Happy Easter! This week, I’ve got notes on my ham and tips on potatoes and homemade desserts for your Easter feast, including a treasured heirloom recipe I served at our family Easter last weekend. Please scroll to the bottom for the recipe.

But first, here are some ways to put a little spring in your step this Easter. Easter is in full bloom at Terra Greenhouses – just look at the sea of gorgeous pink or blue hydrangea blooms.

And of course, there’s no place like Springridge Farm for Easter fun. Click here for what you need to know before heading out to Springridge Farm’s Easter Festival, held on Good Friday April 18, Saturday April 19 and Sunday April 20, 2014: www.springridgefarm.com/easter-egg-hunt.htm (be sure to check out the video link). Say hello to the baby chicks.

Every Easter, Starsky Fine Foods sells these adorable baked lambs that make a sweet table decoration.  And look at the colourful Easter palms.

You can find pussy willows at Herridge’s Farm Fresh Market, which opened yesterday.

By the way, the quiches we ordered last week from Crawford’s Village Bakery were as delectable as their pies: Crawford’s famous pie crust filled to the brim with a generous, flavourful custard that wasn’t too rich.

The Country Ham that I ordered from Heatherlea Farm Market was easy to prepare and I was pleased with the results. Basically, I just removed the skin, trimmed the fat and scored it, then placed the ham cut-side down in the slow cooker, added a bit of water, and let it slow cook until the fat rendered and the meat reached a safe temperature. After I let it rest, I glazed it according to the recipe (see Easter Feast: Part One), let the glaze rest, and then carved it. I have never smelled a more aromatic ham. It was so succulent and tasty straight out of the slow cooker. If you are planning on making this recipe, be aware that the six pound ham just fit in my oval seven quart slow cooker and served sixteen people with leftovers.

What goes better with ham than scalloped potatoes? If you are craving a casserole of thickly sliced potatoes in a rich and creamy sauce with lots of sharp cheddar cheese, I really like Chef Michael Smith’s recipe: Potato Cheddar Casserole.

Herridge’s Farm Fresh Market has Ontario greenhouse rhubarb, a harbinger of spring. Click here for an easy Rhubarb Torte recipe that will make a confident baker out of an apprehensive one and a rhubarb lover out of anyone: www.olivetoeat.com.

On her blog Cook Me Quick, my friend Carol posted the original recipe for the heavenly carrot cake that the Cheeseboard Café used to serve. Oh, I’ve got lots of good memories of waitressing with friends at the Cheeseboard during my school years; the food was so good that it sparked an interest in cooking in me. The Cheeseboard Cafe’s Carrot Cake recipe can be found here: http://cookmequick.com/2013/10/02/cheeseboard-cafe-carrot-cake/

Here is what I made for our feast:

Grandma Brown’s Broken Window Glass Cake

Makes one 9” x 13” pan, serving 16 +

I treasure my grandmother’s handwritten recipe for this family favourite we used to serve every holiday. It’s a ridiculously retro dessert but it’s light, refreshing, and appealing to all ages. The colourful cubes of Jell-O look like a church stained glass window. I am reviving this cheery cake to our annual Easter feast with a tip of my Easter bonnet to Grandma Brown.

Grandma Brown preferred strawberry, cherry, and lime Jell-O for the cubes; I like to replace one red coloured Jell-O with grape if I can find it (Walmart) or orange. Make the Jell-O cubes early in the morning on the day before you plan to serve the dessert; they need to chill until firm before you fold them into the filling. Defrost the Cool Whip in the fridge while preparing the Jell-O. Later that day, finish the dessert and let it chill overnight.

