This is time we get to indulge and spluge! A few days off work, time to relax, catchup with friends, recharge or charge around. Whilst the Easter bunny will most likely come knocking in the shape of some form a chocolate, we explore some alternative treats for Easter.
Junee Licorice & Chocolate Factory
Say bye bye to boring, hollow, Easter Eggs and hello to over `14 different filled shells – from honeycomb to strawberry pistachio, pretzels, licorice, freckles, and more. We enjoyed our creamy milk chocolate one with strawberries and marshmellow (yummo!) but you can custom yours with milk, dark, white or caramel chocolate shells then fill your egg with everything you love! Produced in a restored Junee Flour Mill in Junee in NSW their chocolate is certified organic and comes from Green Grove Organics, a family operated farm based enterprise that has been practising organic farming since 1962. Green Grove holds Level “A” Organic Certification. RRP $28.
Let’s Play Tag Hop! Easter Earrings
Perth-based earring designer Jodi from Let’s Play Tag has your Easter outfit sorted. Her new Hop! laser-cut bunny earrings are just too cute to pass up. Whether it’s for Easter lunch, the Easter egg hunt or even a last-minute Easter hat parade addition, they make everything better. Bunnies not your vibe? Check out the Let’s Play Tag Instagram account for daisies, starbursts, gorgeous art deco Gatsby numbers and some statement heart drops we are drooling over. Bright, bold, beautiful, you can’t go wrong with these earrings. RRP $24.
Cote des Roses
Gérard Bertrand was once a famous rugby player. He’s now one of Southern France’s most acclaimed winemakers. His award winning wines are loved by critics. From warm and windy vineyards on the coast, the ripe fruit flavours are balanced by a delicious freshness from the sea breezes. It comes in a beautifully sculpted bottle, designed to look like a rose with a special base.
The range from the Languedoc region in Provence, features a Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, a Pinot Noir and perhaps the most popular, Rosé. We tried the rose which is a blush pink with orangey nuances. On the nose it has lots of summer fruits, cassis and flowery notes of rose. It’s easy drinking with a full body, fresh finish great to be shared but keep the bottle! RRP $23.99
Wiltshire Pans – Rose Gold Bakeware
Hop into the Easter spirit and start baking some sweet treats for Easter! Whether you’re hosting a festive brunch, enjoying a picnic or looking to impress, and amaze family and friends with the Easter Bunny Surprise Cake. We took our new loaf and muffin tin for a spin. Our sourdough loaf left the tin beautifully and cooked evenly and our mini banana muffins where a win with girlfriends, rising nicely with a cruncy top and bottom. Get rid of the grey, go for rose gold.
Hello Fresh – Pub meals v home cooked
If we hear ‘cost of living’ one more time we may scream. We took Hello Fresh for a spin to see if swapping our favourite pub lunches for home cooking would save money and make our tummies happy. Apparently close to half of Australians (48.4%) are looking to eat out/order takeaway less. With a few clicks we ordered a box which included: Aussie spiced chicken burger with caramelised onion and wedges, Smoked Cheddar Chicken Parmigiana with rosemary potatoes and a glorious curry of Caribbean-Spiced Prawns & Coconut Sauce. Each bag was colour coded to a nifty recipe sheet. We loved the minimal packaging and things like a carrot, potatoes, garlic etc where whole veggies to chop up. Less faff than Providore! The verdict. Easy to prep, easy to follow, around $10 a head and super yummy. If you find some of the portions a little on the small side feel free to add a bit extra rice, veggies etc to fill you up as we did.
T2 Tea Treats
If you want to amplify your Easter experience, T2’s tea treats are perfect to accompany your hot cross bun or ritual chocolate bunny sacrifice. Baxter’s Hot Cross Buns tea is back, a festive swirl of cinnamon spice, ginger, currants orange peel and nutmeg. It’s just like drinking a fragrant Easter bun – delicous plain or with milk, but perhaps even better with honey. Baxter’s Buns also features in the Egg Hunt Gift Pack (along with Terrific Toffee, Ti Amo Tiramisu and Lamington) as well as Baxter’s Spice Candle.
And there’s a brand new addition to the T2 family: Cocoa Rose, a blend of green tea, cocoa, rose and apple. Essentially Turkish Delight in a mug, it’s like a chocolate version of T2’s Boho Rose. Beautiful plain, with honey or with milk (for the smoothest, most chocolatey experience), it’s also a great low-cal option if you’re off the choc this Easter.
And to drink these Easter-themed delights? There’s a new range of teawares: Popscotch, Spiral Kaleidoscope, and Dazzling Diamonds. Popscotch is our favourite, it’s a fun patterned stoneware in a Mediterranean pottery palette. You can grab all these goodies from T2, they make great gifts (except you’ll probably want to keep them).
Crumbs & Doilies Cookbook
Never fear, Cupcake Jemma is here to help us take our Easter baking up a notch. The London-based Youtube star has more than two million subscribers and has just launched her very own cookbook. Let’s face it, she had us at the name. Crumbs & Doilies is delicious. Sorry, we couldn’t help ourselves. There’s End-of-the-world chocolate cake, which is as dramatic as it sounds and vegan Biscoff cookies that will be gone before they’ve cooled on the tray. Don’t forget the ‘Traybakes’ – our new secret baking weapon. Pick up a copy online, or at Dymocks, QBD and other retailers listed here. RRP $49.95
