A
pre-Passover meal, a post-Christmas party and Palm Sunday were weekend
highlights.
The
Passover, or Pesach, observance was at a family home with guests from several faith
backgrounds. We all read parts from the ceremony as the hosts explained our
actions. We all leaned to the left as we partook of wine or grape juice because
it was historically thought that this position of reclining at table aided
digestion.
Other
tidbits I learned were that the man of the house traditionally shreds the spicy
horseradish and the act represents tears he may have caused his wife. Homemade
matzo should be prepared in less than 17 minutes to signify the haste with
which the original meal was made.
This
experience, with singing and guitar as part of it, was emotional and lovely as
new friends were introduced to new traditions.
The
Christmas affair was at the home of a friend who missed celebrating the
holiday, because of Harvey. She’s back in her home and couldn’t pass on setting
up a tree. Christmas music, Tex-Mex flavors and a white elephant exchange made
spirits bright. The funny part is, beach bags and towels were fought-for prizes
at this Christmas party. Hey, it was snowing to our north, but we Texans are ready
for the shore.
“A
Taste of Pesach 2”
Pesach
If you know how to plate gourmet, you don’t have to cook gourmet. That’s
purpose of the spread in “A Taste of Pesach 2,” picturing how slices
gefiltefish becomes artwork beside a row of sliced cucumbers, spiralized beets
and a clear dish of pink condiment. Stacked plates go high, brushstrokes of
sauces are background for ribs, fruit cups are layered like stained glass and
cakes get a swipe of puree on the side. All these nuances transform a meal into
a celebration. I’m getting useful ideas for plating leftovers. Potato-stuffed
chicken capons, doughless potato knishes, spinach nests jalapeno sole,
apple-apricot kugel and matzo kugel are some tastes cooks can create from this
book. The photographs and recipes make this book stand out. It’s a project of Yeshiva
Me’on HaTorah, a dormitory Mesivta High School and Beis Medrash, founced in
2005 in Roosevelt New Jersey. The group strives to help young boys develop into
budding Torah scholars. Pesach, or Passover, is from March 30 to April 7 of
this year.
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