The word ‘Easter’ comes from the ancient German Goddess, Eostre. The month of April used to be called ‘Eostremonat” (month of Eostre). The festival of Eostre was celebrated around the spring Equinox. Easter is called “Pasen” in Dutch, and “Paques” in French, the two main languages of Belgium. Here we recognize the Hebrew word of ‘Pesach’ for the Passover holiday in Jewish tradition. The resurrection of the Christ, as celebrated in the different Christian belief systems, happened on the same days of the Jewish Passover holiday.

In the folksy traditions in Western Europe, the fertility celebrations of long last are combined with the Christian celebration of the resurrection. The resurrection of nature, when flowers start blooming and the trees are coming into leaf, combined with the resurrection of the Christ as savior of humankind.

In Belgium the church bells stop ringing on Good Friday 3 PM when Jesus died on the cross, and they only start ringing again the Sunday at 10 AM to announce the opening of the High Mass on Easter. During that time, the bells left the church towers, flew all over to Rome, loaded up on chocolate eggs, and flew back to their church towers, after dropping the chocolate eggs into the gardens (and sometimes inside the homes on rainy days!!!) of the good children of Belgium. Thus every Easter morning, the children of Belgium are hunting chocolate eggs, and chocolate statues of rabbits. Eggs and rabbits, two symbols of fertility in many cultures.

What to do with all that chocolate? Why not savor it together with a great beer. Chocolate and beer is a great match. Remember also when the Spanish first saw a chocolate product it was a cold drink offered by the Aztecs. But be mindful that chocolate is rich, flavorful, and has a palate-coating consistency. For a beer to stand up to the richness of chocolate, it must be big and bountiful. The less sweet dark chocolate may be preferable over the sweeter milk chocolate or the white chocolate, but then again, it is your personal taste. Here are some suggestions to experiment with. The Troubadour Obscura stout has already some rich chocolate undertones, as may have the Gulden Draak. Abbey dark doubles like the Bornem Double, Petrus Double brown and the Kapiitel Prior will go well as well, and don’t forget to try chocolate with the rich Scotch de Silly. A sour sweet balance may be found in a combination of chocolate and Cherish Raspberry or Kriek Lambic.