Easter Sunday

Oh how I’d love to be in the kitchen kneading the dough for Hot Cross Buns. Or re-making the tart shells for the lemon tarts I have planned for tonight’s dessert but got a little overcooked because I’m sick and got distracted.

Instead I’ve been relegated to bed. Again.

I’m kind of tired of this being sick thing and it seems I only blog when I’m sick these days… and that too sucks.

This particular one involved a big pudgy face (no “how could you tell” comments thank you) and a trip to the hospital. Luckily it’s not the evil allergies that have been haunting me since January with weekly eruptions of hives and poofy eyes causing me to keep a detailed food journal. Which is no small feat given the number of tastings, conferences and food events I’ve been attending lately. (See, I don’t even tell you about those because I’m either run off my feet or in bed sick. Argh!)

Nope, this time my entire face got involved in the poofiness and I am blessedly hive free. Ugly is bad, but ugly and itchy? That really freaks people out.

So Friday after watching my face get progressively larger for 2 days and seeing no noticeable deflation after taking the hyper-strength antihistamines, I headed into the Mount Sinai emergency. My logic being that waiting until Tuesday to see just how swollen my face would (could?) get would be foolish. They agreed.

Now I’m all dosed up counting my blessings that my in-laws are both understanding and mobile. They are coming to us this Easter and bringing the ham & scalloped potatoes with them.

But unless I start feeling better soon, my only contribution to the feast will be the subtle smell of freshly toasted and ground spices, and some lemon tarts in darkened shells.

Though since I’m still kind of poofy if I threw on a little bright coloured makeup, I could also be considered the comic relief.

Toasted in a popcorn popper and then ground in a coffee grinder, the perfect Hot Cross Spice Mix is pretty easy to make and oh so fragrant.
More photos of the process