Annapolis Family Gathering

Dogwood trees always remind me of Easter season.  They've been beautiful this Spring in Maryland.  The trees bloomed early and at the same time as the Cherry Blossoms and tulips. My neighborhood in Wheaton has been like a lovely painting; so alive and brilliant with so many bright colors.

I traveled to Annapolis for Easter Sunday dinner at my brother's.  It was great. I was reminiscing with family and friends as we ate a fabulous dinner of ham, Maryland crab cakes, roasted salmon, potato salad, cole slaw, corn muffins, a broccoli and carrot mix, rolls and tossed green salad.  Joyce, my sister in-law is always prepared for an army of 50.  Believe me, I am not complaining. There is definitely something marvelous to be said for leftover ham, eggs and cheese for breakfast the next morning.

Then, for dessert, there were lemon meringue pie, delicious brownies made by my nephew, and ice cream.  Afterwards, with some coaxing from my sister in-law, who loves them, we all played parlor games. We had many choices and ended up choosing Logo and Bingo.  I'm not a lot for games, however, it turned out to be really fun.

I thought about Easter dinners growing up in Annapolis.  My mother always cooked a  lamb roast which we never ate with mint jelly.  That wasn't Mom's thing.  Whenever we had lamb, Easter or not, we always had Kosher dill pickles.  I think I may have tried mint jelly once later with lamb, however, I never order it like that.  I think that explains my love for dill relish in everything from potato salad to tartar sauce to my homemade deli sandwiches.  In fact, the only time I eat sweet relish these days, is when it's in someone else's dish.

I did end up having ham, scrambled eggs with grated cheese, Quinoa toast and my favorite tea--Berry Blossom white with honey and coconut milk the next day.  Yum.