Passover 2009

Passover was fun this year! We had thirty at our table and I even did my own flowers. The menu is always the traditional one of brisket and chicken ; but, for the very first time we made our own gefilte fish. I must admit it was a process, but if your son is a fish wholesaler, well why not? Any white fish will do and I used halibut. It was a treat and one hundred percent better then doctored up fish from a jar.

We also made homemade horseradish and it was a real treat. I bought six jars of Gold's red horseradish, but at the last minute, decided to make our own. By the way, Gold's turned out to be be real gold! My husband was at the grocery picking up some last minute items and while standing at the counter where the bottled horseradish is kept, he encountered a man looking for some. Not one bottle was left. My husband casually mentioned we had six bottles at our house that we would not be using and he was welcome to them. He actually followed my husband the five miles to our house and got two jars. I said to my husband latter, "who was that masked man?". He said,"I don't know, I didn't catch his name!" That was random!

I always try to do an interesting dessert for Passover. Store bought cookies for Passover are taboo in my house. One year I did individual meringue shells filled with chocolate mousse and topped with strawberries, kuwi and whipped cream This year I made a blackberry topped cheese cake with a matzo cake meal and almond crust. Pick-up desserts were handmade mandel bread, chocolate and pecan meringues and brownies with pecans and without for one of my daughters-in-law.

Passover is always a wonderful and joyous occassion in our home. Not only do we retell the story of the enslavement of our ancestors and their passage to freedom; but being with family and friends makes for a comforting, peaceful and down right fun time in our lives.