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Community Corner

Recipes, Traditions, and the Meaning of Passover

For this week's Patch Picks, Sarah Zwarick of Tolland recommends five of her favorite Passover recipes.

For me, the Passover holiday is filled with tradtions, family and food. The holiday lasts eight days and commerates the emancipation of the Isralites from slavery in Ancient Egypt.  Families, like mine, gather together to prepare food and spend time together. My aunt, grandmother, and cousins make the food we eat each year, filling our table with tasty dishes and great company.  

We read together from the Haggadah, sing, enjoy conversation, laughs, and each other. Great memories are made. Even though the Passover Seders are exceptionally long, I look forward to them. After the services, friends often reconnect.

I asked Rabbi Jim Rosen of Beth El Temple in West Hartford to explain what Passover means. 

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"Passover  is in essence the celebration of human freedom against slavery," Rosen said. "While it is most directly about the liberation of the ancient Israelites from Egyptian slavery, it is also a celebration of the potential to be freed from all kinds of enslavement, be it national, social,emotional or the like."

"Passover is that time when we, as a family, live the unfolding drama, moving from slavery to freedom within the comfort of old family traditions while at the same time, creating new, exciting rituals that become integral parts of the fabric of our family," said Nancy Rosen of West Hartford.

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Rami Schwartzer of West Hartford said, "When I was younger, I looked forward to our family sitting together one night after the Seder to view Cecil B. Demille's "Ten Commandments." 

Food is also an integral part of the Passover holiday.  Matzah is eaten to signify the unleavened loaves the Israelites took with them on their journey. Matzah looks like a large, flat cracker. The loaves of bread taken on the journey were grabbed in a hurry.  They did not have time to rise so they were also flat.  

One of my favorite recipes to make and eat during Passover is Matzo Ball Soup.  Our family floats matzo balls in chicken soup.  The soup is filled with chicken pieces, carrots, and celery.  However, others may float their matzo balls in vegetable or turkey soup. This recipe from Manischewitz is simple and uses ingredients that can be found in most local grocery stores.  http://www.manischewitz.com/matzoball.html

A Passover Seder staple is Charoset. Charoset signifies the morter used by the Israelites. As with matzo ball soup there are also many variations of this dish.  Our family makes a recipe very similar to Cindy's.  It's tasty and filled with apples, nuts, and cinnamon.  Charoset is sometimes eaten on Matzah for breakfast during Passover.  Everything you need to prepare this dish can be found in a regular grocery store.  http://kosherfood.about.com/od/sedermenurecipes/r/charoset_cindy.htm

Many Jews eat Brisket as a main course during one or both of the Passover Seders.  While this recipe is not kosher for Passover it looks really tasty.  If you would like to serve it at a Seder, simply make sure you use ketchup and onion soup that are made specifically for use during passover.  http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/03/passover-brisket-i-think/

Often times roasted vegetables are served alongside the meat during the Seder.  This recipe uses Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Beets along with a red potato and an onion. Again these ingredients are found at any local grocery store.  http://kosherfood.about.com/od/sidedishesforpassover/r/sweetpotbeets.htm

After eating a huge meal I often wonder how I have room for dessert?  Somehow I always make sure to save a little room for my grandmother's Nut Cake.  It's light, full of flavor, and goes well with a cup of tea. This recipe is very close to the one my own grandmother makes.  http://www.koshercooking.com/recipes/passover/airnut.html

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