Easter has always been a big deal in my family. Actually, all major holidays are a pretty big deal in my family. We enjoy the same exact dishes each year at the same house. For 20+ years, holidays have been predictable and wonderful. Of course, when we moved to Japan everything changed. Holidays like Thanksgiving and Easter were no longer spent around the same group of family members. Instead, we found ourselves surrounded by a new “family” that helped us to break out of tradition and try some new things. In many ways, the changes we experienced helped me to appreciate the consistency I’ve had throughout my life.
Experiencing holidays in both concrete and transient environments has lead me to strongly believe in the power of sharing traditions with others. By sharing I don’t mean forcing people to like the way you do things, just simply allowing those closest to you to see what makes you who you are. The traditions we develop and carry with us help to create the diverse groups of people that make up this beautiful world and we can always learn from those outside of our close-knit circles.
Since many of you will be participating in Easter celebrations this weekend, I’ve put together a menu featuring recipes from Tokyo Terrace that represent the traditional and not-so-traditional aspects of holiday gatherings. Some of the recipes are based on my own family traditions, while others are new developments that have come about over the past couple of years in Japan.
No matter where in the world you find yourself, I hope you are surrounded by good people and comforting food.
Enjoy!
Drinks
Pink Lemonade & Thyme Sparkler
Bloody Marys with a Japanese Twist
Appetizers/Side Dishes
Edamame Crostini with Meyer Lemon & Shiso
Main Dishes
Phyllo Squares with Egg, Spinach & Cheese
Desserts
Whole Wheat Cranberry Citrus Scones
Strawberries & Japanese Whiskey Sabayon
Brown Sugar Shortbread with Fig Jam