Special Equipment:
3 (8”) square pans
1 (9” x 13”) rectangular pan

Ingredients:

Jell-O Cubes:
1 pkg. 3 oz. (85 g) grape or orange Jell-O
1 pkg. 3 oz. (85 g) cherry or strawberry or raspberry Jell-O
1 pkg. 3 oz. (85 g) lime Jell-O

Filling:
1 cup canned pineapple juice
½ cup white sugar
1 pkg. 3 oz. (85 g) lemon Jell-O
1 container (1 litre) frozen Cool Whip whipped topping, thawed or 2 cups whipped cream

Crust:
2 ½ cups Graham cracker crumbs
¾ cup (scant) brown sugar
½ cup melted butter
Butter for greasing pan

Directions:

1. Place the frozen Cool Whip in the fridge to thaw for 4 to 5 hours while the Jell-O sets.
2. Jell-O Cubes: Prepare the grape, cherry, and lime Jell-O separately; empty each flavour into three separate 8-inch square pans. Add 1 cup of boiling water to each pan; stir well to scrape gelatin granules from bottom of pan and dissolve thoroughly. Add ½ cup of cold water; stir thoroughly. Cover with plastic wrap; chill in fridge until firm, at least 3 hours. When firm, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (but leave in pan) and proceed with next steps.
3. Filling: Empty 1 package of lemon Jell-O in a large bowl; set aside. Place 1 cup pineapple juice with ½ cup sugar in a small pot and bring it just to the boil, stirring frequently; watch carefully and remove it from the heat as soon as the first bubble appears. Pour hot pineapple mixture over Jell-O and stir thoroughly until dissolved completely.  Add ½ cup cold water. Mix well. Chill in fridge to partially set (set your timer for every 15 minutes to stir and check for readiness); it should be partially thickened and cool but still in liquid state.
4. Crust: Meanwhile, mix crumbs with butter, and sugar; stir well. Set aside about 1 cup for garnish. Pat remaining crumb mixture firmly and evenly over the bottom of greased 9×13-inch cake pan to make a crust; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
5. Fold Cool Whip into partially set lemon Jell-O. Gently fold in Jell-O cubes. Pour into graham cracker crust. Sprinkle reserved 1 cup of crumb topping over top. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 6 hours or overnight. Serve chilled the next day.

Grab your Easter bonnets, ladies and gents, and follow me along the virtual bunny trail as I gather up some of my favourite local treats. This week, I focus on what you need to order ahead: hams, quiches, pies, and handcrafted Easter chocolate. I share a great tip on exceptional wines and my favourite fruit salad recipe (scroll down to the bottom for Mary Katherine’s Cinnamon-Scented Fruit Salad). Next week: potatoes, homemade desserts, and decorations. Make your Easter feast special for the loved ones gathered around your table. Hippety hoppety!

If you are looking for premium local estate wines and boutique imports (many of which are not available through the LCBO) at direct-from-winery pricing, contact Oakville’s Laurie Blaha. A broker for Sideroad Twenty Cellars, Laurie will suggest wines to pair with your Easter dinner and give you a $10 off your first purchase coupon. Order on-line. Delivery can be made to your home, office, or cottage. Ontario residents only. But hurry – orders should be in by Monday April 14th for delivery by Thursday April 17th in time for Easter.

Our sizable clan is planning an easy Easter lunch. I’ve pre-ordered freshly baked quiches from Crawford’s Village Bakery & Distinctive Foods; they also sell frozen, unbaked quiches. Crawford’s is brimming with a wonderful assortment of quality gourmet pantry products and freshly baked goodies. Easter suggestions include lemon meringue or Easter Egg pies (chocolate mousse  pie garnished with whipped cream and an Easter egg, available from April 18th through April 21st only), squares (including rhubarb or lemon on a shortbread base), and cookies (including Cottontail cookies). Crawford’s handcrafted Easter chocolate, made on-site using fine Belgian chocolate, has been a long-enjoyed tradition for our family. Look at the fine detail on Charlotte and Edward and the beautifully decorated large egg, ready to be filled with Crawford’s truffles, hazelnut crisps, and caramels.

Quiches in the oven, next stop: ham. My nephew-in-law, Jean-Yves, served a succulent slower-cooker ham at Christmas, so I am giving this recipe a try for the first time: Cook’s Illustrated Slow-Cooker Glazed Ham. Cook’s Illustrated recipes are from America’s Test Kitchen and are exhaustively tested and re-tested, so I am confident the recipe will work. I bought the magazine (Cook’s Illustrated Make-Ahead Dinners 2014) at Target a few weeks ago but you can access the recipe on-line here by signing up for a 14-day free trial membership: http://www.cookscountry.com (it costs a few dollars a month to continue with the membership).

