822 replies to this topic

[Pam R]

Isn't baking powder, by definition, a leavening agent??  I'm pretty sure that's not kosher for Passover...

I had always assumed it was not ok. Now, googling around, I see this is a matter of debate among some people; not among others.

Baking powder is a chemical leavener as opposed to something that would result in leavening due to a fermentation process.

jayne

I'll just add that looking at my Passover products lists, at least four companies make kosher for Passover baking powder - and I sold a lot of it this year.

[Lior]

2nd holiday!! I am tired of cooking!!!!

[KatieLoeb]

Isn't baking powder, by definition, a leavening agent??  I'm pretty sure that's not kosher for Passover...

I had always assumed it was not ok. Now, googling around, I see this is a matter of debate among some people; not among others.

Baking powder is a chemical leavener as opposed to something that would result in leavening due to a fermentation process.

jayne

I'll just add that looking at my Passover products lists, at least four companies make kosher for Passover baking powder - and I sold a lot of it this year.

Well then. I stand both corrected and better educated.

[Pam R]

Does everybody stick with traditional foods for the whole holiday or do you mix things up?

This was not exciting, but one of my favourite meals this year was some chicken thighs done "Greek" style (lemon, garlic, oregano, olive oil, s&p) served with a big cheeseless/Greekish salad.

After the seders and all of the cooking I do for the holiday, I think simple and light is great for the rest of the week.

If I never have to see another potato . . .

[jmolinari]

I was so desparate for pasta i made it using matzot i ground to a flour, added eggs, some water, and a touch of oil and salt. Treated like egg pasta but had to be very delicate with the rolling as it has no gluten so it tends to fall apart.
Boil for about 1 minute, and tossed with pesto it was actually much better than edible...it was almost good :)

[sh_kayam]

I was so desparate for pasta i made it using matzot i ground to a flour, added eggs, some water, and a touch of oil and salt. Treated like egg pasta but had to be very delicate with the rolling as it has no gluten so it tends to fall apart.
Boil for about 1 minute, and tossed with pesto it was actually much better than edible...it was almost good :)

I've made gnocchi for passover before (not this year), and it's been very convincing, almost makes me feel like I'm cheating. Various recipes... using mashed potato, potato starch, matzah meal, and egg... sometimes butternut squash instead of potato.

Tonight I'm going to make hot-pot for some friends, and planning throw konnyaku "noodles" into the broth.

[avibenshi]

My family is split half ashkenazi, half sefaradi. Every year there is a battle between one aunt's Gefiltefish and another one's spicy fish balls. Spicy allways wins :)

[Pam R]

Avi, can you tell us more about the spicy fish balls?

[erqwerty]

Hi from Australia
Until this year we always had a traditional Ashkenazi passover - gefilte fish, chicken soup with lneidl, the whole megilla but after studi\ying the development of Jewish foodways from biblical times it all changed this year.
We had what w imagine would be a typical Sephardi seder - fish with peppers, Jerusalem artichoke soup, a chicken cumquot tagine and a beef an date tagine with cous cous. It all worked rally well.

[JFLinLA]

Just thought I'd pop this to the top of the list as it's just about 2 weeks to go. What are you thinking about for the holiday?

[KatieLoeb]

Sharing a predominantly vegetarian Passover feast (there will be some fish for those that want it) with my friend and her family that I always share Passover with. Am making the usual horseradish, haroset and will help with the vegetarian matzoh balls and a walnut torte for dessert the night before.

[TarteTatin]

Sam has an amazing flourless chocolate cake if you'd like the recipe.
It's something like a pound of butter, a pound of chocolate and 8 eggs.
Decadent.

[Lior]

I am having a standard seder this year, that means chicken soup with kneidlach, gefilte fish, salads of all sorts, baked salmon and roast beef. I will also do roasted potatoes, yams,onions, garlic and beets-all in one dish.

I am thinking of making it unusual by theme. I have not yet decided but I imagine a small puddle at the entrance of my house, through which everyone will have to cross in order to enter. Any more ideas would be great. I know that my in laws will refuse to do this...

Edited by Lior, 18 March 2010 - 07:04 AM.

[KatieLoeb]

Lior:

Wouldn't it be better to have two tubs of water on either side of the entrace so that the "waters are parted", so to speak? Seems a bit more historically accurate and a lot neater. No need to have wet dirty feet tracking into the house...

[Lior]

great idea! I was thinking that there must have been a bit of wetness wherethe waters parted! I will do that-2 tubs of water! Any other brilliant ideas?

[KatieLoeb]

Well perhaps having the waters more "contained" will get the reluctant in-laws to get into the spirit a bit more. It's not like you'll be leaving them a choice if they want to come in the door and eat, yeah?

What about some frogs for the water? Float some lily pads and you could feed them some crickets from the pet store and wipe out two plagues at once!

The children I have celebrated 2nd night with the past several years have a "Plagues Bag" that has plastic bugs, frogs, a cow mask with pox for cattle disease, sunglasses for the plague of darkness, etc. that really make that part of the seder come alive. I'm certain someone with your creative energies could create their own version of THIS.

If you were feeling particularly morbid you could paint around the door with washable vegetable dye. That might be overkill though.

[KitchenMom]

I like the idea of theme decorating!

