Easter and Passover are coming

[Adam Balic]

Simnel cake

I thought Simnel cake was for "Mothering Sunday" (Lent)?

This year I am going to attempt some greek bread with red dyed eggs baked into it.

Edited February 26, 2004 by Adam Balic (log)

[Tracy K.]

Polish Placek (a coffee cake); plus reservations for brunch at The Four Seasons Chicago

[fischwlu]

Hot Cross Buns! Hot Cross Buns!

One a penny,

Two a penny,

Hot Cross Buns!

If you have no daughters,

Pray give them to your sons!

One a penny,

Two a penny,

Hot Cross Buns!

I found a recipe

More for Lent then Easter though...

My family would always make lamb cakes for Easter and for every child's 1st birthday... not sure why though.

[cakewalk]

I thought it was "order" in the sense of "order of service", the central feature being the "Shulchan Auruch" or "laid table", the meal itself.

As in every language, word can have many connotations. So, the simplest translation of seder is order. It applies to Passover in the sense that you mention - the order of the service. The Passover seder follows a very specific progression as laid out in the Hagaddah.

Just to expand on how this word has grown into "modernity," the modern Hebrew word for "okay" is "b'seder." The prefix "b" means "in," and the word "seder," as already noted, means "order." So when an Israeli shouts at you saying "b'seder, b'seder," he's saying "okay, okay." (Or, literally, "in order, in order," but that loses something in the translation.)

[Comfort Me]

I always make a mess of pickled salmon for pesach. It's great to pack in lunches, it's MUCH easier than making homemade gefilte fish, and a lot less mess, too! It is good as part of a salad, too. I've eaten it with horseradish, and I've eaten it with chutney. I also like it plain. The spices are flexible, but we like it spicy. Decrease the red pepper to one teaspoon if you don't like spice. We like the departure from the traditional Ashkenazic sweet fish balls. When it isn't Pesach, these are a wonderful, cold first course for Shabbat.

3 pounds salmon filet

2 teaspoons salt, divided

2 cups plus 1 tablespoon kosher for Passover white wine vinegar,

2 tablespoons sugar

2 bay leaves

1½ teaspoons crushed red pepper

¼ teaspoon fennel seed

10 peppercorns

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 small cinnamon stick

1. Fill a fish poacher half way with water, add 1 teaspoon salt, cover and bring to the boil. Add the salmon, 1 tablespoon vinegar, and additional water if the fish is not covered. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook over low heat for 10 minutes, then turn off the heat and allow to sit undisturbed for 20 minutes. Remove from the poaching liquid, taking care to keep the filets whole.

2. While the salmon is poaching, combine the remaining vinegar, sugar, and remaining teaspoon salt in a non-reactive pan. Tie the remaining ingredients in a muslin bag or a piece of cheesecloth and add to the vinegar mixture. Bring to the boil over low heat.

3. When the salmon is finished poaching, place in a glass, plastic, or crockery bowl large enough to hold the salmon and the vinegar mixture. Pour the boiling vinegar, including the spice packet, over the salmon, and allow to cool slightly. Cut a piece of waxed paper or parchment to fit over the surface of the fish, then weigh the paper down with a small plate to make sure the fish stays submerged in the pickling liquid. Refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.

[bloviatrix]

I made pickled salmon a couple of years back. It was a disaster - the fish didn't cure all the way through (my recipe didn't call for poaching the fish before putting it in the pickling liquid). But, maybe I can be encouraged to re-visit the dish.

This year I want to try fried fish balls. Before anyone makes any jokes, these are pretty common in England. The first time I tried them was in London 3 years ago, and then one of my friends (a transplanted Londoner) made them for me. They're really good. They would go well with a flavored homemade mayonnaise.

[psychobombshell]

My only speacial recipie for Easter is a good spicy bloody mary to stay upright, since I spend ever Easter in Las Vegas at a rock weekender (which is basically a 4 day bender).

Every year I make sure I go to a certain small bar off of the strip that can make one with the horseradish and tabasco just right. Tne I sober up and go to mass (yes, there is actually a Catholic Church about a 1/4 mile off the strip) at 5.

[alacarte]

Peeps! PEEPS! PEEEEEPPPPPS!!!!!

[Comfort Me]

Peeps! PEEPS! PEEEEEPPPPPS!!!!!

Did anybody look at the popup that comes on when you click the link? It's for a Wham-O Marshmallow Maker. I'd never buy it, but it gave me wicked ideas for using those pornographic ice cube trays and lollipop molds I got for my 40th birthday! The guy that gave them to me turns 40 in May!

A side note: I was approached last week about making a cake that was, um, cumpletely pornographic. Really. Oh -- and racist, too. I said no, but the $400.00 would have been nice. Still, I can't see myself making a cake I'd be embarassed for my son to see me frosting!

[jackal10]

This year I want to try fried fish balls. Before anyone makes any jokes, these are pretty common in England. The first time I tried them was in London 3 years ago, and then one of my friends (a transplanted Londoner) made them for me. They're really good. They would go well with a flavored homemade mayonnaise.

They are delish! I'm committed to making a hundred or so this weekend for a family party. I'll try to get some snaps.

Equal quantities of flaked cooked white fish, mashed potato, fried onions, parsley. Season well. Bind with egg and Matzo meal, roll in more Matzo meal; deep fry dark brown.

