight.
Sorry I’ve been MIA, I’ve been CRYING at all and any local magnolia and my best friends have been having scrumptious babies! Spring has sprung, and I’m here to argue that Easter is better than Christmas, solicit some Easter weekend recipes off everyone, delight and surprise with some gorgey garden updates, dump some Really Good Reads™ and then disappear from your inboxes for an undetermined amount of time! Thanks daylight savings for bringing me back to life!!
Winter is an abomination, there’s no two ways about it. November and December are bearable due to the novelty of being able to put a rolo neck on without passing out from heat, twinkly lights, and, at a push, mulled cider. Once Christmas is over it’s a full scale descent into madness for me. January, the very worst month - the weather at its wettest, our glasses at their driest, the days still short scratches of grey. February is only marginally better. Then March comes, the garden starts to wake up, everything gets a touch brighter, and BAM, the clocks go forward. Each year I’m taken to the brink of insanity by nature, and just as I think I’m passed the point of no return, SPRING. I’ve tried SAD lamps and walking and meditation, but absolutely nothing beats getting home from work at 7pm whilst it’s still light, pottering in the garden and making the whole house come and look at the latest spring bulb that’s burst into life. From here on in, everything is on the up. The days get longer, the air gets milder, we get back to back Bank Holidays, we are inching closer to the next General Election and hopefully get to witness, in real time, the complete and utter obliteration of the Conservatives. But I digress.
This weekend - Easter weekend, is one of my faves. The four day weekend, hot cross buns, mini eggs. Malteaser bunnies! It’s Christmas Lite, and I’m here for it. All of the festive treats, with almost zero of the festive stress. No one is bankrupting themselves for Easter, yet we’ll still all have a bloody good time. It will still be light come 8pm, and no one will be choking down Christmas pudding. Everything’s a lot less claggy. There’s no pressure to be busy, or to rest, or do anything simply to please others. The opening of spring heralds a whole season of potential, no longer restricted to days spent going to and from work in the dark. Beach walks, beer gardens, sitting in a tent in the garden with a four year old whilst they tell their best poo sandwich joke - we’re back on track!
We’re getting together with family on Good Friday this year, so I’m using my artistic license to avoid a boring roast, and instead am pulling together a table of Dishoom dishes (I’m doing Lamb Raan, it’s not Easter without lamb!) Last weeks Riverford Veg box came with a bag stuffed full of wild garlic, so I made this - which was delightful, (there’s loads of crumb so I crumbled the left overs over some mushrooms with some butter and whacked them in the oven to crisp up) but I’m very much in the market for everyone’s favourite spring recipes - I’m thinking crushed new potatoes with a zingy salsa, lemony orzo topped with garlicky prawns - please do leave your favourites in the comments below!
This morning I’ve been last minute Easter egg shopping as I can’t keep them in the house due to greed reasons, and I’ve topped up our Dishoom chilli jam and onion and tomato masala supplies. This weekend I’m hoping to set up a second herb trough for the garden - hopefully I’ll have better luck keeping my own supply of tarragon that way. Ultimately, I’ll be spending the weekend trying to coax spring in through the kitchen door.
Garden Update
It’s all been happening guys! Back at the end if last year I found a little trove of spring bulbs that we hadn’t planted, and whacked them all in some spare pots on a wing and a prayer, and of course they’ve been the most successful things to bloom so far. The early frost last year ruined my ranunculus, and my candy cane oxalis didn’t come to anything either, but my crocus / tulip lasagne is having a riot, I’m now a fully fledged crocus fan! And don’t get me started on muscari! I will simply never tire of the garden coming back to full colour!
Really Good Reads™
Nick Cave talks to the New Yorker about art and AI, creativity, and grief. Hugely moving, deeply profound, not recommended for anyone going through it unless you want a big cry.
As someone who cooks by vibe, and finds it extremely hard distilling time spent in the kitchen into a workable recipe, I found this piece gorgeous.
The Tom Brady of other jobs - meet the oldest 1% of the workforce in a range of jobs. I’d love to host a dinner party with these guys as guests, such a clever piece.
Twenty-five years after The Incident, Monica Lewinsky reflects on what she’s learnt. She’s funny AND wise.
Finland proving that the easiest way to help end homelessness is by giving people homes, unsurprisingly.
House and Garden now has an agony aunt column and it’s as gorgeously camp as you’d expect. First two instalments are here and here, I can’t wait for more.
Love a festive food story!
Finally, I will not rest until I own this house.
Thanks for taking the time out of your day to read, and as always, any shares are appreciated! Please do drop your favourite spring recipes below, and have a gorgeous long weekend, whatever you do, N xo.
Another superb read! I love my instalment of Afternoon Delights! Always uplifting and inspiring! Keep them coming Nai! Xx