By GAIL MIYASAKI
Rafu Craft Editor
Feel it in the air! Look around.
Nature awakens with spirited growth. Regal cymbidium orchids are in bloom, delicate Japanese maple leaves draw attention and commuters trekking home get to revel in interesting sunsets.
And the earth moves! A jolting reminder came last week after a 5.1 shaker in the Brea area to prepare an earthquake plan with food supplies for three days.
Easter must be a hop, skip and jump away!
Time for spring break. SoCal students and families are hitting the roads for the likes of Universal Studios, Knott’s Berry Farm, Disneyland, Legoland and Sea World.
On Easter weekend, April 19 and 20, Angelenos can zip around locally to the L.A. Zoo for Bunny’s Spring Fling, watch the blessing of animals at Olvera Street and join in the Grand Park’s Easter Fest. Google website dates and times.
A tradition for young and old is coloring Easter eggs. Have fun—draw silly faces, add names, dots and designs with Sharpies permanent markers. Use fave stickers or tie on rubber bands to create irregular blank spots, then drop into a different color. An easy decoration is to add stickers after eggs are completely colored.
Egg hunts and DIY gift baskets always delight little ones. Be sure to fill plastic eggs with candies and toys while keeping real eggs in the refrigerator.
Enjoy deviled eggs, and try some green eggs and ham.
Raise your hands if Peeps are your thing! Find these marshmallow-y confections on floral shaped donuts at Dunkin Donuts now! They hit the bakery racks on March 31 for a limited time. Come May, Peeps Minis, in flavors like sour watermelon and chocolate crème, will be available all year round.
OMG! A whooping 5 million Peeps, bunnies and marshmallows, 20 million chocolate Easter bunnies and 16 million jelly beans are destined for this holiday!
Need cookies for Easter or upcoming potlucks? Here’s a light, not so sweet, sugar cookie recipe. For my granddaughter’s first birthday, I made them days ahead, then the night before, family pitched in to decorate.
Shop around for cookie cutters that you like. My Japanese stainless steel veggie cutters came in handy to make cute mini-bites. To whet your appetite for things cookie-related, take a look at Sweet Sugar Belle and Karen’s Cookie Blog.
For more Easter and Mother’s Day gift ideas, make it a point to shop at the spring Asian arts and crafts shows around L.A. and San Jose listed here. A potpourri of artsy, unique and well-made stuff is out there.
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Sugarlicious Kookies
A rolled sugar cookie recipe adapted from All Recipes
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cup butter (3 sticks)
2 cup white sugar
4 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla
zest of 1 lemon
5 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
DIRECTIONS
1) In large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs, then vanilla. Add zest. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Divide into thirds, cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate overnight (preferred), or until well chilled.
2) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove dough from refrigerator to soften. On a parchment-covered surface, roll dough to 1/8-1/4” thickness. If sticky, sprinkle powdered sugar on paper. Dip cutter into powdered sugar, cut out shapes. On parchment-topped baking sheets, place cookies about 1” apart. Bake 7-8 minutes or until lightly browned.
EASY ICING
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp light corn syrup
1 T milk, more or less depending on consistency
Optional: food coloring or flavored extract
In medium mixing bowl, add powdered sugar, whisk in lemon juice and corn syrup. Add milk to desired thickness to spread or drip. For drip method, take a spoonful of icing, and make a back-and-forth motion over each cookie. Add decorations, chocolate chips and pine nuts.
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Sunday, April 6, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Krafty Delites Spring Gift Show
Carson Community Center
801 E. Carson St., Carson
310-329-5874, Stephanie Nakayama
Sunday, April 27, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
A Time for Sharing Spring Boutique
Elks Lodge
1735 W. 162nd St., Gardena
310-329-5874, Stephanie Nakayama
Sunday, April 27, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m.
Nikkei Matsuri
Japantown
5th & Jackson, San Jose
408-241-0900, Warren Hayashi