The Easter Brunch...Dearest Memories of the Old Adobe.

Creamy Callas, Bunnies, Chicks, Roses & Daffodils 

abound on Jefferson's Table...  

 

 We had the old adobe all to ourselves.  No Chefs. No guests,  just family and friends...an instinctive reenactment of the many Easters gone-by.  We celebrated with revered recipes like “GaGa Potato Salad”, “Nana’s Tomato Aspic”  and “Grammy’s String Beans...Sentimental favorites that everyone has in their kitchen books.  Nothing nouvelle, but the very taste of them always brings home the loving memories of the cooks, who made the day so extraordinary, year after year.

The Morning was fresh and sunny.  We had decided to grill outside and do Ham Kabobs instead of the classic baked and decorated version.  The front yard was peppered with a merry collection of eggs.  Inside?  Gummy bears, chocolate, or the most favored of all...$$$. Popping the Champagne (& sparkling apple -  “kid champagne”), out came a silver susan brimming with smoked oysters, cream cheese & mint jelly, spiced olives and the children’s specialty, celery boats.  

Everyone was sipping and we were grilling as the air became scented with the smokey ham, pineapple, peppers and red onion.  We basted all along with a zesty Chipotle spiked teriyaki sauce.  Soon a sizable wicker basket was piled high with the lightest, flakiest giant biscuits imaginable. A big china bowl full of whipped honey butter followed.  All the favorites now stood shinning like treasure, on the ample chopping block table, groaning in the middle of the kitchen. 

 

 

 

The candles were lit, the kabobs came out, and the feasting began.  “Women and children first”, ordered the hostess, and laden plates fell into place on the long table, now splendid with daffodil bouquets that marched down the center.   

 

  Just as there seemed to be no possibility to have one drop more...out came the big platter of Carrot Cake Cup Cakes, served by the children with great care and sparkling eyes.  Yum, yummy...opulent cream cheese frosting on little cakes full of big walnut chunks and golden raisins.  You just can not beat the classics for crowd appeal!

Then,  in a flash, the moment the little ones were waiting for...the egg hunt began.

 

 

 

    

There was dashing and darting...high-spirited rivalry...a vigorous ballet in the eyes of the olders who all stood watching, grinning and sipping the last drops of bubbly with deep satisfaction.. 

Comments

[Carrot Cake Cup]

I just hang out for any recipe made of carrot..dat too carrot cup cake..yummyyyy....sounds fantastic! I am just melting on seeing the pix. www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrSTQDVc0tc I've been enjoying eating at home with friends more so than going out..Thanks for sharing this.

[Carrot Cake Cup]

I just hang out for any recipe made of carrot..dat too carrot cup cake..yummyyyy....sounds fantastic! I am just melting on seeing the pix. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrSTQDVc0tc I've been enjoying eating at home with friends more so than going out..Thanks for sharing this.

[folliculitis]

Hygiene, taste, ease of assimilation are some of the advantages of oven and pan, which yield lighter foods.

[cerebritis]

Carrots
Rabbits are said to owe their good eyesight to eating carrots.
And there is something right about that, because the carrot stimulates the production of vitamin A, necessary for proper vision. We know the importance of vitamin carrot and the positive effects
their carotene, since they increase visual acuity and night vision.
In soup, stew, fresh or broken no need to miss at any table.

[Blackswan]

Sorry for catching up so late, just back from Japan. Wonderful post & I've always enjoyed family gathering.

Love d food & photos! Thks for sharing!

[alice]

What an awesome Easter. I'm glad my kids didn't see this post.. they would have Easter Egg Hunt envy.

[Teanna]

Wow that looks like the perfect Easter dinner! Love those kebabs!

[Haley W.]

I adore carrot cake cupcakes, and I will have to try them the way you make them. I usually add crushed pineapple and pecans (deep South, here!) instead of golden raisins and walnuts. This will be a great way to change up an old favorite!

[Danica's Daily]

You are right - I LOVE it all! Great pictures and eats. I love carrot cake cupcakes and yours look awesome!

[Natasha - 5 Star Foodie]

The kebabs and the cupcakes look excellent! Sounds like a fun day!

[MaMely]

Very elegant. Love those cupcakes!

[Robert-Gilles Martineau]

Dear Sherry!
Greetings!
I was born in 1948, at the best time to be part of the Beatnik/hippie Generation!
it means that I witnessed and enjoyd the music, art and social revolution. I wouldn't exchange for anything!
Still listens a lot to Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna and reminisces about Grace Slick's White Rabbit! That from a Frenchman,....
Oh well (Fleetwood Mac, 1967...), sometimes wish it would start all over again! At least I feel blessed with allthose memories!
Cheers,
Robert-Gilles

[Carla]

The ham kabobs might have convinced me to actually eat ham on Easter. I hate ham haha

[Joie de vivre]

Ham kabobs? That's a good idea!

