The tradition of Easter eggs dates back centuries and has evolved with various cultural and religious influences.
AN EGGY STORY
The custom of decorating eggs for springtime celebrations predates Christianity. Many ancient cultures, including the Persians, Egyptians, and Greeks, viewed the egg as a symbol of fertility and rebirth. They would often exchange decorated eggs during spring festivals to welcome the arrival of spring and celebrate new life. In Christianity, The egg became associated with Easter, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In Eastern European countries, the tradition of Easter eggs (known as “pysanky” or “pysanka” in Ukrainian) has deep cultural significance. Elaborately decorated eggs are exchanged as gifts and symbolize wishes for prosperity, health, and happiness.
Today, the tradition of Easter eggs continues in various forms worldwide. In many cultures, Easter egg hunts are a popular activity for children searching for hidden eggs indoors or outdoors, and Peru is no exception.
Here are four Peruvian-quality easter eggs you can enjoy this Easter:
La Continental, a Cusquean factory with 102 years of history, is now starting to work on fine chocolate figures. 2024 is the year for their first batch of bean-to-egg chocolate, a 60% chocolate egg filled with almonds, Brazil nuts, and golden berries.
La Ibérica, another historic chocolate maker, since 1909 La Iberica has produced chocolate in Arequipa and has an easter collection that includes eggs and bunnies in different sizes made with 40% milk chocolate using chuncho varieties from Cusco.
Nil Praline, an artisanal chocolate maker by Nil Cabrera, has a great selection of filled chocolates in unique flavors. For the Easter Season, she has created Easter eggs with cocoa from Piura in 60% bitter chocolate or milk chocolate. Inside, there are special surprises. The small ones have miniature M&Ms, and the large ones have a chocolate bunny.
Roselen Chocolatier. Lima’s boutique for chocolate confections, offers eggs and many other chocolate figures, such as bunnies, for its Easter collection. All the figures use chocolate from Huánuco —Tingo María in two different styles: dark 60% cocoa and 45% milk chocolate.
Ura Chocolates. Pastry chef Luciana Narvez’s artisanal Easter eggs have two different options this Easter: 55% milk chocolate using a VRAEM-99 cocoa (a unique Peruvian variety of the cacao fruit) filled with almond and hazelnut praline and dark plane chocolates made with Chuncho cacao from Cusco.
IN THE KNOW: All of these chocolates are made with great products; you can click on the names of the chocolate makers to connect to their social media.