Arcadia Italy

Natale con i tuoi, Pasqua con chi vuoi (Christmas with your family, Easter with whoever you want), it is a common phrase we use in Italian. Despite this saying Easter Sunday is usually spent with family.

Unfortunately, this year the tradition has been completely turned upside down because of the Covid-19 and we all spent this day at home, with the closest part of our family but far away from relatives and friends.

The main meal is the colazione pasquale and thanks to the technology support we were able to reduce the distance virtually and spend some time with family, by pleasant chat that overlaps, grandparents who need help to download the Zoom app or great-grandfather who doesn't understand how it is possible to see his grandchildren on a screen, and loud laughter.

Culinary Tradition

As we said, it was a different Easter. However, it is always important to find the positive aspect. Italians have discovered again their culinary tradition. Yeast, Chocolate eggs, wheat were unavailable at the supermarket this year.

Who among us has not challenge themselves making the favorite Easter dish, cake, that always our mum or grandma have prepared for us? We have always thought it was impossible! But at the end we made it; surely the result was not what we were used to see on the table of our grandma’s, but the satisfaction was immense.

Easter Monday - Pasquetta

As you maybe know, the tradition for the Easter Monday is to organize a BBQ or a picnic with a group of friends in one of the parks of the city to enjoy the spring, even though the forecast is not always the best.

Who remembers of an Italian Pasquetta with a nice sun and warm weather? Raise your hand if you do! This 2020 has surprised us also in this way: the whole Italian peninsula was kissed by the sun. So, we didn’t get discouraged, and we organized picnic in our tiny balconies or in the condominium terraces, trying to take advantage of this moment and enjoy the sun.

Surely these feast days have been different, physically distant, but closer with the heart to our beloved. Feast days that are giving us the opportunity to rekindle some traditions and values we often forget during our hectic life.

We hope you all spent a safe Easter and you had fun making some good recipes. We encourage you to take part to the Virtual International Cook Off and share with @arcadiaknightsabroad by April 18th your dishes!