Back from the sunny skiesBack from sunny and fantastic TO and less than 24hrs of laying my weary head on my pillow I am off on a business trip to Praha (Prague). I am at a business dinner tonight so it should be better than what Wendel and the gang had the other day after their amusement park experience (they went on these crazy ass rides with little to no safety restraints, I think I would've cried if I went on that upside down thing they went on with only a bar going over your lap).

Gotta love the health and safety rules, or lack of them, in other countries! Not sure what they ate after the fair but the pic above shows some kind of green, creamy concotion on one plate and some french fry extravaganza on the other. I think I can smell the garlic from here. Am on a serious diet starting today as I wore my 'fat pants' yesterday, and they fit!

Too much Momma Dolce home cooking and too much indulging in Easter lunch/dinner, well we ate the whole afternoon as I heard most of you did too. I started with healthy sushi yesterday and resisted eating any biscuits although the Candyman bought me a popsicle as it was so warm and lovely outside.

Happy Easter

Easter greetings from sunny Canada! So far the food and vino have been great, even the plane food on BA was decent. The one sad piece of news is that I tried to get some bagels for my British guest to test out and good ol' Gryfe's Bagels on Bathurst Street is closed for a few days for Passover. I will have to have them next time but we did have some lovely oysters and fish at Rodney's Oyster Bar on Good Friday. 

The mixed oyster platter was fantastic, bar the few mini oysters that JK said 'punched him in the stomach'. No one liked these small fat and round Japanese oysters; it was like swallowing a mushy plum -they were too hard and round, not thin and delicate like oysters should be. Since we could not return them (I asked) Sista Dolce took the last few down with loads of sauces to ease their descent. 

Easter lunch tomorrow (after the Easter egg hunt) Momma Dolce has the lasagna ready and Quinn Senior is on the BBQ - I should be even rounder than when I first arrived! The image of the eggs is from the net but they reminded me of the Easter markets in Prague where they were selling similar eggs at each stall. Happy Easter to you and your families.   xo

Loose legOur organic leg of lamb fell to the ground on Randolph Avenue. The bag split in two and we just stared at the leg as it lay on the pavement...I was then shouted at to pick it up - 3 second rule right? It was hilarious but no flesh to pavement action occurred. It was brought home safely and stored for cooking the next day. One day to Easter and to eating chocolate, crisps and biscuits again!

Easter egg huntOnly two more days til Easter. Am having an Orphan's Easter Dinner at my home with some fellow Canadian orphans and two others from the southern hemisphere. Pic is of Prince Matthew and his Easter egg hunt last year - isn't he too cute?!
And second pic is teacher Tami's Easter bunny bread - the talent keeps oozing out of that woman!
Tomorrow I am on the hunt for a fresh leg of lamb. There are two options and hopefully I didn't have to pre-order. Am going to Portobello Market and Sainsbury's to get final groceries. There was some debate this morning on what fasting entails for Good Friday, if any of you have any suggestions please post. Momma Dolce said she is skipping breakfast which I think doesn't count as fasting. Practicing Catholics please reply as I have no clue :)

Hot cross bunsV. interesting - always wondered why hot cross buns emerged around Easter.

The cross in a hot cross bun signifies the Crucifiction. As this took place on Good Friday, it is considered lucky to eat these buns on Good Friday. Also, it is said that if you hang one in your
home, the building will be protected from bad luck or fire.

It's Palm Sunday next Sunday. Nobody really eats the palms :)

Source: The Cooks Pocket Companion - love this little book!

Buona Pasqua
Someone in the office today said as they were running out, 'have a nice weekend celebrating Jesus' birth.' Hmmm....

Well at least we had some Easter chocky which was good, it was a Smarties egg with Smarties inside. The true meaning of Easter is not eggs, nor bunnies, nor lots of chocolate - it is a deeply Christian festival which has lost its meaning along with Christmas. They are both high street sales extravaganzas.

These pics were taken at a little Italian shop I love in Soho called Camisa and Son. These uovo di Pasqua (Easter eggs) and we used to get these after church as children. They were usually bitter chocolate with a really cheesy little toy at the bottom -usually a plastic ring, but we loved them and our Nonna bought us each one.

The lovely colorful foil paper was usually saved for scrapbooks or wrapping other gifts and the chocolate, since it wasn't really Cadbury-like, was also saved and used in baking later on. Italian bakeries like my Aunt & Auncle's, used to hang these eggs in rows from the ceiling which made it feel so colorful and festive. Special breads and sweets were baked for the breaking of the lenten fast and it was all based around family and church.

Happy Easter everyone, Buona Pasqua.

x