"The first," I would say, after taking into account the
day of the week and the boys' spring break schedule.
"Fine," she would say, "I'll do the second."
Well, that was up until last year when Pesach passed over us while
Dad was in the hospital. We ate matzah in the cafeteria, but the closest we got
to a haggadah was our prayers that Next Year We’ll All Be Home.
Unfortunately, Dad passed away in June and all our rituals have
been turned on ear since last Purim. This is rather ironic, since Dad was all
about rituals. But changes affect
every family (even if it's not as extreme as this) and the story of the Exodus must be told.
So, I'm sitting here, putting fingertip to keyboard thinking about
what foods I will make this year to grace both our table and Dad’s memory.
I’m sure there will be some tried-and-true standards and some
soon-to-become standards as old and new friends ring our table. Some will be
store-bought, but all will be homemade, even if it wasn't made in my house.
And while my biggest conundrum may be the main course… Do we want
Chicken Marbella? Or the family brisket that’s been on holiday for the past
couple years? How about grilled leg of lamb? Is this the year to ‘be’ Sephardic
and go through with the sushi threat? I’ve always thought wasabi would a cool
twist on maror. Or maybe make MY fried chicken using matzah meal... Dad’s
favorite – chocolate – will make an appearance as a flourless cake and the
requisite jelly rings and marshmallow twists (frozen, of course!) and we’ll
make sure there’s enough hard-boiled eggs and salt water for the ‘soup’ he’d
concoct before the gefilte fish comes to the table.
It’s a difficult year of firsts for us and I know too many of you
can relate to this too. We’ll all set an empty place for Elijahu and hope he
brings our loved ones along to sing Dayenu, whisper words of encouragement to
the little one saying the Four Questions and giggle when the maror gets the
better of us.
When the afikomen is found in Dad’s favorite hiding place – under
his plate – I’ll feel him standing behind me with his hands on my shoulders and
know that our family’s rituals really do live on l’dor va dor.
If I were making the cake for Dad, I'd probably omit the orange so nothing would distract from the chocolate!
Details?
Here goes :
(And in a switch from my usual, I listed the ingredients first...It's for Passover after all, a time that's different from all others!)
-Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Fold whites into chocolate batter in 3 additions. Transfer to prepared
pan.
- Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40
minutes. Cool cake completely in pan on rack, release from pan and serve.
Details?
Here goes :
(And in a switch from my usual, I listed the ingredients first...It's for Passover after all, a time that's different from all others!)
Butter, melted
1 1/4 cups walnuts
1 cup sugar, divided
6 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, coarsely
chopped
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
6 large eggs, separated
Zest of 1 orange
1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
-Preheat oven to 350°F.
-Brush bottom of 9-inch-diameter springform pan generously with
butter.
-Blend walnuts and 1/4 cup sugar in processor until finely ground. Add chopped
chocolate and zest; blend until chocolate is finely ground, scraping sides and
bottom of bowl occasionally.
-Combine egg yolks and 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar in large bowl
then add vanilla.
-Using an electric mixer, beat until yolk mixture is very thick, about 4
minutes, then beat in cocoa.
-Fold in walnut mixture.
-Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites and salt in another large bowl
until soft peaks form. Gradually add 2 tablespoons sugar, beating until whites
are stiff but not dry.
May Dad’s and your loved ones’ memories all be for a zissen Pesach blessing.
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