You can’t use a spiral-cut ham for this recipe because it will dry out in the slow cooker. I’ve ordered a Country Ham (uncut, bone-in, skin-on, cured/smoked) from Heatherlea Farm Market in Caledon, ON. Heatherlea’s Country Hams are sourced from Stemmler’s in Heidelberg, Ontario and are excellent quality hams from local farms. Heatherlea Farm Market raises pasture-fed, free-run, drug-free Black Angus beef and sells local free-run, naturally-raised chicken, pork, lamb, and bison. Wild boar, Berkshire pork, and emu are available on occasion.

Especially lovely at Easter, this colourful fruit salad is enrobed with a cinnamon and citrus-infused syrup. I use a different combination of fruit every time: this time strawberries, kiwi, pineapple, mango, and oranges. Thanks to my bff’s sister-in-law, Mary Katherine, for the recipe.

Mary Katherine’s Cinnamon-Scented Fruit Salad

Makes about 6 servings (easily doubled)

This keeps well for a couple of days in the refrigerator.  Delicious served alone or over ice cream or lemon gelato. It makes a good breakfast topped with vanilla yogurt and granola.

Ingredients:

1 orange
1 large lemon
About 5 to 6 cups total of assorted, ripe but still firm fruits, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces (combos of citrus, berries and tree fruit work well)
1 cup of water
1/4 cup of sugar
1 cinnamon stick

Directions:

1. With a sharp knife or vegetable peeler, remove only the peel (leaving the bitter white pith behind) of the orange and the lemon; slice peel into thick strips and set aside. Segment the orange, cut into bite-sized pieces and add to a large 8-cup capacity bowl; set aside. Juice the lemon; add about 3/4 of lemon juice to large bowl (reserve remaining 1/4 to adjust acidity level to your taste at the end).
2. Add assorted fruit to large bowl; stir gently to coat with lemon juice to prevent browning.  Chill in refrigerator.
3. Meanwhile, heat water to boiling in a small saucepan. Add sugar; stir until dissolved. Add cinnamon and reserved peel; immediately reduce to medium heat. Simmer gently until slightly reduced, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat; cool to lukewarm.
4. Strain syrup; pour over prepared fruit and fold in gently so as not to bruise fruit. Discard peel but keep cinnamon sticks for garnish. Taste salad and if desired, add remaining 1/4 of reserved lemon juice; fold gently. Cover and store in airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Garnish with cinnamon sticks, if desired.

Ever since an Indian friend introduced me to dosas at Guru Lukshmi – a restaurant, she asserted, that serves the finest, authentic South Indian vegetarian cuisine in our region – I have been hooked. The food has the flavours of India that I love but without heavy sauces and rich meats it tastes bright, clean, and healthy. Fresh, quality ingredients are prepared using traditional family recipes that have been passed down – and mastered – through generations of the family who owns Guru Lukshmi.

Don’t worry if you aren’t familiar with this type of Indian cuisine; Guru Lukshmi’s menu will guide you through the many choices. South Indian cuisine is usually hotter so start out with mild choices and work your way up.

Rasam soup is a fiery blend of lentil, tamarind, and tomato juice – not for the faint of heart. I can’t handle the heat but my husband loves it.

Sambhar is a spicy soupy stew made with tamarind, vegetables, lentils, red chili peppers, and spices.  Chutneys are fresh delights: the tomato chutney seems to be the hottest, the coriander chutney is sweet and bright, and the coconut chutney is cooling.

Idly are two soft pillows of ground, fermented, and steamed rice and lentils – sponges for the wonderful sambhar and chutneys you dip them in. You can order them plain with sambhar, coconut chutney, and tomato chutney on the side for dipping (photo below);

or order them “dipped” (as Sambhar Idly) and they come soaked in spicy sambhar sauce and topped with ghee, chopped tomato, fresh coriander, sweet purple onion, and coconut chutney (photo below). Either way, they are quite filling and should be shared as an appetizer.

