Calgary Herald

TASTY TREATS FOR EASTER

Six luxurious goodies to help you celebrate

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If you’re a kid, Easter is almost as exciting as Christmas and Valentine’s Day. It is, after all, a chance to eat candy, get treats and have tons of fun with your family — maybe even an Easter egg hunt outside, if the weather’s good. But we grown-ups deserve some fun, too. With that in mind, Shelley Boettcher has rounded up six luxurious treats for family and friends this Easter, all from Alberta businesses.

1 Easter just wouldn’t be the same without chocolate eggs and bunnies.

That’s why Anne Sellmer at Cochu Chocolatie­r has been stirring up all kinds of sweet goodness in her kitchen, including eggs, rabbits, hens and hippos. (“They’re Easter-y, no?” she asks.)

But the gem in her lineup this year is a big “jewelled” egg filled with Pop Rocks and sweet and sour candies. Hold the egg up to the light, and it glows like stained glass. (Hold it too long or to a light that’s too hot and they’ll melt, but you get the picture.)

All are handmade in small batches here in Calgary, and only a limited number are available.

Prices range, depending on the item. Order at info@cochu.ca or shop at Meez Cuisine, The Cookbook Co. Cooks, Janice Beaton Fine Cheese, The Uncommons and Fresh Laundry Co. Go to cochu.ca for more.

2 Made by Marcus makes all kinds of seriously addictive ice cream but this spring, just for Easter, he’s released a limitededi­tion malted mini-egg ice cream. Yes, crunchy, chocolatey bits and creamy cold goodness. What’s not to love? Find it at Made by Marcus Creamery, 1013 17th Ave. S.W. or follow him on Instagram @madebymarc­us for more informatio­n.

3 Maybe you celebrate Easter. Maybe you simply want to mark the start of spring. Either way, a big beautiful bouquet of flowers is sure to put a smile on someone’s face.

Michele Masterson’s Blue Hydrangea flower shop used to be on 9th Avenue S.E. in Inglewood, but now it’s just off Alyth Road S.E. Stop in for beautiful flowers for all occasions, including Easter, spring, Mother’s Day or maybe just a fine Monday.

“Our flowers evoke the feeling of freshly gathered garden flowers, with all their natural variations and inconsiste­ncies,” Masterson says.

Go to bluehydran­gea.ca for details.

4 Be the hero at dinner this weekend when you show up with a cake shaped like the Easter Bunny. Deirdre Lotecki is the owner and pastry chef at Sweet Relief Pastries, and for the past couple of weeks, she’s been making cute cakes inspired by the big bunny himself. Just two of you? Then get a tiny “cakelette,” she calls them, or a regular sized cake for a crowd. If cake’s not your style, check out her sugar cookies, macaroons and other sweet edibles. The shop is worth a visit, just to see her wall of coloured fancy sugars.

5 Prefer your eggs real, not chocolate? You’re not alone. Easter brunch is a tradition for many, and Calgary has many fine places for morning nosh. But if you haven’t made a reservatio­n — or you don’t like standing in line — it can be hard to find a last-minute place with both space and quality eats.

Michael Noble’s restaurant Notable is a good choice because A. the restaurant is pretty big, so odds of getting a table are high, and B. the food is awesome. The eggs Benedict is great and so are the huevos rancheros, which feature house-made chorizo and a slew of other good stuff.

6 You don’t have to be Italian to enjoy Colomba di Pasqua, the famous Italian Easter bread. But if you are Italian, there’s a good chance you like it with dessert wine or Prosecco.

Here in Canada, though, we typically just toast a slice or two and serve with coffee and maybe a little butter.

One to search out? Canova Pasticceri­a’s Colomba Di Pasqua is handmade in Edmonton and sold in Calgary at Sobeys and Safeway.

Colomba has its roots in Milan, Italy but is now found around the world; it gets its name from the fact that it’s shaped somewhat like a dove. It takes 36 hours to make the special dough, which contains candied orange peel and raisins, and each loaf is then topped with pearl sugar and slivered almonds before being packaged. At Canova, that packaging includes a zippy yellow cloth bag. For more details, go to canova.ca.

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