Pam R

If you missed the commercials, Top Chef Canada is coming to Food Network Canada. Mark McEwan is set to be the head judge, not sure who will host. What do you think? Anybody going to send in an application?

What kind of Chinese cabbage? I think Napa cabbage is great for cabbage rolls. It's lighter than regular cabbage and I think the shape is better for rolling. I also like it raw, thinly sliced in salads ("Chinese chicken salad" anybody?).

I haven't seen Holy Land up here, but I'll keep an eye open for it next year. Assuming by the name that it's Israeli, it makes sense that it's 1/3 of the price.

Even if your store isn't able to do any basic butchery tasks, it's still useful to get to know them and ask them to order things in for you. All of the meat I sell comes in vacuum sealed and frozen -- we do have a saw and are able to cut steaks off of whole rib roasts (we do this a lot, actually) or cut whole turkeys or chickens in half (we also bring in all the poultry parts packed with like parts). But over the years we've started carrying more and more items because customers have requested them. Sometimes it takes a few attempts before the processor gets us the right item, but we're always happy to try. So if you don't see something you're looking for, ask them if they can get it.

The show with the 3 hosers (Food Jammers) annoys me, as do a couple of the other Canadian shows. All of the Canadian shows have been shown on Food Network Canada. But, a few of them actually cook on their shows so maybe there will be something new to watch.

It's not wrong, but it's not hummus. It's white bean dip or spread.

According to their website, the St. Norbert Farmers Market isn't opening until June 5th. I guess this makes sense in normal years, but this year that seems like it's way too late. It's already +20C here and I'm ready for the market. Anybody know if any other markets are opening earlier this year? A little more googling and I found this link that shows all the markets in Manitoba with their dates. Nothing in the Winnipeg area opens earlier.

Today seems like a good day for falafel. But I didn't plan ahead, and didn't soak any beans so they won't be from scratch tonight. But, I would like to take another stab at making them from scratch again soon. Anybody make any lately? And tricks to pass on? Going traditional or trying anything new?

Do you have an oven (or grill/BBQ)? Lots of flat breads can be made at home. I also love chummus with za'atar added, and you can add all sorts of flavourings. But straight-up classic chummus is my favourite. It's great in a sandwich with grilled chicken and lots of fresh vegetables or skip the chicken and grill the vegetables for a veggie version.

I think ketchup and latkes may be against the law in some places. Against the laws of kashrut at least (not really). Mitch, I assume apple-sauce became the norm because it is parve and can be used with a meat meal. I have no idea why it was applesauce rather than anything else though.

I still like Streit's spelt matzo, though Yarden was a new & good one this year. Around here, people seem to buy more Israeli matzo than American. For some reason the Israeli prices are much better than American, so that may be part of it. I hope I'll be able to get my hands on the Oat matzo next year -- anybody try it?

We ended up serving gefilte fish and chopped liver for starters, followed by a rib roast, apricot glazed chicken, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, two types of kugel, roasted beets, sautéed vegetables and a salad (mixed lettuce, fresh orange segments, dried cranberries, toasted pecans, red onion and balsamic vinaigrette). Dessert was fresh fruit and a pecan flan. It was a fantastic dinner and a great holiday meal shared with family and friends. The last two nights dinners were both chicken soup and big salads. Something about Pesach begs for salads. Tonight though, it will be chicken schnitzel with a potato/onion bake and dilled carrots. How were all of your seders/meals? *

100% sour cream. If I'm eating it with a meat meal, I'd rather have nothing than have applesauce. So, don't eat them with a meat meal (obviously if you don't keep kosher, this is not an issue?).

Every year I bring in approximately 20 varieties of matzo, hoping to make all of my customers happy. We bring in several brands -- both Israeli and American (this year: Osem, Aviv, Jerusalem, Yehuda, Yarden, Streit's & Manishewitz). Then there are the different varieties: plain, 'lite', extra bran, whole wheat, spelt, organic spelt, egg, machine made AND handmade shmura. Some people buy the same matzo every year, others are swayed by price or other issues. I always snag a couple of boxes of the Streit's spelt (I haven't had an Israeli spelt matzo that compares to it). Which one(s) will you be using this year? Do you always have the same type or do you mix it up a bit? Any new ones out there -- and has anybody spotted the Streit's gluten-free oat matzo this year?

Streit's also made oat matzo this year -- at least they were supposed to. The case I ordered never turned up. Though for Lior, I doubt that helps (can you get US matzo in Israel?). In North America you may be able to find it. We've decided on a rib roast for seder #2. That's as far as we've gotten.

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

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?

Anybody doing anything different this year? After 25+ years of baking chiffon cakes at work, we switched it up and are baking tarts (chocolate, frangipane(almond & raspberry) and pecan. Also doing Amaretti and if I have time a couple of different (from out regular) varieties of mandelbroit. And meringues, of course.

I don't really know, but I think Oreos went from having other animal product (lard?) to being kosher/dairy. I think part of the problem with finding things right now, if they're anything like me, stores aren't stocking a lot of kosher items right now unless they're kosher for PAssover. I bet those Lieber and Kemach mixes were for Passover. I usually carry the cookies but my store just changed over, so I can't even check the packaging to see if they're dairy/parve. I bet the chocolate grahams will be great. Good luck!

I'd probably use Rich's. You can try it with soy, but be careful because it's shocking how many soy milks are dairy. Is Nutrifil available in the US? I think it works best for the pudding. Can you get non-dairy pudding mix? Jello might be available there -- I know in Canada you can find it, but it's the Canadian version, not sure if it's kosher in the US. Osem makes it for sure, maybe some of the other kosher companies. Also, Oreo's are dairy, so you'd have to find a parve alternative. I'm not sure if you have access to them, but companies like Lieber or Kemach make parve versions -- or in the US I think you can get other options in most supermarkets (Hydrox maybe).

There's lots of talk about hamantashen going on around here and only a couple of weeks until Purim. Any interesting flavour combinations being planned?

It's latke season! I want to know if people are making non-potato latkes. My favourite at the moment are zucchini and leek, with just a little potato in them for body. I've also made cauliflower/corn/cheddar and mushroom/wild rice latkes. Nu? Doing anything interesting with the latkes?

This year I'm invited out for a few Chanukkah parties and don't have time to entertain, so I'm not planning much. For dinner Friday night I'll be making a big pot of soup (it's really cold!) for my immediate family, followed by potato latkes. That's it. I want sour cream with my latkes, so the soup will be Mushroom Cheddar Chowder. If I have time during the week I might make some fried chicken -- it fulfils the frying requirements just as well as latkes. Sufganiyot will be purchased. I'd love to make my own this year, but am really pressed for time.

Chanukka starts Friday night, so it's time to take the grater out and get the latkes frying. We make latkes at work every week, but I've been staying away from them. The gloves are off for the holidays and I'll make some at home and eat them right out of the pan (with sour cream, thank you). Anybody joining me? Doing anything different this year?

I'm sure they come from many places, but I knew a writer who wrote a few of these books for a big publisher. She did all the testing and writing, but her name doesn't appear on the book.