Matzo Love

I’m a list-maker. The problem with that is too many lists can make you crazy. But they can also focus me and get me going – thinking about what I want to do, need to do, would like to do.

I present to you my Matzo 18 list. My ode to matzo. Matzo, Matza, Matzah. Why I love it and the ways I love it.

my favorite matzo

Here we go:

Oh Matzo, how do I love thee?

18. Sweet matzo kugel- kugel with dried fruit

17. Savory matzo kugel – kugel with any favorite veggie sauteed with a whole chopped onion.

16. California matzo – mashed avocado with salt & pepper on matzo

15. Matzo and mozzarella (and of course, Matza Pizza)

14. Matzo charoset sandwich

13. Matzo charoset-horseradish sandwich

12. Matzo brie – scrambled style

11. Matzo brie – pancake style (ranks a little higher) (I don’t share the author’s feelings on matzo but I had to link you to a great article with a delicious and simple recipe.)

10. Matzo with goat cheese & kumquat marmalade (new! {because of my dear kumquat tree})

9. Matzo  with almond butter (new!)

8. Matzo with almond butter and a drizzle of honey (also new!)

7. Chocolate caramel matzo crunch

6. Matzo farfel granola (a great version to add to your collection, thanks to Couldn’t Be Parve)

5. Chocolate matzo farfel nut clusters (an earlier post- since I learned about this, it’s a mainstay. Move over Ring Gels!!

4. Matzo with sweet butter

3. Matzo with sweet butter and a sprinkle of salt*

2. Matzo with cream cheese and raspberry preserves

1. Plain Matzo – completely humble.

With no leavening, matzo contains nothing that can puff it up. I love that matzo reminds me of being humble. Nothing to puff me up. No ego to hide behind. No pretending.

Matzo. The stuff the Israelites grabbed and took with them on their journey from slavery to freedom. Going from the  constrained, dark and narrow place to… what? Happily ever after? Hardly. Lots of struggles. Lots of painful choices. Joy? Yes. Suffering? Yes. The stuff of life.

With each bite of matzo, we can remember that journey and acknowledge our own journey and embrace it. All of it. The faith and the hope that sees us through the darkness. And the vision of the potential that lies within. Always there for us to choose. Choosing life… so that we may live.

just can’t get enough

To read more about my personal journey, click here to About Me Page. Scroll down to the update of April, 2014.

And now I offer you 100 Matzoh Recipes, courtesy of Leite’s Culinaria. I thoroughly enjoyed it. As I said, I’m into lists.

Enjoy The Matzo Song –  sit back, relax, and click here.

*There are many comparisons of the virtues of plain matzo shmeared with unsalted butter and sprinkled with sugar vs. plain matzo shmeared with unsalted butter and sprinkled with salt. I discovered this one last year. Even though it was 12:25 am, I could not rest. I had to go into the bb test kitchen and pull out a piece of plain matzo, the whipped unsalted sweet butter and proceed to shmear. On went a sprinkle of salt on one half and a sprinkle of sugar on the other. The scale was definitely tipping to the butter and salt side. Maybe I didn’t sprinkle on enough sugar? Note to self: Must try this experiment again. Like Tuesday.

ahh, love this stuff –

then, now, and always

A sweet and joyous Pesach to you!

and

A beautiful Springtime too!