[Mizzy]

I grew up in Israel where the seder isn't the place for gourmet cuisine. my family's goal was always to eat as much traditional food as possible, and spend time with each other. my favorite dish at the seder growing up with chopped liver (you can find the best chopped liver in the world in israel!!). not I am a vegatrian, but I love haroset, especially when its got dates in it!

I haven't been to a seder in 3 years, but since my family's moved to the states my mom's cooking has gotten fancier each year...im definitely looking forward to my trip home this year (c:

mia

[KatieLoeb]

but I love haroset, especially when its got dates in it!

I really wasn't going to blow my own horn, but I added a recipe for "Sephardic Charoset" to the eGRA last year. The Perlows were kind enough to upload a picture for me of the version they made to accompany the recipe HERE

My problem is that I always make too much. But then I end up giving away containers to all the friends that are celebrating so it works out.

[psychobombshell]

Peeps! PEEPS! PEEEEEPPPPPS!!!!!

Ever put peeps in the microwave.. its fun as long as you dont mind the clean-up

[bloviatrix]

but I love haroset, especially when its got dates in it!

I really wasn't going to blow my own horn, but I added a recipe for "Sephardic Charoset" to the eGRA last year. The Perlows were kind enough to upload a picture for me of the version they made to accompany the recipe HERE

My problem is that I always make too much. But then I end up giving away containers to all the friends that are celebrating so it works out.

Katie, that looks good. I'll have to keep it in mind for when I do my prep. How would the standard concord grape work?

[KatieLoeb]

but I love haroset, especially when its got dates in it!

I really wasn't going to blow my own horn, but I added a recipe for "Sephardic Charoset" to the eGRA last year. The Perlows were kind enough to upload a picture for me of the version they made to accompany the recipe HERE

My problem is that I always make too much. But then I end up giving away containers to all the friends that are celebrating so it works out.

Katie, that looks good. I'll have to keep it in mind for when I do my prep. How would the standard concord grape work?

B:

I'm sure the standard purple concord would be identical flavorwise, but it "stains" the fruit and doesn't look as attractive when finished. The white concord just looks cleaner and is a bit less messy when whirling it up in the processor to get the last of the sticky stuff out of the bottom. Since I'm inevitably a mess magnet, I steer clear of unctious deep purple heavily staining beverages when I know I'll be having at least four glasses of wine.

[Fresser]

A side note:  I was approached last week about making a cake that was, um, cumpletely pornographic.  Really. 

Now HERE'S a Freudian slip.

[jackal10]

See the Erotic Baker Cookbook

Pink or chocolate icing, as you prefer...

[alacarte]

so off topic, but so funny!

steering back on topic.

This is a very eggy time of year in both religions, isn't it? Lent begins and ends with eggs. Easter eggs. Eggs at Passover (roasted on the seder plate and served at seders in salted water). Eggs for the classic matzah brie.

Anyone want to lease me a chicken for the duration of the spring holidays?

[chow guy]

An ideal Easter for me would include:

Spicy Bloody Mary's, smoked salmon (w/ all the fixins) and a fritatta for breakfast.

Milk fed baby lamb in an egg /lemon sauce with marjoram and baby artichokes for dinner with a butterscotch/ cashew pie with grahm cracker crust for dessert.

And ofcourse chocolates from Krause's Candy (in Saugerties NY) all day.

[lamb]

Easter always makes my wife dream about the lamb cake that her grandmother served.  Yellow cake baked in a two-part lamb-shaped mold with white icing and shredded coconut.

I've seen the molds in an antique store.  Perhaps this will be the year.

Oh my gosh, what memories that just brought back.

My aunt would prepare her lamb cake every Easter, and my brothers and I couldn't wait to get through dinner so we could gobble it up!

Anyways, I am cruising this year with my family for Easter. Wonder what Holland American Lines serves on Easter Sunday?

[=Mark]

Solid chocolate bunny heads.

[Taboni]

I am the same as lcdm (Ukrainian Catholic)...the one thing that defines Easter for me is the making of the hrin (horseradish with beets). Always by hand (food processor? feh!) , always with my 85 year old father over my shoulder telling me I'm not doing it right, always comparing it strengthwise to last years batch...years ago my grandfather and father would make huge batches to give away to people who were too lazy to make their own..

Basket blessing on Holy Saturday...tasting 3 different kielbasys from 3 different butchers and arguing over which is better....always the same arguments every year. Love it.

[Larry]

I am the same as lcdm (Ukrainian Catholic)...the one thing that defines Easter for me is the making of the hrin (horseradish with beets). Always by hand (food processor? feh!) , always with my 85 year old father over my shoulder telling me I'm not doing it right, always comparing it strengthwise to last years batch...years ago my grandfather and father would make huge batches to give away to people who were too lazy to make their own..

Basket blessing on Holy Saturday...tasting 3 different kielbasys from 3 different butchers and arguing over which is better....always the same arguments every year. Love it.

Same as you and and completely understand where you're coming from. In my family it's the debate over which paskas and babkas are the best.

My grandfather also always makes great liverwurst, hrin, blood sausage and his famous flourless walnut cake. Yum

[challah-baker]

For Purim? Kreplach! apricot hamantaschen!

For Passover? Matzoh Ball Soup and the Caramel Matzoh Crunch from "A Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking"

For Easter? PEEEEEPPPPPPSSSSS! (purple bunnies)

[hillvalley]

Grandma's matzah brie with sugar and cinamon

charosette

hot pink peeps

cadbury eggs

rainblow egg gum

chocolate bunny ears