One of the topics I always enjoyed reading about on CH was the holiday menus and treats. I found the discussion of Passover Seder traditions particularly interesting. Easter is two weeks away so what is on your menu? I am going traditional. Baking a ham, scalloped potatoes, roasted asparagus, deviled eggs, homemade rolls, and probably the decadent banana pudding with the chessman cookies.
ETA- Husband asked pitifully “What about macaroni and cheese?” So I am adding macaroni and cheese.
For me Easter has always meant lamb and hot cross buns. I satisfied both cravings this weekend. The inlaws will be away in Spain for Easter. So the missus and I are at the inlaws at the moment.
Last night the MIL made lamb shoulder with a ras el hanout rub, cooked in a tagine for 4 hours. Beautifully tender, it just fell apart, absolutely delicious.
This morning for breakfast, toasted hot cross buns with lots of butter and a cup of tea.
I’ve never seen nor heard of macaroni and cheese on Easter. Is that a western Virginia tradition?
KC, land of my youth, was/is the intersection of southern cooking and plains staples but never Mac and cheese on holidays.
To be honest, it has always been a thing from way back. And it’s SOUTHwestern VA the Appalachians- not to be confused with western VA which is Roanoke and the oh so upscale Blacksburg. The only time Roanoke and Montgomery County are considered southwest va is when the state is handing out money. LOL yes sarcasm at it’s finest. I don’t do mac and cheese for Christmas or Thanksgiving. But if the husband asks for it, I will do it because he doesn’t ask for much in life. Brown sugar ham and mac and cheese are things of beauty- big stick of real butter, heavy cream and grated Tillamook sharp cheddar cheese…yum. And when there was more family at Easter, we had broccoli rice cheese casserole too. You can’t have enough cheese. And we usually had strawberry pretzel salad too along with coconut cake decorated with jelly beans. Oh and pickled beets!
Cool 
Thanks 
My sister and BIL lived in McLean, but they’ve departed for Florida in retirement.
I love hearing about state vs. state and in-state rivalries.
How far from ETSU are you?
I worked with an African American lady and we talked recipes and meals during break sometimes. She was in her early 40’s at that time and I asked her if she was going to make the mac and cheese at one family reunion. And she laughed and said “No Mother Briggs is still making it and after she passes, her daughter will make it. I am not in the lineup to get the recipe passed down.” LOL
ETSU- Two hours give or take any delays on I-81 I live in Tazewell County, VA. I go to Johnson City at least once a quarter to Talbot’s, Chico’s, Olive Oil Divine, and the Firehouse bbq restaurant. As stated in the welcome get to know post, southwest Virginians are as welcome in eastern and northern VA as a turd in a punchbowl. I choose to spend my money in upper east TN rather than travel to Roanoke or east.
My food buddy from Roadfood, Fred Sauceman, is a professor there. I’ve posted a couple of his articles here.
I laughed when the Washington Post had an article several years ago about “discovering” Appalachian food. Appalachian food is many things. First it was mainly homegrown and hearty cause people worked on their farms or in the mines. Second it was about not wasting food- canning, preserving, curing etc cause electricity did not come early to the mountains. It was also about making do with what you had- maybe it wasn’t gourmet or three-starred but it kept you from starving. As I said on here the other day, you can tell many people have NEVER been close to starving by their comments. In the summer, we spent all our time growing produce to can or freeze, gleaning the fence rows for berries to can or freeze, the fall was for making molasses, drying apples, making apple cider, Thanksgiving was hog killing day. This time of year was maple syrup making. I wish I could go back to that time. I did not know how good I had it growing up with that history and that good no preservative food.
