Ready for a grand feast

Easter marks the end of Lent, a 40-day period of fasting, praying, and penance. No Easter is complete without a traditional elaborate meal. The main attractions are the non-vegetarian dishes like duck roast, pork, mutton and chicken.

Home-made wine and cake baked in nuts, fruits and plenty of homemade traditional sweets also form an integral part of the festival.

The occasion is also an excuse for families and friends to come together and celebrate. Even the expatriates living in the City have their own style of celebrating Easter.

Easter eggs, signifying new life, although a western concept, have caught the fancy of people in the City as well. So in addition to enjoying the traditional feast, Bangaloreans like distributing Easter eggs among friends.

Metrolife spoke to a few families, including expatriates, in the City and asked them how they celebrate Easter.

Most say that food is the highlight of the festival. Sharing an expatriate perspective on Easter celebrations, Loic Lecomte, an expat from France who has been living in the City with his family, explains that no Easter lunch is complete without a piece of lamb. “A day before Easter, we go to church and Easter morning begins with a chocolate egg hunting spree where an Easter egg is buried somewhere in the garden and the children go hunting for it. We then settle down for a lavish meal with family and friends,” explains Loic.

Every section of the Christian community, be it Tamilians, Mangaloreans, Kannadigas... just to mention a few, has a different menu for the grand Easter lunch. While duck roast, lamb curry, chicken stew, pork and stuffed chicken are common in all households, there are certain dishes that are special.

Sharing his perspective on the festival, Thomas, a hotelier, says, “The Simnel cake is an indispensable part of Easter festivities. It is a light fruit cake covered with marzipan. There are eleven marzipan balls placed on the cake to represent the eleven disciples of Jesus Christ. There are also a host of breads that are eaten with the appropriate curry.”

For Ashley William, a musician, Easter is all about getting together with the family. “It’s the spirit of togetherness. With busy schedules, spending time to eat together and share a good meal is a luxury. It’s not just during those 40 days that one needs to do the right thing. I think one should do good throughout the year,” he shares.

Youngsters are taught the importance of following tradition. Shruti Mathew Koshy, a student, says she has always followed Lent and feasted on Easter. “I totally give up non-vegetarian food but on the day of Easter, I break my fast with duck roast, pork, mutton biryani and all sorts of beverages. It’s a grand feast of sorts,” she sums up.