The dosas are absolutely addictive: traditional South Indian crepes (made of fermented rice and lentil batter) that are delicate and crispy, yet deliciously satisfying. Create your own custom dosa by selecting one of many flavourful pastes, toppings (onions, green/red peppers, coriander, ghee butter), and whether you want to include a potato filling (“aloo masala”: a mild potato stuffing with fried onions, herbs, and spices), and cheese.  You can also specify the spice level, amount of oil (cholesterol-free vegetable oil), and texture (soft, medium, or crispy). My preference is mild and crispy.

How do you eat a dosa? Tear off a piece with your fingers and dip it into your sambhar and one of the chutneys or take the messier route and pour the sambhar onto your dosa, tear off a piece and dip it into some chutney. It’s fun to double dip, mixing two or three chutney flavours with each bite.  Dosas come with sambhar and three chutneys (tomato, coriander, and coconut).

My favourites are Guru Lukshmi’s signature dosas that are so flavourful the family had them trademarked to prevent others from copying their creations. Mysore Bhaji Aloo Masala Dosa is spread with a mild mysore paste (garlic, herbs, and spices), aloo masala potato stuffing, fresh onion, coriander, green and red peppers, butter, and secret spices – it is uniquely ambrosial (photo below). Though it is rated mild on the menu, the heat is head-tickling and sinus-clearing but pleasant and not painful; a great choice for those who can handle what I think of as medium heat.

When I want something a little less filling, I order the Vegetable Spring Dosa (a.k.a. diet dosa) without the aloo masala potato stuffing but with cheese and coriander paste.  It is stuffed with shredded carrot, green cabbage, sweet purple onion, sweet green pepper, chopped tomato, and a hint of ghee (photo below). Fresh, bright, clean, and just spicy enough to warm me nicely from my ears to my toes.

Opened in 2003 by husband and wife team Kumar Gurutharan and Thana Lakshmi, Guru Lukshmi has since moved from its Erin Centre Boulevard location to Derry and McLaughlin, while steadily gaining popularity. On my latest visit, I arrived when the restaurant opened at 11:30 a.m. on Friday and easily found seating; by 12:00 p.m. the restaurant was full and shortly after, a healthy line-up formed. Apparently it is busier on the weekends – the reason why the owners have recently allowed reservations with some seating saved for walk-ins. Service is efficient, fast, and friendly. Décor is chic Indian: dark walls with silver wall decorations and pretty lights.

Reservations are welcome – read the reservation policy here: http://www.gurulukshmi.com/reservation.html

www.gurulukshmi.com

“What on earth is a felfie” you ask? A “selfie” is a photo that you take of yourself and post to social media. Our farmers are taking the selfie trend and turning it into something cool: selfie + farmer = felfie.

To celebrate the 2014 International Year of Family Farming, I have collected felfies from some fun local farmers that you really ought to get to know. I hope you will be inspired to visit their farms and follow them on social media. Since it is #ThankaFarmerThursday, let’s tell these families how grateful we are for their farm-to-table-fresh, quality products. Be sure to check my Farm/Farmers’ Market Directory for a listing of local farm markets and farmers’ markets.

#felfie #familyfarming #ThankaFarmerThursday

The Thatcher Family:

#naturallyraised #farmbeauties #farmlove

“This is Dana and Sophie Thatcher, and their wee friend, of Thatcher Farms. We raise beef, pork, lamb, chicken, turkey and cut fresh meats here at the farm 5 days a week.  We have an on-farm butcher shop, bakery, and country store.”  [Dana Thatcher, Thatcher Farms]

Small-scale, mixed working farm. Naturally-raised, hormone, and additive-free meat; raised on farm, fed on their own farm-grown feed. Custom-order butchering. Meat pies, ready-made meals, sweet honey, eggs, pure maple syrup, artisan cheese, jams, and jellies, gift baskets, raw pet foods, and butchery classes. Click here to find out why Dana and Adam Thatcher earned the 2013 Ontario’s Outstanding Young Farmers award.