[Mely]

I read this post and wished to be there to see it.
Thanks for sharing it. And congratulations for getting the family and friends together. It is sad to see that not many people do it nowadays.

Have a great day!

[Jennifer]

The ham kabobs look great!

Glad you had a nice Easter!

[shavedicesundays]

Looks like a wonderful Easter you all had with wonderful food and lots of fun for the kids.

[beth]

Oh, kabobs! Nom, nom, nom. And those cupcakes are adorable, I love it. It all sounds delicious.

[Debi]

We were traveling on Easter this year...it was the first year we hadn't colored eggs :(
Your kebabs are a fun celebration of the beautiful day you had!

[Danielle]

Well, you had me at Chipotle. What a wonderful family celebration! I'm coming over next year! :).

[neil]

" Chipotle spiked teriyaki sauce" ? ..wow. My girlfriend made teriyaki sauce last night and I have a tin off chipotles in the cupboard (I may be the only person in London who does). Please tell me that's as good as it sounds ?

[Anna]

Looks like you had a great day! Everything looked yummy and the kids seem to have had a blast! Good job!

[Kimberly Hartke]

Sounds like a very special Easter! Thanks for sharing it!

Kimberly

[James]

Wow that all looks nice!

[Robert-Gilles Martineau]

Greetings!
Why does this remind me of Jefferson Airplane?
Sure would have enjoyed all that then!
LOL
Cheers,
Robert-Gilles

[neena creates]

ooh! the kabobs are making a rumble in my tummy!

[chitra]

i love those cup cakes , really they look yummy;)

[Chowhound]

Those kids are super cute by the way, you should probably print their pictures, am sure they'll love them when they grow up ;-).

[Chowhound]

Ham kabobs, hmn... sounds very interesting. I wonder how that tastes like, I'm sure it's fantastic because baked ham by itself is good enough but grilling seems to do something magical to food.

[Jessie]

that is some tasty looking brunch going on there!

[Kim--at the Paper Apron]

The children are gorgeous. If I were you, I'd blow those pictures up. They are stunning keepsakes of a very special day. And the food- classic! Love the idea of tomato aspic.

[Kim, Ordinary Recipes Made Gourmet]

I just have 1 question to ask? Why didn't you invite me over? LOL

[twinklestar79]

Lovely Cuppies! Love to take a bit of it!

[Dana (The Homesteading Housewife)]

Yum!

[camilla baker]

What fun! The ham kabobs look delicious, I feel like whipping a few up myself. A great blog.

[Tangled Noodle]

Kabobs are a great take on the traditional Easter ham and the chipotle teriyaki baste is something I'd love to try!

[Nicol]

I have voted your Easter lunch as THE ONE that I would have most wanted to be at. (instead I worked, but hey...I did make a Limeade Pie in the morning when I returned home), which, by the way you can see on my blog http://itsthatwomanfromtheinside.blogspot.com
I would love for you to visit and IF you liked it enough, would be honored for you to follow...I did not see a list of followers for your blog, but did subscribe..My blog is not what I would call a food blog, as it is food and my writing (poetry), plus general rants/raves...There are quite a few recipes,though...
Thanks for making me feel like I was almost at an Easter lunch...Wonderful blog!
Nicole

[Rex]

This sounds great! I love pork and I love grilling.

[Jen Schall @ My Kitchen Addiction]

The kabobs sound delicious. Your cupcakes look great, too! I love the little carrots on top!

[Usha Nandini]

Easter day must be fun to celebrate! The cupcakes look delicious and scrumptious! I like the icing too! Ah! Your dining room looks so heavenly!

[Spirited Miu Flavor]

Oh, I love this dinner... no wonder why kebab is a favorite of mine since I'm from Turkey! Those carrot cupcakes, they're just so lovely.

Ozge

[lisaiscooking]

Chipotle teriyaki sauce sounds fantastic!

[jenn]

Those ham kabobs look absolutely delish. And those cupcakes are delectable.

I miss having egg hunts. =)

[Heavenly Housewife]

Gorgeous cupcakes and gorgeous kiddies. Looks like a fantastic day.

[Shannon (The Daily Balance)]

those cupcakes are ADORABLE! Love the egg hunt, too ;)