What to Cook These Long Weekends: Easter Menu Ideas, Our Anzac Biscuit Recipe & Champagne Pairings

April 18, 2025

With Easter and Anzac Day falling close together this year, we’re heading into a blissful stretch of back-to-back long weekends—the perfect time to slow down, gather with loved ones, and enjoy thoughtful food and wine moments.

Whether you’re planning a festive Easter feast, baking for Anzac Day, or simply soaking up the holiday atmosphere, we’ve curated a selection of seasonal favourites to inspire you in the kitchen and at the table.

🐣 Easter Menu Ideas

Easter is all about connection, tradition, and fresh beginnings. Here’s what we’re serving this year:

Fresh Seafood

Oysters au naturel, scallops roasted on the shell with herb and champagne beurre blanc, baked whole baby snapper, and seared tuna with citrus and herbs.

Champagne pairing: Bright, citrusy Blanc de Blancs or Chardonnay-dominant blends. Their mineral edge and precision make them perfect with oysters, scallops, and delicate fish.

Try: Laherte Freres Nature de Craie or JM Sélèque Solessence NV

Slow-Roasted Lamb

A traditional French Easter feast wouldn’t be complete without roast lamb taking centre stage. A shoulder of lamb, slow-roasted until perfectly tender, flavoured simply with garlic and rosemary, and served with the last of the summer beans – steamed and drizzled with olive oil salt and pepper – and lashings of creamy mashed potatoes.

Champagne pairing: Fruity, textural champagne rosés or full-bodied Blanc de Noirs with richness and weight. These styles complement the depth of the roast and the heartiness of the sides.

Try: Laherte Freres Rose de Meunier or Andre Clouet Silver NV

Egg-Centric Dishes

Eggs are a beautiful symbol of Easter and lend themselves to countless delicious dishes. Think spinach quiche, pain perdu (classic French toast), or a hearty seasonal frittata—family favourites that never go out of style.

Champagne pairing: Crisp, vibrant Brut champagnes with citrus, green apple and biscuity notes. The acidity and bubbles lift creamy textures and refresh the palate.

Try: Vilmart Grande Réserve NV or Bérêche et Fils Brut Réserve NV

Sélection de fromage (Cheese course)

A classic French-style cheese board makes a wonderful addition to a long lunch. Think:

Chabichou du Poitou: a gently tangy, dense goat’s milk cheese with a wrinkled rind and creamy centre
Brie or Camembert: soft, bloomy-rind cheeses with rich, mushroomy aromas and a buttery, yielding texture
Comté: a firm, nutty, alpine-style cheese aged for depth and savoury complexity
Riverine Blue: a delicate blue made from buffalo milk, with a subtle tang and a velvety, creamy texture

Serve with a fresh baguette, toasted walnuts, and seasonal fruit like pears, figs or grapes.

Champagne pairing: There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to champagne and cheese matching. Nevertheless, there is one helpful tip and that is simply to match the flavour intensities of champagne and cheese so they do not overwhelm each another. In other words: the stronger the cheese, the heavier the champagne. Lighter cheeses pair beautifully with young, crisp champagnes, while aged, mature cheeses with savoury, nutty undertones find great affinity with complex champagnes that have seen extended time on lees or contain a high proportion of reserve wines.

Try: Chartogne-Taillet Cuvée Sainte Anne NV or Larmandier-Bernier Terre de Vertus 2016

A sweet finish

What is Easter without a little chocolate? A rich chocolate mousse or cake makes the perfect finale to an indulgent feast. For those after a lighter touch, desserts showcasing seasonal fruit – like apples, pears, plums, figs or grapes are a delicious way to end the meal.

Champagne pairing: For chocolate, look to JM Sélèque Quintette NV. For fruit-based desserts, choose something light, fresh, and fruit-forward.

Try: JM Sélèque Quintette NV or Andre Clouet Rosé No.3 NV

🍪 Anzac Day Baking & Reflection

Anzac Day invites us to pause, remember and connect. One of the most comforting rituals is baking a batch of golden, chewy Anzac biscuits – shared with family, or savoured in a quiet moment of reflection.

We’ve included our go-to biscuit recipe, perfect with a strong cup of tea—or, if you’re in the mood, a glass of champagne. Baking from scratch is a meaningful way to honour the day and spend time together.

Anzac Biscuit

Le goûter: Anzac biscuits have long been associated with Anzac Day in Australia and New Zealand. Originally sent in care packages to soldiers during World War I, these oat-based biscuits are simple, nourishing, and deeply comforting. This version is golden and chewy in the centre, with crisp edges—just how we like them.

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Servings 20 biscuits

Ingredients

1 cup Rolled Oats (90g)
1 cup Plain Flour (150g)
1 cup Desiccated Coconut (85g)
3/4 cup Brown Sugar (165g)
125 g Unsalted Butter
2 tbsp Golden Syrup
1/2 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda (Baking Soda)
2 tbsp Boiling Water
1 pinch Salt (optional)

Method

Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F) fan-forced. Line two baking trays with baking paper.
In a large bowl, mix together the oats, flour, coconut, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt (if using).
In a small saucepan, melt the butter and golden syrup together over low heat, stirring until smooth and combined.
In a small bowl or cup, combine the bicarbonate of soda with the boiling water. It will fizz up—immediately stir this into the melted butter and syrup mixture.
Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until fully combined.
Roll tablespoons of the mixture into balls and place on the prepared trays, allowing space for spreading. Gently flatten each with your fingers or the back of a spoon.
Bake for 15–18 minutes, or until golden. For softer, chewier biscuits, take them out around the 15-minute mark; for crunchier, more golden biscuits, leave them in a little longer.
Allow to cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Sally Hillman

Sally Hillman is a grower Champagne specialist, Champagne educator, and the author of ‘Celebrating Champagne: A Wine For All Seasons’. Her deep knowledge of Champagne and French culture, as well as her love of approachable, everyday Champagne pairings, has shaped her career and inspired this series.

Whether you’re preparing a long Easter lunch, enjoying a peaceful Anzac Day morning, or simply raising a glass to the season, we hope our menu ideas and champagne pairings help make these long weekends that little bit more special.

Wishing you a joyful Easter and a meaningful Anzac Day.

Bon appétit et santé!