Next year in Jerusalem

[rachelmanija]

Improvised from limited materials, scattered and separated, in a time of plague, living under an evil pharaoh, deciding whether to go with the word or the spirit of the law: this is going to be the most Jewish Passover ever.

I'm doing mine myself for the first time, over Zoom with the friends whose home I would normally be at. I'm not very observant, so I am not being strict AT ALL. Here's my plans and thoughts - please feel free to make suggestions.

I've emailed a neighbor to see if she can give me a bottle of wine, as I only have whiskey, beer, and sake.

I do not have matzo. I'm planning to make my own. In 18 minutes, just to see how that works out.

I have chicken broth and vegetables, but only AP and bread flour. I have eggs and also noodles. Should I attempt to make matzo balls from flour, or do noodles instead? (I think I'd lose my mind making enough matzo to grind into flour, especially as I have neither a food processor nor a mortar.)

I have apples and pistachios, from which I plan to make charoset.

I think I have horseradish sauce somewhere in the fridge. If I don't, what's a good substitute? I have fresh garlic, lots of fresh herbs, and powdered spices.

I have eggs. Has anyone ever tried roasting rather than boiling them?

I have a confit duck leg that I'm going to use for both my main dish and the shank bone. Or I could roast a carrot for the shank bone.

I have parsley and many other herbs.

Please feel free to make suggestions in comments. I'd also love to hear your plans and thoughts on your own Passovers!

ETA: Neighbor is buying me wine (she's hitting Trader Joe's tomorrow morning anyway) and is also leaving me a jar of homemade chicken stock she made yesterday!

Comments

[havocthecat]

I think if you make something with a bone, you should be fine! We had basically everything on hand for Passover because I'm kind of a food hoarder. (Except lettuce, I never have lettuce. We double up on parsley nearly every year.) Though in one of my infrequent store runs I did buy a fresh jar of horseradish because Mr. Havoc really loves his spice. I gave most spice up so the kidlet could have food he loved and Mr. Havoc dumps bunches of spicy sauces on everything.

I second everyone's dumpling ideas! Also dumplings are nom.

I mean, anything spicy will stand in for horseradish, even hot sauce, or, hell, cayenne mixed with a little water will do you.

We always just hardboil the eggs. We are lazy, and most Passovers we work and commute.

Also, if you confit that duck leg, will you post pictures? OMG, that sounds good!

I'm a big believer in making things work in times of trouble, and this is a TIME OF AFFLICTION. This year is the most Passover. Like, seriously, the kidlet brought home a plague of lice either from the haircut he had a week before the shelter in place, or from school, and we've been dealing with that. (I have never been so glad to have skipped the haircut place before.)

The shampoo to get rid of lice is derived from ragweed, which is the thing I am the most allergic to, so I've been wheezing like a motherfucker thanks to the hit from that. Even though I have washed my hair several times to get rid of the smell, and used my inhaler. THIS YEAR IS THE MOST PASSOVER.

[rachelmanija]

I can't believe you got lice! At least it wasn't boils.

[havocthecat]

Oh. Uh. Mr. Havoc has one forming on his nose. Now that you mention it, and I think of it. /embarrassed

I'm trying to treat it with whatever we have at home. I grew up without health insurance, so I have a pretty good base kit of folk remedies and first aid on hand instead of needing to go to the doctor for things like that!

You should laugh. Because I am laughing.

But I think I might take tonight off belly dance, because breathing. It's happening in kind of a half-assed way. I'm not sure it'll keep happening if I start dancing.

[rachelmanija]

LOLOLOL. So, you've ticked off lice, boils, allergies, actual plague, pharaoh... hopefully frogs is next. Frogs are nice.

[muccamukk]

Depends how many of them there are.

[havocthecat]

I adore frogs! I was sad I had to exile the toad that was living in my patch of deadly nightshade next to the house, but I did have to kill the nightshade. I think it moved to my defunct garden that turned into a dumping ground for lilah bush trimmings.

It was pretty (the nightshade), but it was HUGE. I waited until the bees were done feeding off it, though. I think there's a poison honey hive somewhere out there in the world.

[ethelmay]

If it gets worse, do call the doctor. People sometimes get systemic infections following boils, and you really don't want that.

[havocthecat]

Thank you, I will. I really do know when to call the doctor (I've had my own 'I think I need to go to the emergency room, oh, looks like my blood oxygen is about 80, guess I made the right call there' moments), though I do appreciate the concern! It's getting better, though!

Tonight my area of Illinois is predicted to have baseball sized hail. Going to be fun! It's almost Passover!

[rosefox]

OMG, my kid had lice during the first week of isolation too! A professional delouser came to our house in full mask-and-gloves gear. I never thought of it in relation to the plagues; it was a whole month ago, and I was more amused by it being Friday the 13th.

[havocthecat]

Ours has been a little more recent, which is probably why I thought of it. I don't even know any professional delousers in our area; I would definitely pay one. We've been taking care of it with a hell of a lot of work on our own.

It being Friday the 13th was definitely a fascinating coincidence too.