Chocolates, Easter and Other Spring Things

My mother, top right and aunts looking lovely in their spring suits, probably Easter time. (My Yiayia and Papou and uncle in the background)

I’ve been thinking about the change of seasons. Here in Central Florida we experience a much milder form of seasonality. Sometimes temperatures reach the high 30s. Occasionally we get frost warnings but no one really covers their plants. When you’re not used to sub-zero temps anymore, you break out the boots and cute coats once or twice a year. I remember in February, right after we moved to Orlando, hearing the local weatherman use the term “blustery” and I laughed out loud. Who was he kidding? Those of you who have endured winter are emerging, just like spring flowers, into the sunshine, thawing out, so to speak, in your shorts and t-shirts. I enjoyed the change of seasons when I lived in Ohio. The seasons leave a time-stamp on your memories. I remember certain events happening “because it was winter” or “it was a hot day” and it took some adjusting after moving to a more temperate climate, to categorize memories in that way. Is it enough for me to move back up north? No way. I’ve adjusted to this climate, sticky hot summers and all, just fine.

With Easter approaching, those of you who celebrate are readying your Easter baskets and planning family brunches or dinners. I thought it would be a good time to tell you about chocolate. Did you know that chocolate is a superfood? Most of you know my history with chocolate, and it’s an in-depth one. Coming from the pastry world, and then in chocolate sales for nearly ten years, I developed an extensive background for the stuff. It’s not only delish, it’s nutrish. In fact, it’s good for you in so many ways.

Theobroma comes from Greek (of course it does) meaning Food of the Gods. But let’s get specific. Not all chocolate is created equal. Your might be thinking Cadbury Eggs or Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, so please allow me to direct you to dark chocolate. Anything over 70% is going to have health benefits as well as a rich, dark, earthy flavor. Look at what you get in this superfood: Healthy fat (cocoa butter) protein, fiber, zinc, vitamin K, selenium, manganese, iron, copper, potassium and phosphorus! The darker the chocolate, the more antioxidants. But you’re not getting that from your peanut butter cup. A 70% chocolate, for example, contains about 9 grams of sugar, and an 85% contains only 4 grams of sugar. Chocolate improves heart health by reducing the risk of coronary artery disease, reduces blood pressure by relaxing blood vessels, improves memory function, decreases insulin resistance and helps with immunity, gut health and mood! So if you’re reaching for chocolate because you had tough day, your body is telling you to do the right thing!

When shopping chocolate, look for percentages. More and more chocolate makers are including this information on their packaging because consumers are becoming more aware. The percentage indicates the cacao content. Cacao, the raw bean, is turned into chocolate after it’s been fermented, dried, roasted and pulverized into cocoa powder. The cocoa butter is removed during that process, then they are “married” along with small amounts of sugar and sometimes emulsifiers. That’s it. The only ingredients in your chocolate should be cocoa mass (cocoa and cocoa butter) and sugar (a good quality sugar like organic cane sugar). If chocolate contains an emulsifier, go with sunflower, but there are so many options now without it, you can easily find one. Milk chocolate does not offer these benefits and has the added hazard of dairy, so best to avoid. Shop for brands that source their chocolate from fair trade growers. Some regions, like the Ivory Coast, use slave labor. Like anything else, you get what you pay for. This Easter, start a new tradition, buy quality chocolate, and treat is as a treat.

We celebrate Orthodox Easter, which is the week following Western Easter this year. It changes each year. The Greek Orthodox Church follows the ancient Julian calendar. It’s supposed to be on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the spring equinox. Basically the vernal equinox is calculated differently so Easter (or as we call it, Pascha) falls on a different day. Contrary to some urban myths, it has nothing to do with the date of Passover, which is what many people believe. It also has nothing to do with Greeks being cheap and buying all of our Easter candy on clearance. Yet another urban myth.

Pascha is by far the biggest holiday in Greece. After 40 days of fasting (essentially vegan living) Greeks waste no time, eating immediately following the midnight resurrection service. We carry our lit candles home from church and mark our doorways with a cross from the smoke emitted by the candle. In many homes people eat until the wee hours of the morning. I remember going to an aunt’s house, straight from church, around 2am, where she had the table set and the feast ready to go. Many Greeks have “glendis” or picnics, where whole lambs are roasting, and there is music and dancing. We dye our eggs bright red, representing the blood of Christ. Then we play “Tsougrisma” which is when we each try to break the other’s egg with our own egg. The owner of the unbroken, surviving egg gets luck for the year. My family celebrates on Sunday, usually a big dinner in the afternoon. These days I’ve incorporated paleo recipes into the meal, and I still make some of the traditional foods and Greek bread, well, because it’s tradition. However you choose to celebrate Spring, use it to welcome in the sun and warmth. Savor all it brings and like the season, start something new!