Easter Bouquet

Rose in Brioche, Simnel Tarts, Bunny Books

Apr 18, 2025

Three quick things of note for Easter:

Rose in a Brioche

detail of *The Brioche* by Edouard Manet, 1970

I was looking for something else in “my files” (my phone’s camera roll) and a post by meteuropeanpaintings came up which I had screengrabbed five years ago and forgotten about. It caught my eye because on my most recent trip to the Met, the same painting by Manet - a brioche still-life - was one of the highlights. Now I’ve learned that it’s also wonderful inspiration for an Easter centrepiece. From the caption of the post: The decorative touch of inserting a rose into a brioche on Easter morning—to symbolize the resurrection—is a time-honored tradition in some French households.

Simnel Tart

My Easter bouquet this year is a bunch of calla lilies.

Another Easter tradition I learned about just this week, inspiring today’s newsletter: Simnel Cakes. On Thursday, my friend Patti Robinson texted me the below photo of a tart, covered in marzipan, with eleven marzipan balls dotting the edges:

Like tulips, I love when friends text me pictures of desserts, especially if it’s one that’s new to me. And a medieval one at that! Traditionally, a Simnel Cake is a light fruit cake, with a layer of marzipan running through the middle and on top, with eleven marzipan balls placed around the edges (representing 11 disciples - no marzipan ball for Judas). Patti, the genius baker that she is, was inspired to make a tart instead - with almond frangipane, dried currants, candied citrus, marmalade and honeyed marzipan, in a buckwheat and red fife sweet crust (AKA my dream tart). We were already heading to Robinson Bread to pick up some hot cross buns (necessary) and got a slice of tart to go with an afternoon tea. Hopefully she makes this an Easter tradition at her bakery. Here is a recipe for making your own cake from The Guardian. I also consulted my book dedicatd to Marzipan and its many uses (where I got the inspiration for my baby shower cakes) and low and behold there is a recipe there, too:

from *Marzipan* by John F. Renshaw & Co.

Easter Reading List

Something I’ve loved about having a baby so far is revisiting favourite childhood books, so many of which involve bunnies. I loved reading this post about Goodnight Moon, but the Margaret Wise Brown/Clement Hurd book I was most looking forward to revisiting was The Runaway Bunny. About a mother’s love for her little bunny, I found it hard not to tear up when reading the first few times.

"If you become a bird and fly away from me," said his mother, "I will be a tree that you come home to."

"If you become a crocus in a hidden garden," said his mother, "I will be a gardener. And I will find you." Bunny crocus!

Another Margaret Wise Brown book that we have been enjoying is The Golden Egg Book, with absolutely stunning illustrations by Leonard Weisgard. This was sent by my Aunt who gave it to her daughter in 1992. The flower-filled egg on the cover reminds me of the fantasy eggs from Sant Ambroeus. A peek inside: