Tuesday, 14 April 2009

PASSED OVER EASTER!

Academically speaking, though I know I'm not in a position to count myself as academic-because I'm not, there may be few surprises that Easter and Passover co-incide! As a child growing up in Jewish London Suburbia the primary schools were topped up by classrooms full of us 'jewish matzoh eating kiddies' if by chance the holiday didn't neatly slot into the Easter school break. Being compliant with the Passover rituals of not having any leaven in the home, eating leaven for 8 days or indeed, eating or drinking outside the home unless we were utterly confident that even the kettle and crockery had been changed over was so norm. Those were the days when my mum z.l. (may her memory rest in peace) would order 6 DOZEN EGGS for the passover weeks baking fayre, each Plava cake warranting 10 eggs!! My cholestrol is mounting at just the thought of it. Somewhere along the line I've been blessed with the ability to follow her recipie and produce small batches of coconut pyramids, almond macaroons and cinammon balls which would grace any tea plate but in oh such small quantities (courtesy of the cost of ground almonds). These days the effort is lighter since bags of the almonds already ground are readily available though as my urge to make a second batch this weekend was stronger than my urge to shop, I found myself soaking whole almonds in their skins in boiled water (as per yesteryear circa 196o's)... When daughter saw me slowly peeling each almond with intense concentration she was set up for the day by my labour of love. Yes, to be the all singing, dancing, baking and domestic mother of the 50's n 60's was indeed far more demanding. My mother owned a KENWOOD...Her prize possession perhaps! She was so proud of the different whisk attachments and blender that helped her produce all textures from coleslaws, to borscht soup, marble cakes to kichel dough (biscuits). Of course in comparison to her own mother who kept her meat in the safe out in the yard (a wire mesh cage that couldn't have possibly protected the food from anything smaller than a rabbit) and who thrived on gefulte fish and carp in jelly with chrane (horseraddish) over the said period life was also made simpler. And so it goes on. Nowadays I've given up buying Kosher for Passover Sugar and Salt, Washing up liquid and Milk but for one week in the year, I forgo bread, get a serious urge to purge n clean out cupboards and de-clutter. As for the real reason WHY IS THIS WEEK DIFFERENT FROM ALL OTHER WEEKS.....ah well, you don't have to be jewish.....but it helps! Chag Sameach (happy Holidays).