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Photo: Chocolate bunnies at SOMA Chocolatemaker in Toronto
Another Easter holiday has come and gone and, as usual, lots of chocolate was consumed - chocolate rabbits in particular! The chocolate shop where my wife works produces and sells thousands of these rabbits every year, in flavours ranging from classic milk and dark chocolate to more unusual options like mango pomelo, egg custard tart, and salted caramel. This year I wondered where this obsession with chocolate rabbits comes from, and what I found was that it all seems to go back to Germany.
First, the name of the Easter holiday and some of the associated traditions are thought to come from the old Germanic festival of “Eostre,” a spring festival that celebrated renewal and fertility, and the rabbit is an associated symbol of spring and fertility. It may come as no surprise then that in German lore, the “Osterhase” (Easter Hare) rewards good children with treats (colourful eggs, candy, and even toys) during Easter (just like Santa Claus does during Christmas).
Apparently, German immigrants brought this tradition to America in the 1700s, and by the end of the 19th century, manufacturers were using molds to create chocolate rabbits to be enjoyed during Easter. From then on, the “Easter Bunny” was highly commercialized and popularized, eventually becoming the ubiquitous symbol of Easter that we know today. It is now tradition for children to hunt for the (now chocolate) eggs that the Easter Bunny has delivered to their home, and the ultimate prize amongst all those small eggs is a large chocolate replica of the Easter Bunny itself, a treat enjoyed by children and adults alike. Personally, though, I have always felt a little guilty about biting into a rabbit’s head, even if it’s made of chocolate. Maybe I’ll just nibble on the ears…
*A “hare” is similar to a rabbit but is generally larger, faster, and has longer ears. “Bunny” and “rabbit” are the same thing, though “bunny” is a more informal and cuter sounding word. Some people even put them together and say “bunny rabbit.”
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