Love this glimpse into your family's Easter via deviled eggs and steak. Bless you for making affordable food sound like nectar of the gods. I am a little surprised, knowing your encyclopedic knowledge of trivia, you didn't tell us the origin of "deviled" for these heavenly concoctions. Would you please let us know? It's too early to Google when I haven't had my second cup yet. Thanks for another smiley post and pics.
Great idea on the origin story. Google says they date to ancient Rome. The Brits later dubbed them "deviled" for the hot spices that diners liked to add. Look at us growing!
We had my son Jonas and his girlfriend in from Chicago so it was ham and lamb for Easter dinner. My mom always served lamb on Easter...while in SLC she had a connection with a few Basque friends that herded sheep so we always had lamb (she seemed to know everyone). One of her traditions we haven't continued was to allow the Christmas tree to dry to the point where all the needles would fall and she'd hang Easter eggs on the bare branches (That woman! Always creative...). Great memories,
Here is a glimpse of the Helgren household Easter party circa 1962 (SLC):
For the life of me, I cannot make a deviled egg! Cutting the egg in equal halves is a major stumbling block. And the yolk spills out....UFFF!!! I will definitely eat them but don't ask me to make them. I love Smartacus' take on the eggs. It seems that you enjoyed your Easter festivities, albeit shy 2 grands. Thank you for the photos; what joy!!!! SHARED!
Judi, one of the things that helps me is to "cold-plunge" the eggs as soon as they're done boiling. That really helps with the peeling. I just pour the hot water out of the pot and add fresh water and a bunch of ice. They sit for five minutes and the peeling is much easier that way. I crack the top of the egg, then the bottom of the eggs and peel away (a trick Smartacus showed me). Hard-boiled eggs drove me nuts till I learned that little trick.
Hi Chris - what a happy surprise to see your Substack pop up in my inbox!! I always looked forward to your weekly columns in the Chicago Tribune until alas…like so many of the best things in life…they were no more. Thank you for always helping to lift my spirits with your special brand of humor and wit, and for trusting us . . . your readers, by allowing us to walk alongside you during your darkest days of personal loss. I wish you and your family a belated Happy Easter and every blessing in the days ahead.
You're a step ahead of me! I was gonna ask about that marinade you claim to be the best...but where's your dirty Bloody Mary recipe??? Inquiring minds want to know...and sip!!! Happy Easter! I actually don't think I've ever heard the actual original story of Easter!
Riff City: Pup Cups, Deviled Eggs, Marvelous Marmalade, Flanked Bouf--ingredients for an Erskine Easterfest. I think the defining word for reading you is pleasure. How well you write the casual self-definitions of self. You're such a nice guy., and I'm warmed that you've migrated to"Maggie"...
Del, good call. We seem to be more flexible at Easter meals than, say, at Christmas or Thanksgiving. I considered ribs too, which to me is the ultimate treat. No I can't stop thinking about them. By the way, the bunny ears count. Cheers!
Creamed spinach would make a nice side. We had cold pea salad with radishes and a sprinkling of goat cheese. At least I think it was goat cheese. Rapunzel pulled it together, along with a nice chimichurri to top the flank steak. Yum! I want it again already. Makes for great leftovers: wraps, sandwiches, beef bowls or salads.
Chris, I always agree with your opinions in the meat department. I need to return to cooking flank steak. As a kid, this was the meat of choice for crowded family barbecues. It was inexpensive then. When flank steak, like short ribs, got as expensive as rib eye, we stopped marinating and serving it. What can I be thinking? Thanks for the reminder. Sounds like the right thing to celebrate resurrection.
So what was Ernie Banks's lifetime batting average? You'd think I'd know, but I bet you do. I always held that Ty Cobb's was .367, one of the few things I remember from elementary school but I know some say it was .366. Ruth's was .340. I could look up Ernie's I guess. I appreciate the column especially because it is so nice to know that Josh Gibson's lifetime average (.372) was higher than Cobb's. I confess I gave up and looked it up. Ernie's was .274, BUT, he hit 512 home runs - that's a lot.
Great column. We make "pretty egg" as my downstate Illinois mom made for us and her Riverside (Chicago) IL dad and the kids. I'll send a photo some time when I'm back on the Mainland. It's also called eggs ala goldenrod, I think - an Easter tradition almost as important as my lawless behavior on Balboa Island and Laguna decades ago. THANKS CHRIS!!
It’s a pleasure to read your posts, even if you repeat yourself. In her later years, Mom would say to let her know if she was repeating a story, as she couldn’t remember to whom she had already told it. So one time I let her know I had already heard it, and she replied that I could hear it again.
Love this glimpse into your family's Easter via deviled eggs and steak. Bless you for making affordable food sound like nectar of the gods. I am a little surprised, knowing your encyclopedic knowledge of trivia, you didn't tell us the origin of "deviled" for these heavenly concoctions. Would you please let us know? It's too early to Google when I haven't had my second cup yet. Thanks for another smiley post and pics.
Great idea on the origin story. Google says they date to ancient Rome. The Brits later dubbed them "deviled" for the hot spices that diners liked to add. Look at us growing!
Thanks for doing the legwork! That makes perfect sense. Smartacus was on point with the Sriracha. He IS smart!
