Easter Sunday is in two weeks.

Saturday, March 16, 2002

Easter Sunday is in two weeks. Many people are still observing Lent by fasting and abstaining from meat on Fridays and eating simpler meals such as soup on Wednesdays. Children often abstain from eating sweets during Lent, the season of reflection and cleansing one’s body.

After the 40 days of Lent, everyone looks forward to Easter Sunday and a delicious meal. The Easter meal often centers on ham, leg of lamb or turkey. One place to purchase your special meats for Easter dinner is Knauer’s Meat Market. For those more adventurous cooks, Knauer’s will have Iowa leg of lamb on hand for Easter dinner.

Bob, the assistant manger of Knauer’s said, "Iowa has wonderful lamb. Cooks who choose leg of lamb or chops usually know what they are doing. I don’t give any advice to anyone who prepares lamb. Some people want the center cut of lamb, this is good for stew. Lamb is a specialty meat."

Ham is another traditional meat for Easter dinner. Hams are now cured with less salt then they used to be. Knauer’s has five specialty hams they will be offering this year. Hams with the bone intact are more flavorful. Some accompaniments to bring out the flavor of your ham plus add color to your table are to marinate the ham while roasting with cherries or pineapple. A sweet and sour raisin sauce with the ham will make your dinner even more special.

Bob, from Knauer’s Meat said, " People that have large gatherings at Easter can serve a medley of meats. Prime rib, turkey and ham are three that can be served at an Easter gathering. We have access to so much variety now a days and people can choose what they want to eat."

Besides the main meat dish, don’t forget dessert. After forty days without sweets everyone will be clamoring for chocolate bunnies, eggs and jellybeans. Angel food cake, almond cookies or a lemon dessert will be crowd pleasers after a rich Easter dinner.

Celebrate Easter, this time of new life and spring, with new recipes and prepare old time favorites that have been passed down.

See more Easter food traditions in the Living Section.

Call Sheila Donnelly at 434-2233 or e-mail her at newsroom@austindailyherald.com.