An Easter Tradition

     Tradition provides stability and balance to our lives.  But often the significance or purpose of such actions are lost in antiquity.  Such is the case for the tradition of serving ham for Easter dinner.  Ever wonder why we do that?  It dates back to colonial days when hogs were typically slaughtered in the Fall to provide meat for the family.  The portion of the hog not consumed immediately was then smoked and cured to preserve it for later use.
     The process is a lengthy one and the meat would take several months to hang and cure.  So the first hams were ready in the Spring, right around Easter time.  The ham, then,  was a natural choice for a festive Easter meal.
     This Easter I changed the tradition slightly.  Since I am home alone instead of cooking the ham part of the pig I chose the ribs and grilled them to perfection out on the porch.  While it didn't take as long as curing a whole ham, it did involved some overnight marinating in the refrigerator and then some roasting in the oven before they were slathered with my special basting sauce.  So around 4 pm I sat down at the cafe table on the porch and enjoyed my take on an Easter tradition.  No bones about it!