On Easter morning, as my boyfriend and I were sharing a Lindt chocolate bunny, I asked him if he ever thought it was weird to celebrate a holiday that is so much centered on the whole Jebus thing, and so re-birth, spring, bunnies, chicks, flowers, etc. while here, the days are getting shorter and colder because it's autumn. His answer: "I never really thought about it that way, but I guess that does explain the bunnies. I never really understood the bunny thing but it would make sense. We have Easter bilbies here instead". Me: "An Easter bilby? What's a bilby?"
Chocolate Easter bilbies were put in place in Australia in the late 1960s because bunnies are not very popular here. In Oz, bunnies are the North American equivalent to rats and the majority are considered feral and a major environmental pest (according to Wikipedia). The chocolate versions of the bilbies are considered "better" and are quite popular here. The Darell Lee chocolate company has even put in place a "Save the Bilby Fund" because it's an endangered species that may become extinct. There are only about 600 left in the world and greater bilbies are already extinct.
So to top of that new knowledge, we followed our breakfast appetizer (chocolate bunny) with some chocolate hot cross-buns. Another tradition from Oz, theses pastries/breads/buns/cakes are only available around Easter time and they are oh so good. Only 360 days or so until we get a chance at hot-cross buns again!
Ah, MP. Hot-Cross buns (although not the chocolate variety) are available in North American as well and, like you, they're only available at Easter.
ReplyDeleteHow fortunate that one can bake them anytime! If, of course, you're into that kind of thing. ;-)
Good to know! I just did a bit of research and learned that "hot cross buns" comes from the UK and there is even an English nursery rhyme about them. That might explain why they are foreign to me!
ReplyDeleteBaking them myself? That does sound interesting. If I get around to it, I'll let you know if it worked out well.