RESURRECTION LUNCHEON
I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?—John 11:25-26
Several years ago, we seven siblings realized that we would eventually go away for school or jobs, or get married, and live apart from each other. Gone would be ‘every day a party’ with a crowd of people prone to jitterbugging at odd moments, tossing balloons at each other, laughing uproariously at the same movie lines, and dancing on the coffee table while singing ‘If I Was a Rich Man’ from Fiddler on the Roof {when our parents were not home}.
It hasn’t happened yet, but preparation is key in any disaster.
The recourse, we decided, would be having parties on purpose, and we girls immediately divvied out the holidays. We will be lighting firecrackers and sipping watermelon margaritas at Hazel’s house on Independence Day. We will be decorating the tree and dancing till midnight at Coralie’s house on Christmas Eve. We will be eating grilled lamb and listening to Handel’s Messiah at my house on Easter.
Last year I thought, why wait till I leave, to make something of ‘my holiday’?
Now, none of us are what we would call ‘holiday people.’ {Birthdays and Christmas are sacred, but that is another matter.} We have failed to comprehend the exhausting litany of traditions for Valentine’s Day and President’s Day and Saint Patrick’s Day... ad nauseam. And for those holidays we do mark, we usually end up doing the same thing we do every weekend: grill steak and onions, sit outside talking, go out on the boats, or shoot arrows into the neighbor’s yard. {It’s a program worth repeating, no?}
But that Easter, I decided, was to be something a bit more special. I ordered tulips, spread our favorite ochre tablecloth, set out my brass candlesticks, and served a decadent multi-course meal.
It was quite a hit; I hope to repeat the experience this year, and plan to post pictures then. Perhaps these snapshots from last year will be inspiration for you this coming weekend?
red wine
sparkling grape juice
deviled eggs with paprika
crostini with chive-scented ricotta
elixir of fresh peas
spring salad with orange-balsamic dressing
wild mushroom and asparagus bread pudding
Mediterranean mahi-mahi
strawberry pavlova
• luncheon for Resurrection Sunday 2013 •
April 15, 2014