Easter was especially joyful this year. After a hard winter and a month of raw rainy days, Sunday morning was storybook warm and sunny. For the first time in months I wore a short-sleeved shirt on my run—one of many happy moments throughout the day.
Our Easter meal was another. Each year this traditional feast seems to evolve into an ever more relaxed experience. I continue to learn that having a plan A is important but plan B is usually more fun.
No big ham or lamb centerpiece this year. My plan A was to create a glorious feast with the contents of my bulging fridge (leftover from a week of photographing my upcoming book) and a large package of frozen whole chicken legs—all without a trip to the store. If you had seen the contents of my fridge you would understand this was not a difficult task.
Midmorning I gave the chicken thighs a serious herb rubbing. The plan was to roast them on a wire rack set over a roasting pan of fingerling potatoes, shallots, and multi-colored baby carrots and enjoy them with steamed haricots verts, sugar snap peas, and corn on the cob. (Yes I had all that in the fridge.) We were going to enjoy this lovely roast dinner for lunch.
But when noon rolled around it was such a glorious day we decided to go for a walk instead. We hopped in the car and headed to Cove Island Park where we discovered we weren’t the only ones who thought a stroll along Long Island Sound would resurrect our winter-dead hearts. Here we joined hundreds of people in shorts and flipflops who had also been cooped up all winter heading for the park grills with picnic baskets. What fun.
(David and me at Cove Island Park)
(Andy and Maggy at Cove Island Park)
As we took in all of the smells, our plan A morphed into B. Why roast chicken when we could grill ours too? We headed home, fired up the Weber, and set our Easter table on the deck. Here we enjoyed a glass of wine and smoked salmon with all the trimmings while we called loved ones who weren’t with us (we were particularly missing Sharon and Tony) and tended the grilling chicken.
Table set and chicken and vegetables done, we finally sat down to enjoy our feast around 5:00. Just as we were about to pass the food, I felt the first drop of rain from a spring downpour that was passing through. Quickly we picked up the celebration and moved to the dining room where we lit candles and continued with Plan C.
There is something to the expression, “Less is more.” It is most often the case that the best celebrations are the simplest. That day was really perfect (though I could have done without the rain!)
And I must say, that chicken was really some of the best I have ever tasted. All those herbs and garlic, the piquancy of the lemon and the crispy skin and chicken. We can make that again and again.
I really truly enjoy using what we have rather than making extra trips to the store. Keep it simple and life bubbles with possibilities!
Sounds like you had a GREAT Easter. Run, Beach, Walk, Food, Family, Sun, and Rain, you had it all
It really was a beautiful day for Easter! My family enjoyed sitting outside for appetizers but then the rain came through here too and we sat inside for the main course.
Your chicken looks and sounds fabulous! I will be sure to try this one soon. Hooray for grilling season!
What a wonderful day! Great food and great company!