Easter Egg Lore from The Fresh Egg Cookbook

Photograph © Jason Houston

Easter Eggs

Centuries ago in France, eggs were such a luxury that they were forbidden during Lent. It was not until Maundy Thursday and Good Friday that people would collect their eggs so that they might be blessed on Easter Sunday. In the north country where we live, when Easter arrives the snow is finally letting up, the sap is coursing through the veins of the maple trees, and spring, a perpetual sign of renewal, is in the air.

The word Easter is derived from Eostra, the ancient goddess of spring, dawn, and fertility. With Easter celebrated on the first Sunday following the first full moon past the vernal equinox, many Easter customs can be traced back to archaic rites of spring.

The egg is an ancient symbol of new life and fertility. Myths that have come down to us from many cultures view the egg as the source of life. Going into spring with newborn chicks is a great way to celebrate a season of new beginnings.

From The Fresh Egg Cookbook by Jennifer Trainer Thompson © 2012
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