Flavors of Alsace

Easter in Alsace

Alsatian Easter traditions are centered around the rabbit, that famously-fertile breeder and companion of the moon that reappears at Easter in various forms. Children are told it is the rabbit who hides chocolate eggs around the garden. But then the hare becomes civet, a classic stew, for the noon meal on Easter Sunday.

Lamb figures prominently in the seasonal imagery. Oschterlämmele, lamb-shaped brioches sprinkled with sugar come out of terra cotta moulds from which they retain a subtle scent, elegantly attired with a ribbon around their necks to grace bakery display windows. Even the traditional Kougelhopf departs from its usual shape and disguises itself as a lamb.