Most Eastern European households have an Easter tradition of sweet eggy bread. This is my family’s — an enormous braided loaf, scented with nutmeg and lemon, peppered with almonds and plump golden raisins. It originated on my maternal grandfather’s Czech side of the family tree, and all my life I’ve known it as houska. As in, “Uncle Ed is doing the houska this Easter.” Or, “I burned the top of the houska.” “Tell me again, who’s bringing the houska?” It’s a treasured Easter treat, the taste and scent of it mixed with holiday memories.

But you know what? My family has it all wrong. This bread isn’t houska at all. We’ve been using the wrong name for at least 70 years. Does it matter?

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This drink, which supposedly originated at the bar of a British private club in the Burmese capital of Rangoon sometime in the 1920s, is squarely in the wheelhouse of the 9-Bottle Bar. It calls for four of the nine bottles, with lime juice as a fifth, acidity-adding ingredient.

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When we got married, my aunt gave us two sterling silver iced tea spoons, promising I could use them for so much more than tea. Which is good, because — get ready to take away my Southern card — I don’t like iced tea. I know. But my aunt was right. These spoons are good for so much more.

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I have a deep love and respect for breakfast. It helps wake up my brain, fuel my body, and gets things started on the right note. Food, or the absence of it, is so closely linked to my mood, that if I skip breakfast you might find me in tears by lunch. So with that in mind, it’s important for me to start my day off with something super nourishing. Lately this has meant a big ol’ hearty salad for breakfast.

Does this seem weird to you? Let me explain why this has been so awesome for me.

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This time of year there are some pretty amazing craft-tastic ideas online and in magazines, making it entirely possible to devote days to creating museum-quality ova, but I prefer a less design-y and more rustic approach. After all, they’re eggs you might be stashing somewhere in the lawn. And with a small child in the house, this is not a project likely to involve X-Acto knives and tiny electrical tape stencils.

Easter is a reminder of fertility and abundance, so I say turn on nature’s color and let loose.

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This time of year there are some pretty amazing craft-tastic ideas online and in magazines, making it entirely possible to devote days to creating museum-quality ova, but I prefer a less design-y and more rustic approach. After all, they’re eggs you might be stashing somewhere in the lawn. And with a small child in the house, this is not a project likely to involve X-Acto knives and tiny electrical tape stencils.

Easter is a reminder of fertility and abundance, so I say turn on nature’s color and let loose.

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Are you serving ham this weekend for Easter, or perhaps later next month on Mother’s Day? Ham is a savory, salty, and easy main dish; and part of the pleasure of serving it is enjoying with side dishes that play well with its rich flavor.

Here are 18 side dishes that will go beautifully with your holiday ham. You have to start with the biscuits (well, you can get away with rolls if you really prefer!). Potatoes are a must — we have classic scalloped potatoes for you, plus showstopping smashed potatoes with Gouda and horseradish. Or you can lean lighter, with an herbed potato salad or snap peas with Meyer lemon and mint.

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