Hot cross buns was never a tradition for easter when I grew up. But I did live 8 years in Australia and there I adopted this sweet little bun and made it mine. Looking back at all those years when I traveled the world I feel quite lucky and privileged to have met so many interesting and kind people who invited me to take part of their traditions.
Living in a different country from the one where you grew up tend to, in my experience make people more drawn to traditions.
When I speak to my friends in Sweden around Christmas time many of them are sick of the Christmas food ( before they’ve even had it that year) and would rather have something else on the table. I, here in Spain with not as much family nor snow or xmas vibes around, find myself dreaming of an exuberance of traditional food (home made everything of course) and decorations. But since it’s mostly just a couple of us celebrating here that never happens, instead we go for the favourites, only. Not bad from a more sustainable perspective of course.
Easter has never been too much of a special thing for me. But now I’m realising that the end of the slow season, when I’m still full of energy, the weather is getting warmer and most of my friends also have time off, might be the perfect time for traditional celebrations. Stayed tuned for next year, when I’m imagining sour cream and caviar on halved eggs, warm smoked salmon, slow roasted lamb, new potatoes, asparagus tarts, daffodils and easter eggs filled with salty liquorice, sour sweets and chocolate. But first things first. We’re starting small and simple this year, with just some hot cross buns and cultured butter on the beach with two beautiful souls. And sometimes, like this time, simple really just is the best.
HOT, hot cross buns!
I didn’t have any apricot jam so I brushed them with my mums home made goose berry marmalade, delicious! I also swapped the orange zest for mandarine as there was no oranges in the house but apart from that I used this recipe. The cultured butter is another story…
Buns, butter and bubbles, among other treats like local cheese and veggies. Cris brought Lowquats, first time I tried those orange little fruits! Sweet but not overly, firm, really yummy!
Todays weather resembled Swedish summer, rain one second, wind the next just to move to full on sun. I seized the moment and went for a swim. These two hot buns and the edible ones, stayed on the beach. Easter swim, perhaps also a new tradition?
The port of Soller was as pretty as ever with nature deciding that boats that aren’t been taken to sea are actually flower beds.
Happy to have these gems in my life.
Happy Easter! xx Ida
