Decorated Easter Eggs Mexican Style: Cascarones
Tara A. Spears
Throughout Mexico cascarones are used to celebrate Easter. The fun is derived from breaking the decorated egg over someone’s head and watching the confetti shower. Some people think that the confetti shower brings good luck and good fortune but for children the pleasure is simply breaking the eggs and enjoying the ensuing flutter of colors. When you think about it, giving kids a non-fattening gift that keeps them active (and out of the adult’s hair) is a better choice.
Historians have traced the birthplace of the cascarones custom back to China. It’s believed that the decorated egg shells were brought from Asia by Marco Polo. These original eggs were filled with a perfumed powder and the eggs were used as gifts. From Italy the tradition was carried to Spain and then from Spain to North America. Carlotta, the wife of Emperor Maximillian, was so fascinated by the eggs that she brought them to Mexico during her husband’s rule in the mid 1800’s. Of course, religious beliefs became entwined with the secular custom. The tissue paper decorated eggs symbolically represent the Resurrection of Jesus Christ; the breaking of the egg symbolizes how Christ had risen from the tomb, just like a new born chick opens the shell to begin its life.
In Mexico, people replaced the perfumed powder with paper confetti and named the egg shells cascarones, which derives from the Spanish word “Cascara” meaning shell. Cascarones were very popular for about a century but the tradition eventually faded. It wasn’t until the late 1960s that cascarones experienced a resurgence in populari
ty as a family tradition. Most people make their own shells but you can find beautiful hand-crafted, intricately designed eggs that sell for as much as $15 US for a single egg!
The middle photo shows what tools are needed to make cascarones: darning needle, paring knife, thin ribbon (optional) magnet. Push the large needle into the small end of a raw egg. I also use the needle to pierce the opposite end of the eggs then use the knife to gently make the hole larger. The left photo shows blowing out the egg from the shell. It helps to be sure to pierce the yolk before blowing to have the insides come out easier. You will be making lots of quiche or scrambled eggs after this project!
Next, rinse out the shell and let dry. When the shell is dry, you can enlarge the bottom hole and add confetti. After stuffing the shell, gently glue a piece of tissue paper over the egg, sealing the confetti inside. The last step is to decorate the prepared egg with colored markers, glitter glue, foam cut outs, whatever the kids like.
Another way of using the cascarones is as a party decoration. You can make attractive hanging ornament (I hang them from my palm trees) by inserting a narrow ribbon through the hole and not filling the shells. After making the two holes and emptying the egg into a bowl, thread the needle and push it through both holes. Secure with a large knotted loop on one end, and just a knot on the other end. I found it helpful to use a magnet to ‘steer’ the needle to the second hole so I could grab it. Decorate the exterior as simple or fancy as you like.
In the last five years I have noticed cascarones available for sale in La Penita and Walmart if you don’t feel like the hassle of prepping the eggs. Purchase the prepared shells, add confetti and decorate the outside. The fancy eggs make any gathering a the party.
Instead of giving children commercially made stuffed toys or fattening chocolate bunnies and marshmallow eggs, I like the concept of kids playing with cascarones and piñatas as a healthy alternative. It’s a wonderful tradition to start with your loved ones!