Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday is always a nice family affair. Nothing grand or big, but we do like to make an effort, especially this year, as my mum keeps trying to sneak in ‘family time’ because I’m leaving home soon.

Ever since I can remember my mum has always done a little Easter hunt. Again nothing big, as we don’t really have a garden, but at the grand old age of 21 I requested one last hunt!  

Me and my brother have tended to get a couple of chocolate bits, and a few non chocolate items, like make up for me or a new puzzle book for my brother- he loves puzzles and maths brain teasers. Don’t know where he gets it from!

The clues are always simple, although typical me still ended up crawling to me mum to help me with a couple.

The irony isn’t lost on me that I look like an Easter Chick.  In fact it was too good to resist not wearing it.

Jumper- Matalan.

However the main event is always the Easter Dinner. Doing a roast is quite an occasion for us, as we have a Roast Dinner only 3 times a year; Christmas Day, New Years Day and Easter Sunday. Shocking I know, but then it does make it extra special on those occasions. I may be flying the nest for good in 5 months time, but I bet you anything I’ll end up coming back for those 3 roasts.

Now, at the age of 21, I feel now that I am a certified adult, I must step up and take the reins in the kitchen, so for the first time, I ran the show.

Traditionally the Easter meat is Lamb, however me dad really detests lamb, much to my dismay. When I get me own place... but in the mean time, we had pork. Not that I should complain actually as I pick a pork loin for one reason and one reason only- the crackling. Oh so filthy, oh so bad, but so damn good!

The salty, crispy, greasy, crackling... it’s what my dreams are made of. Now crackling is an art form, to get the best crackling, you need to dry out the skin completely, I have read of some chef’s blow drying their crackling, but I think towelling it down will be good enough. This means no oil, and no fat is to touch it. Score the meat deep into the skin layer, but don’t hit the meat otherwise fat will rise up and cause it to not crisp up. Then rub salt all across and into the cuts and massage the fat layer to get the salt deep into it. Then always cook your port for 30 minutes at a high temperature first to get the crackling to crisp up, and then turn down low for the rest of the time. Temperatures and timings will vary depending on cut of meat and size. 

After we had truly stuffed ourselves on pork and trimmings (and me on the crackling) we settled down to a household tradition of playing a quiz. My brother won, but the real winner was after trivial pursuit actually asked ‘If Sadam Husain wanted to take a dip in Baghdad  what river would he do so in?’ to which my mum replied ‘The River Bag?’ Oh mother...

By the end of the evening there was a true Easter Miracle, my Bunny had babies. Bless.

What did you do this Easter?

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Easter, family, Food, lifestyle, roast dinner