A Traditional Easter Meal

... traditional pita triangles ...

Catherine’s family enjoyed a traditional Passover Celebration with their neighbours the night before we got to their place to celebrate Easter.

That was the long celebration form complete with bitter herbs and unleaven bread.

 ... pass the crackers, please ...

Catherine’s family enjoyed a traditional Passover Celebration with their neighbours the night before we got to their place to celebrate Easter.

That was the long celebration form complete with bitter herbs and unleaven bread.

hummus and vegetables ... at the end of the table

The short form of a feast was held for us the next day after church.

Catherine traditionally organizes a meal that might have been eaten 2,000 years ago.

... barley, an ancient grain ...

There are figs, dates, and goat cheese, both chevre and an orange fig variety.

A baked barley dish, grapes, melons, cantaloupe, nuts, pita bread and traditional Jewish Seder crackers were also on the table.

... a place on the floor, for children only ...

A blanket was laid in the middle of the floor.

This year the blanket had on it a sign: Reserved for Children.

On the table was another sign: Reserved for Adults.

4 kinds of goat cheese

The food was on yet another table.

The lamb had marinated for 24 hours and was broiled in the oven – oh the succulent lamb, so tender and spicy.

pistachios, cashews, dried cranberries, figs, mixed nuts

Her neighbour had given her a basket in which she could serve the bread.

The decoration was Hassidic on one side and the more traditional form of religious attire on the other side.

lamb under the broiler

How cute was that to eat from. There was new hot bread as well, just out of the oven.

lamb, ready to eat

Guests come and go – some from the past, we miss now – but they have gone away.

Peter joined us this year – he stayed for the songs we sang – all of the ones in the hymn book, as well as the new Hosanna song from the Friend.

 ...yes, I want a basket decorated like this ...

As well we read the last part of the Easter story – just 10 verses would finish it off, Catherine said.


But when that was done, there was another 10 verses that she loves as well.

And who could object, ... and then there was just one more part, said Catherine ... the best part ever.

So many, really excellent parts.

...bread basket gift to Catherine from her neighbour

At this point, I may have seen myself in the far distant past. 

Just one more good story from the Bible, which leads to another ... and another ... gotta love the gradual unfolding of plot, beginning right back at Genesis.

decoration detail of Catherine's basket

We had played games all day ... but the best games are always the last ones in the evening.

Lucky us.

Arta