Breaking (Easter) Bread

As the holiday is fast approaching, I can't miss an opportunity to post something about Easter Bread. I have a love of the many varieties of flavored breads that fall into this category. Most importantly, my mom and my grandma each make their own version of Easter Bread. My mom's bread is light, anise flavored bread that is braided and iced with a sweet, thin icing. It is best right from the oven or the same day it is baked, as it tends to get dry and the icing gritty if it isn't eaten soon after baking. My grandma's (my mom's mom's) is heavier, also anise flavored, and has gold raisins in the dough. It is best from the oven or toasted for days after. It also makes for a great bread pudding.
There is an ongoing battle of sorts between my mom and gram as to whose bread is the family favorite. Problem is: the breads are so different. Which is the favorite is a matter of preference for type of bread, not bread baker. Though you can't convince my mom or grandma of that. Just today, my grandma called me on my lunch break and told me that the Easter bread was coming out of the oven and that I should come have a slice for lunch. Nothing like a thick slice of bread and butter for a healthy lunch, eh? So as to not offend grandma, I put aside my yogurt and honey lunch snack for some bread. And it was great. To my surprise, my mom called me as I was leaving work and told me that she had just made some Easter bread, that it was coming out of the oven, and that there was a loaf with my name on it should I want it. Should I want it? Do I want to be written out of my mom's will? To break her heart? To fall to the bottom of her ladder of love? She knew I was at Grandma's for lunch today, there was no way I was getting out of some after work bread as well. (Note to self: this is why my two-a-days at the gym have been of little affect lately...)Inheritance aside, I was happy to get some of my mom's hot Easter bread as well. It too was wonderful in its own distinct way.
And here's the rub of this post - the many varieties of Easter bread local to my hometown and I assume on a wider basis. Many of the Italian ladies in my hometown make Easter Bread and share it with other bread-makers as a calling card of sorts. I have had heavy, booze-filled breads, delicate anise seed bread knots, lemon bread filled with ricotta, and a lot of things in between. This year alone, I have had bread braided, in knots, in round and rectangular loafs, iced, sprinkled with powdered sugar, and baked with a hard boiled egg inside. Whatever the variety, whatever the case, I am thankful for the time and love that goes into making this holiday treat as well as the generosity of the bread maker in sharing it. Happy Easter!

Bona Terra - Sharpsburg

I have been meaning to go to Bona Terra for some time now. But, whenever we feel like inspired local food (which is pretty often) we usually head to Legume. We finally made it to Sharpsburg to try out this often-hyped restaurant and we are convinced that it is basically worth the hype.
Bona Terra is BYOB with a daily changing menu. It focuses on local, seasonal food. Unlike Legume (take note, Chef Dick) Bona Terra doesn't post their menu daily. Instead, you find three sample menus on their website. That leaves overly anxious diners to wait until they get to the restaurant that night to see the menu. Gasp! The menu offered five hot appetizers, three salads, a cheese plate, and six dinner entrees. We went with the waitress' recommendation of the dumplings for an appetizer, though the cracker dusted oysters and the roasted quail sounded good too. The dumplings were made with homemade dough, filled with pork shoulder, and served in spicy broth. They were delicate and quite good. We also had a salad, which was one of our favorite parts of the meal. The salad was served with tender greens, candied walnuts, chevre, and a citrus vinaigrette. It was wonderful! Each component was special on its own, and the combination was perfect. We had the striped bass over lentils and the duck breast with basmati rice for our entrees. Both were excellent - the bass was crispy and browned on the skin side and perfectly cooked otherwise. The lentils were mild and weren't overcooked. The duck was another crispy skinned protein, and was very tender. In between courses, the chef served a mango sorbet (housemade, aggressive and delicious) and a tomato soup with crispy proscuitto (smooth and buttery). We were pleasantly surprised when the waitress asked about dessert, as we hadn't seen any leave the kitchen to that point. The desserts included a lemon tart, an offering of sorbets, and a homemade chocolate cake. We opted for the chocolate cake, which was fabulous. It was dense and rich. And it was served with homemade chocolate peanut butter cup icing. Along with the salad, it was the standout of the night. Oh, and I don't want to forget the bread - housemade herbed ciabatta hot from the oven, served with herbed butter. Sooooo good. So, while I am partial to Legume (are you getting that feeling yet?), and while it remains my go-to for creative local food, there is room in my rotation for Bona Terra as well. Just not as often as Legume...