April 7, 2007

Recipe News: What a ham! See our Easter recipes

Cultural historians trace Easter back to pre-Christian spring equinox festivals, when the return of balmier weather and the revitalization of nature inspired celebrations of life renewed.
In northern Europe, forests of nut-bearing trees provided an excellent environment for fattening hogs on mast, the natural fall of nuts on the forest floor. In the fall, the hogs were butchered and the meat processed and preserved, by drying, smoking, salting or brining.

After several months of curing, the prime cuts of these animals, the hams, were ready for consumption, just in time for the first festival of the new year. Eating an Easter ham connected the bounty of the old year to the promise of the new season.

Includes recipes for:

Baked ham with bourbon glaze

Potato and parsnip dauphinois

Catalan spinach

Double orange custard tart

Full article here.