Spring holidays

So we’re about an hour away from the traditional Passover Seder. A few days from now it will be Good Friday.

I am not Jewish, but I grew up in a neighborhood in which 55 of the 60 students were. I was raised Catholic, but didn’t really embrace it and my parents were pretty loose about it.

I remember (fondly) my friends’ parents being very considerate of my Catholic dietary restrictions (no meat) and my parents being very respectful of their restrictions.

So why don’t we just eat what’s available?

Yes, I will now duck.

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Well, I don’t see “special occasion” food decisions as being really any different from everyday food decisions. Folk choose to eat what they choose to eat. That choice may be because of faith reasons, family traditions, or whatever.

I have no religious faith but it’s unthinkable that this house would not have roast lamb sometime over the weekend. And chocolate.

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If nothing else, chocolate. Deviled eggs (gasp, for Easter). We have baby lamb chops to rub with herbs and saute and so delicious but I have mixed feelings about eating meat. Asparagus has always been an Easter centerpiece - we do them steamed with hard-boiled sieved eggs, chives and a mustard vinaigrette. Scalloped potatoes, a custardy sweet corn casserole with cinnamon sugar topping. And if I could live in a fantasy, carrot cake with walnuts and cream cheese frosting.

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I love a good food related holiday. I remember Seders almost as much as I remember Easters. I remember a celery and apple salad thing. Nobody seems to want to share a ham with me!

Charoset?

As Dorothy Parker said, eternity is two people and a ham.

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“A celery apple thing” could be the classic Waldorf salad but without fresh grapes my family always used raisins https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waldorf_salad

No, this was very simple. I believe there was salt, representing tears. I’ll have to look it up later, but now I’ve got to go to work!

@Harters, @retrospek - Since you’re having chocolate, you won’t have to worry about a chocolate deficiency…

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I found this:

" The Seder Plate is laden with symbolism as well as food: The boiled egg and shankbone symbolize the sacrifices associated with the holiday; bitter herbs represent the bitterness of slavery in Egypt; the parsley or celery accompanied by salt water bring to mind the start of spring, and also the tears shed by the Jews."

Since we can’t gather for Easter this year, we’re having a zoom tutorial for kid #2 and SIL on how to prepare our favorite Greek style leg of lamb, as well as pilaf, our modified Greek way. We’ll no doubt raise a glass of something to toast the holiday. (Real Greek Easter is a week from Sunday, not sure what we’ll do then). I’ve also ordered the kids gifts in lieu of the normal Easter Baskets that usually include non edible stuff they like. It will be different this year for sure.

Did help a friend celebrate a solo Seder, on the phone, earlier this week.