Of Lavender and Gruyère

Easter lunch from my Victorian kitchen, complete with soft martinis and a humbling plot twist

Friends, hi!

This Sunday marks my first Easter here in Bellville, and I’ve decided to keep it mostly casual. Just a modest little lunch for a few family members… three very spoiled dog, and one very large orange cat (who will eat a full deviled egg if we let him).

I’ve been in this big ol’ Victorian house for a year now, and it feels good — grounding, even — to roll into another spring in this space. I know where the sunlight lands in the dining room at dusk, which drawer the linen napkins live in, and how many chairs I can cobble around the dining room table. It’s turning more into home everyday.

The lunch menu this Easter sunday is cozy and springy - with just enough fuss to feel special. It leans heavily towards Nancy Meyers — collected, easy, with wrinkled linens, soft jazz, and an aggressive amount of lemons (for martinis and decor). Picture Diane Keaton sipping white wine next to a giant floral arrangement and asking what’s in the potatoes. (Cream. Gruyere and cream.)

Here’s what we’re serving for Easter though it all makes for an equally lovely spring lunch any weekend — come on in!

Lowland Celery Salad

Inspired by the unforgettable celery salad at Lowland in Charleston, this dish is bright, crunchy, and just surprising enough to make you feel like you’ve discovered a salad secret. Celery as the main character? I know. But trust me on this one. We start by blanching the celery to soften its bite just enough — so… no dental work required. Then we add chopped dates for sweetness, toasted walnuts for a little drama, fresh mint to keep things lifted, and the star of the show: a scandalous amount of sharp cheddar, crumbled generously over the top. It’s fresh. It’s unexpected and call me crazy, but I expect everyone to go back for seconds. Full recipe here!

My Favorite Buttermilk Marinated Chicken

I started marinating my chicken in buttermilk last year after my older sister casually pulled a tray of golden, crackly-skinned baked chicken out of the oven like it was no big deal. (It was a big deal. I haven’t stopped talking about it.) The secret is the lactic acid in the buttermilk — it tenderizes the meat and leaves you with juicy chicken and perfectly crisp, flavorful skin. Like… you can’t over bake this chicken. It’s always elite.

My perfect version? Boneless thighs with the skin still on. Which means I buy bone-in thighs and channel my inner Ina to debone them before marinating. It's worth the extra ten minutes and minor wrestling match. This isn't just special occasion chicken either — this is "put it in the weekly rotation and feel great about dinner" chicken. Full recipe here!

Dauphinoise Potatoes

Every holiday table needs one dish that says, calories? never heard of them, and this is it. Dauphinoise potatoes — the fancy French cousin of scalloped potatoes — are thinly sliced and simmered in cream before being smothered in Gruyère and baked until bubbling and golden. They’re rich, silky, cheesy, and absolutely outrageous in the best way. I’m making two pans because I know how we are. Seconds are not a maybe — they’re a guarantee. Full recipe here!

Lavender Lemon Drop Martinis

This is the floral flourish the Easter table needed — a light, breezy Lavender Lemon Drop Martini. I’ve been looking forward to this singular lunchtime martini for weeks. It’s just the right mix of citrusy sparkle and gentle lavender to feel both grown and fancy, without tipping into chaos (like, say, tequila before noon). And because I’m extra, I’m making a big batch of lemonade with the leftover lavender syrup. Full recipe here!

And nearly all of us, without a formal vote, agreed that Easter dessert should be Pavlova. But here’s the thing: on the very day I planned to make and photograph said Pavlovas for you, I dropped a giant glass jug of water on my foot and broke my big toe. A real "life comes at you fast" moment. I’d love to retrace my steps and make one different choice somewhere before the jug-to-foot incident, but alas — we live and learn (and limp).

So, while there’s no Pavlova on the table this year, might I gently redirect you to a few Easter-worthy sweets? There’s this dreamy Carrot Layer Cake from an Easter past, a not-so-classic Lemon Blueberry Gooey Butter Cake if you're feeling celebratory, the kid-friendly Funfetti Pound Cake I’m bringing to a Good Friday crawfish boil this afternoon, or these Almond Flour Raspberry Lemon Bars that are so jammy and light.

Happy Easter, friends. Have the most lovely spring weekend. Watch your feet. Sheesh.

Take good care,

xoJoy