I'm making my first gluten-free seder. Fortunately, it isn't too challenging. I've found a pretty good looking matzo ball recipe that uses almond meal and potato starch, though I haven't done a test run yet. I've ordered special gluten-free schmura matzo (made from oats). I'll probably make a lamb and artichoke dish, though the kids are lobbying for brisket. Haven't figured out dessert yet, but probably either a flourless chocolate cake or a nut cake.

[Lior]

Hi
Are the oats gluten free?? Sound interesting! I eat gluten free...
The plagues bag is cool! I am sure I can work something out. I will look for plastic frogs for the tubs. The weird thing is that this last week or two we have been having very odd weather and we are inflicted with crickets! Ugh! My cats have great fun with them.

Some fake blood, frogs in the tubs- I will try to catch some crickets in a jar, sunglasses for darkness- cattle disease-I have cow salt and pepper shakers and mugs-can do something here. Lice? I will put a lice treatment shampoo on the table! Any other silly ideas! This is such fun! Thank you!

BTW, we put an extra matza for Gilad Shalit, who is not free and we ache about this greatly, so anyone who wants to think about him could also do this.

Edited by Lior, 20 March 2010 - 03:40 AM.

[KitchenMom]

Yes, the oats are certified gluten-free. They come from a company in New Jersey. On the website it says that, according to halachic authority, they can only be eaten by people that can't tolerate gluten. We're not that observant, so I haven't checked independently. Here's the website:

http://www.lakewoodm...gluten_free.asp

There is also a company in England that looks like it has distributors in Israel:

http://www.glutenfreeoatmatzos.com/

It is also possible to find gefilte fish made without matzo meal, if one is, like me, too lazy to make it from scratch.

For some other decor ideas, you could probably rig up a burning bush in a corner somewhere, and a large rubber snake for Moses's staff.

[Lior]

Thanks so much for the links! I am not observant...
I am too lazy and so I buy gluten free gefilte fish! A burning bush and rubber snake!! This is getting really lots of fun! Perhaps I am the only one into this nonsense and my family will think that I have gone nuts!

[jaynesb]

We have friends who have hung something like banners that look like the sea along the 2 sides of their walkway to the door. Each year I mean to get there to see them but as yet, I haven't. Not sure if there are fish attached or painted on also....

jayne

[Lior]

yes !! I though of of this as well. I would stand in the doorway and sprinkle some water onto people... Very nice idea. Thanks

[Pam R]

I'm just starting to think about what we'll serve for night #2. I have no idea what to make, though I have lots of recipe to choose from. We will serve meat, so I'm thinking of herbed cornish hens and some form of beef -- or maybe a slow roasted lamb shoulder. Somebody told me you're not supposed to eat lamb on Pesach - anybody know anything about that?

[Lior]

I can ask my mashgiah kashrut if you would like me to.

[Pam R]

Thanks, I'm curious. I'm going to ask my Rabbi tomorrow if I remember!

[KatieLoeb]

I'm just starting to think about what we'll serve for night #2. I have no idea what to make, though I have lots of recipe to choose from. We will serve meat, so I'm thinking of herbed cornish hens and some form of beef -- or maybe a slow roasted lamb shoulder. Somebody told me you're not supposed to eat lamb on Pesach - anybody know anything about that?

So we should just have a shank bone sitting on the seder plate and the rest of the poor lamb should go to waste?? That certainly seems antithetical just on principle if nothing else. Why would there be a prohibition on lamb?

[JFLinLA]

My sister-in-law just confirmed that she will do the 1st night. Their house has better space for this. So that means that, once again, I'm dessert girl. I've developed my list of standard and yummy Passover desserts that can generally be considered cookies. Actually, Passover or not, I long ago tired of making cakes and such and having everyone pass or take just a sliver and leave most of it on their plate. Not that I'm trying to get people fat but if I make a cake, it's there to be eaten. It has been my experience however that people will eat things if you give them stuff they can pick up and eat with their hands.

Among my "standard" Passover desserts are:
Almond macaroons
Coconut macaroons
Chocolate-almond brownie bites
Brown-sugar pecan macaroons
Meringue "kisses" of various flavors
Matzah brittle
etc, etc, etc.

I am looking at various cake/torte type recipes because I do enjoy making them.

And, of course, Grandma's matzah farfel muffins but those are savory to eat before and during the meal.

Now to think about the 2nd night when we're back home.

[BeeZee]

I'm tasked with bringing a "starchy" (as opposed to vegetable) side dish...and happy to have confirmed that Quinoa is OK for Passover (it's a seed), the Trader Joe's brand passes muster because it is processed in a plant that has no grain products. So at least one dish on the table will be light, flavorful, and healthy.

[Mikels]

Just a few quick notes.

The active ingredients of baking powder are baking soda and monocalcium phosphate, both permitted on Passover. Most non Passover powders contain corn starch, which may or may noy be allowed based upon your custom. Replace the corn starch with potato starch and it is permitted.

Lior - you should find oat matza made in the UK supervised by Rabbi Kentenbaum, whom I know. It is valid for Pesach since it is one of the five grains.

Edited by Mikels, 24 March 2010 - 03:24 PM.

[Mikels]

The not eating of Lamb only applies to European Jews. The usual explanation given is that lamb was used at the time of the Temple. However, that can’t be the whole truth, since Jews from the Middle East eat it. I heard a lecture given by Danny Lasker who traces it back to the middle ages in Europe. The lamb has specific religious significance in the Christian religion. Eating lamb was tied to blood libels and therefore not permitted since it could have led to pogroms.

Edited by Mikels, 24 March 2010 - 03:25 PM.