Easter tales

I've posted stories about the epic Easter meal my family enjoys each year. Mom serves thick slices of ham, scalloped potatoes, corn casserole, fruit salad, and warm buttery rolls. We pass trays of relish and pickles, share a few bottles of wine, and are usually too full to indulge in Mom's special banana pudding dessert. The endless feast stands out against every holiday table, and what makes it really extraordinary is the platter of peas and cheese.

Peas and cheese salad is my family's Easter meal oddity, and we observe the tradition with reverence. At Called to the Table this week I recall the Easter dinner of 2013 when my mom prepared only one bowl of peas and cheese and by the time the dish reached me, it was empty.

Over the years I've attempted to elevate Mom's peas and cheese by recreating it as a pasta salad and as ham and pea croquettes. Both recipes are lovely, but don't even come close to the original dish. Easter is here, and I am anticipating a large helping of peas and cheese.