Growing up in Canada, I didn’t have a long Easter break like my kids have here in Tipperary, but I do have fond memories of ‘March Break’ – an annual week-long break, like a midterm, from school during what is usually the bleakest part of winter.

Getting dressed to go outside during these wintry breaks took commitment: snow pants, snow boots, a thick winter jacket, double socks, a hat and warm wool mittens (usually hand-knitted by someone’s grandma).

At some point during ‘March Break’, we would go tobogganing (sledding), trudging up a massive hill to experience 30 seconds of an ecstatic slide and repeating this for as long as our little legs would allow (our parents on guard; laughing at any spectacular wipe-outs). At home, my dad would clear the snow off the back pond and we would skate along its bumpy, slick surface.

ADVERTISEMENT

Only when our mittens were soaked through and we could no longer feel our toes would we retreat to the warmth of the house for hot chocolates and late afternoon movies.

Memories

These are memories which make me smile all these decades later. On our farm, we don’t have piles of snow or a frozen pond, but we have long walks down the lane and new calves to feed.

We have seeds to plant and family movie nights in front of the fireplace. I love spending time with my kids when they are on their Easter break, and of course, food is a huge part of our quality time.

These recipes are wholesome, comforting and just what we need to get us through the final chilly weeks of early spring

Whether visiting a café or making a dessert together to top off a family feast, the memories we make with our kids now will follow them through their lives.

We hope you find some inspiration for those special moments with your loved ones in this edition of Irish Country Living Food. Our favourite foodie home nurse, Nessa Robins, shares some wonderful recipes even the littlest hands can help with.

And the Irish Country Living team shares some favourite family-friendly restaurants found throughout the country. We would love to hear about your favourite spots, too, so if you have a hidden rural gem, be sure to drop us a line at food@farmersjournal.ie.

Traditional ingredients

Our Easter recipe spread includes traditional Irish ingredients with just a bit of global flair.

These recipes are wholesome, comforting and just what we need to get us through the final chilly weeks of early spring. As always, our wine aficionado, Irish Country Living editor Ciara Leahy, shares her nuggets of knowledge, but we are also launching some new columnists – our local beer expert, Caroline Hennessy, and Carol Barrett, who operates the stunning Dunmore House in west Cork and will be writing about the joys and challenges of working within rural Irish hospitality..

Unlike snowy Canada, Easter in Ireland is a time of rebirth and regeneration – our gardens are coming alive and the birds are working hard, practising for their annual dawn chorus. As always, we hope these pages help you make the most of our beautiful Irish spring.