The den Haan Family:

 #hardworkers #farmdog

“John den Haan or as some of us know him as “Poppa John” is a second generation farmer. His dad and mom (Opa and Oma) purchased the farm we now farm on today when they came from Holland. John’s duties include… well everything. He is a jack-of-all-trades; whether it’s milking the cows morning and night, feeding, or in the fields he’s hard at work. Megs, our Border Collie and mascot, helps to round up the cows in the morning and can often be found wherever John is. She spends her spare hours greeting customers at the farm store. John and Megs are a true picture of hard workers.” [Marianne den Haan, daughter, Sheldon Creek Dairy]

#nextgeneration #happyfarmer #yougogirl

“Emily den Haan is 23. She is farming full-time on her own farm across the road and at Haanview Farms. She actually has her very own herd of purebred shorthorns. These shorthorns are pretty special – they belonged to Archie Currie, our father/grandfather. Emily has taken over much of the herd and is the next generation to have these cows and well, let’s just say she definitely shares the same passion for cows as grandpa did.” [Marianne den Haan, daughter, Sheldon Creek Dairy]

On-farm production and glass bottling of whole, non-homogenized, minimally-processed, naturally fresh milk and yogurt products from John and Bonnie den Haan’s own herd of happy and healthy cows that graze the pastures of the 3rd generation Haanview farm in Sheldon Valley. On-farm store; products also available in other retail locations. The 3rd annual Sheldon Creek Dairy Day on the Farm will be held on June 14, 2014, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m..  It’s a great opportunity to meet the den Haan family and the cows, tour the barn, and enjoy the local farmers market, live music, face painting, kids craft, cooking demonstrations, and product samples.

The Laidlaw Family:

#familyroots #seventhgeneration #heirloomorchard

“I did capture our family planting a new orchard… (my favourite felfie). The tiny twig in the middle is in fact a baby apple tree! The feet belong to Spencer, Margo, [and their parents] Laura and Mark Laidlaw. And the last one is a little Hallowe’en vignette [of Laura] in our barn.” [Laura Kelly, Carl Laidlaw Orchards]

#creative #countrycharm

Seventh generation heirloom orchard and on-farm market: 20 varieties of pick-your-own or already-picked apples (including heirloom varieties), 3 varieties of pears, sweet corn, honey, and candy apples. Bring in baked goods, local squash, garlic, jams, and preserves.  Make your own pie on-site or buy already made. Barbeque hot dogs, sausages, corn, and drinks available on weekends. Old-fashioned fall family fun in a charming vintage setting. For details, please read my post “Happy Under the Apple Boughs: Carl Laidlaw Orchards”.

Thanks so much to my farmer friends for submitting your felfies!

Put on some perky Edith Piaf tunes, quick up your heels, and throw open the windows while you clear out the cobwebs and welcome spring, even if it doesn’t quite feel like spring yet.

Celebrate spring with an easy and healthy purée of sweet green peas, tangy lime, and fresh mint. A quick swipe on grilled baguette makes a fast lunch when you are busy with spring chores. A dollop on crisp cucumber makes a pretty spring hors d’oeuvre. Oh, Spring how we’ve longed for you. Happy, happy spring everyone!

Lime Mint Pea Purée

Makes about 1½ cups

Make this delicious purée in advance and serve it chilled. The flavours will be brightest the day you make it but it will keep nicely in the refrigerator longer. Don’t defrost the peas before you sauté them; take them straight from the freezer to the sauté pan.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil (divided into 1 and 2)
2 shallots, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 package 340g / 12 oz. (3 scant cups) frozen green peas
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
10 fresh mint leaves, chopped
1 lime (finely grated zest and juice)

Accompaniment:

1 English cucumber, thickly sliced
or
1 baguette, sliced and toasted

Garnish:

8 fresh mint leaves, julienned

Directions:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add shallots; sauté until tender, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes. Add garlic; sauté for 15 seconds, stirring constantly. Add the frozen peas; sauté until peas are very tender, stirring frequently, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. Transfer mixture to a food processor. Add salt, pepper, chopped mint leaves, lime juice, lime zest, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil; purée until smooth.
3. Transfer to a covered, airtight container. Chill until ready to serve. Serve chilled, spread on toasted baguette or cucumber slices. Garnish with julienned mint leaves.