Easter, Our French Way in Melbourne

Easter, Our French Way in Melbourne

Easter is one of the most beautiful moments in the French calendar. It is a time shaped by tradition, family, chocolate and a table gathered with care.

In France, one of the loveliest Easter stories is that the church bells fly to Rome on Good Friday, before returning on Easter Sunday to scatter chocolate eggs through gardens as they pass. As children, we would wait for the moment our parents asked, “Can you hear the bells?” That was the signal. Time to run into the garden with wicker baskets in hand and begin the egg hunt in earnest, searching everywhere for something sweet hidden among the leaves. And once we were older, my grandmother 'Mam' would hide bottles of wine in the garden for us all to find.

It is one of those traditions that stays with you.

Traditionally in France, Easter Sunday lunch centres around spring lamb, shared slowly as a proper family meal. Here in Melbourne, we keep the spirit of that tradition while letting the local season guide what comes to the table.

This year, our Easter lunch will begin with œufs mimosa, local fruits-de-mer and the last of the tomatoes from the bushes, which took so long to ripen this year but are finally ready just in time for Easter. For the main, we will have beautiful brined and roasted chicken with tarragon cream. For dessert, there will be our fig and almond cake, made with figs foraged from the Brunswick lanes that are so juicy right now.

That is what Easter in Melbourne feels like for us. A little French tradition, a little local seasonality, and a table built around sharing. It is never just about what is on the table. It is about the feeling around it. The conversation, the generosity, the scent of something warm from the oven, and the little details that turn a meal into a memory.

Whether you are planning an Easter lunch in Melbourne, baking for family, or simply looking for inspiration for a more thoughtful Easter table, we hope this season brings a little sweetness and time together.

Joyeuses Pâques.

Josephine