Is there an "official" recipe for the flank steak marinade (for those of us who don't usually fly by the seat of our pants)?
We had my son Jonas and his girlfriend in from Chicago so it was ham and lamb for Easter dinner. My mom always served lamb on Easter...while in SLC she had a connection with a few Basque friends that herded sheep so we always had lamb (she seemed to know everyone). One of her traditions we haven't continued was to allow the Christmas tree to dry to the point where all the needles would fall and she'd hang Easter eggs on the bare branches (That woman! Always creative...). Great memories,
Here is a glimpse of the Helgren household Easter party circa 1962 (SLC):
https://helgren.com/web/guest/easter-1962-
Pete, are there any unattractive Helgrens? What a great-looking tribe. Love that clip. A belated Happy Easter to all of you (Mindy and Holly too).
I got the short end of the stick, but my sisters are both beautiful and awesome people. It only took 40 years or so to learn to appreciate them....
For the life of me, I cannot make a deviled egg! Cutting the egg in equal halves is a major stumbling block. And the yolk spills out....UFFF!!! I will definitely eat them but don't ask me to make them. I love Smartacus' take on the eggs. It seems that you enjoyed your Easter festivities, albeit shy 2 grands. Thank you for the photos; what joy!!!! SHARED!
Judi, one of the things that helps me is to "cold-plunge" the eggs as soon as they're done boiling. That really helps with the peeling. I just pour the hot water out of the pot and add fresh water and a bunch of ice. They sit for five minutes and the peeling is much easier that way. I crack the top of the egg, then the bottom of the eggs and peel away (a trick Smartacus showed me). Hard-boiled eggs drove me nuts till I learned that little trick.
So I tried your flank steak marinade last night, kind of winging it with the proportions, and it was SO good! Thanks for sharing it.
And slice flank steak on a diagonal tender and delish!
Hi Chris - what a happy surprise to see your Substack pop up in my inbox!! I always looked forward to your weekly columns in the Chicago Tribune until alas…like so many of the best things in life…they were no more. Thank you for always helping to lift my spirits with your special brand of humor and wit, and for trusting us . . . your readers, by allowing us to walk alongside you during your darkest days of personal loss. I wish you and your family a belated Happy Easter and every blessing in the days ahead.
You're a step ahead of me! I was gonna ask about that marinade you claim to be the best...but where's your dirty Bloody Mary recipe??? Inquiring minds want to know...and sip!!! Happy Easter! I actually don't think I've ever heard the actual original story of Easter!
I forgot about Flank Steak! Wow!! Gotta get it again.
A friend years ago made great Deviled Eggs -- he used Chutney! Different and Yum!
Maggie is just darling.
Love the chutney tip. I'll bet it's incredible. Will give it a try.
Riff City: Pup Cups, Deviled Eggs, Marvelous Marmalade, Flanked Bouf--ingredients for an Erskine Easterfest. I think the defining word for reading you is pleasure. How well you write the casual self-definitions of self. You're such a nice guy., and I'm warmed that you've migrated to"Maggie"...
I went with smoked baby back ribs. Not sure how that fit into the Easter motif. Does a dessert of chocolate bunny ears count?
Del, good call. We seem to be more flexible at Easter meals than, say, at Christmas or Thanksgiving. I considered ribs too, which to me is the ultimate treat. No I can't stop thinking about them. By the way, the bunny ears count. Cheers!
Flank steak ! I haven’t had that in years - I remember my folks making it for a ‘special’ dinner….-along with Stouffer’s spinach soufflé!
May be time to try flank steak again - but no frozen veggies
Creamed spinach would make a nice side. We had cold pea salad with radishes and a sprinkling of goat cheese. At least I think it was goat cheese. Rapunzel pulled it together, along with a nice chimichurri to top the flank steak. Yum! I want it again already. Makes for great leftovers: wraps, sandwiches, beef bowls or salads.
Chris, I always agree with your opinions in the meat department. I need to return to cooking flank steak. As a kid, this was the meat of choice for crowded family barbecues. It was inexpensive then. When flank steak, like short ribs, got as expensive as rib eye, we stopped marinating and serving it. What can I be thinking? Thanks for the reminder. Sounds like the right thing to celebrate resurrection.
So what was Ernie Banks's lifetime batting average? You'd think I'd know, but I bet you do. I always held that Ty Cobb's was .367, one of the few things I remember from elementary school but I know some say it was .366. Ruth's was .340. I could look up Ernie's I guess. I appreciate the column especially because it is so nice to know that Josh Gibson's lifetime average (.372) was higher than Cobb's. I confess I gave up and looked it up. Ernie's was .274, BUT, he hit 512 home runs - that's a lot.
Great column. We make "pretty egg" as my downstate Illinois mom made for us and her Riverside (Chicago) IL dad and the kids. I'll send a photo some time when I'm back on the Mainland. It's also called eggs ala goldenrod, I think - an Easter tradition almost as important as my lawless behavior on Balboa Island and Laguna decades ago. THANKS CHRIS!!
It’s a pleasure to read your posts, even if you repeat yourself. In her later years, Mom would say to let her know if she was repeating a story, as she couldn’t remember to whom she had already told it. So one time I let her know I had already heard it, and she replied that I could hear it again.