Gourmet & Kosher

There are many minhagim (customs) regarding Passover. Each branch (sect) of Judaism having their own special interpretations. Among Chassidim, and in our household, we do not eat Gebrokst (allow the matzoh to get wet) for the first 7 days of Passover. On the 8th day we allow the matzoh to be eaten freely with all foods and to be wetted and especially to make knaidlach and matzoh brei. We also take on many chumrahs (restrictions) such as eating only fruits and vegetables that can be peeled. Therefore virtually all spices are prohibited. In our sect, garlic is not used. You might think, that we are left with practically nothing to eat, since we take on the additional chumrah that we don’t use any processed foods, but make everything ourselves. The only processed foods we use are Salt, Sugar (boiled and filtered before Passover, and used in liquid form), Oil, Matzoh and Wine. In recent years, as the family has grown, we now buy potato starch, since we can’t produce enough of it just from slicing and soaking potatoes. (Here is a recipe for Potato Starch “Matzo” Balls)

In truth, I love Passover, because I think it is the healthiest 8 days of the year. No food colorings, no preservatives, no junk. I used to lecture on this subject to people first learning about Jewish Law, saying that if it reads “Kosher for Passover” we don’t use it. My point was, we make everything we can ourselves.

However, as a certified “pepperhead” I enjoy highly spiced foods, therefore I employ those foods that are easy to peel, yet impart strong flavors. Shallots find as prominent a place in my Passover kitchen as onions. I peel jalapeno peppers with ease, and make a very spicy condiment that can be used in a variety of ways. Frying the peppers with shallots in equal quantities will create a “chariff” that can be added to soup, sauces or used as a dip. I love habaneros, but have yet to find a way of peeling them easily. Their seeds however carry quite a heat, and I employ the seeds for my own tastes.

Last year I developed a tamarind sauce also as a dip for meat and poultry. It’s quite a job peeling and boiling down the tamarinds and separating the pits, etc (since we wouldn’t use tamarind paste) but I found it well worth the “patchkarei”. I love the taste of ginger which is quite easy to peel, slice, dice and grate using it to flavor soup and meats, and I added it to my tamarind sauce too.

For the “Chariff” it’s just too easy to make, and will vary according to your own taste. For starts you can use equal quantities of jalapeno (or any hot pepper you desire, if you’re not into “peeling”) and shallots, and fry them in oil, until browned and not yet burnt crispy. Salt to taste. If you want hotter, use the seeds, if you want it hotter yet, increase the ratio of pepper to shallots. You can use a hotter pepper or it’s seeds. This is not an exact “recipe” with quantities, it is an idea for you to play with. We make our own mayonnaise and mixing in some of this chariff makes another versatile flavoring.

One of the most refreshing delights at the end of the meal, is my wife’s Lemon Ices, which rivals the finest Italian Ices I’ve ever tasted. Also, extremely simple, but made from scratch, nothing manufactured.

I love Passover, and find it cleansing both spiritually and physically. For those of you who know me, you can only imagine what 8 days without chocolate can mean. And I still love Pesach.

To stuff or not to stuff? That’s the question when it comes to turkeys and I am definitely in the not to stuff camp. Turkeys are big birds and there’s always a concern that the stuffing will not get to a high enough temperature to kill any growing bacteria. It also increases the cooking time and can lead to drier meat because you have to cook the turkey longer if it’s stuffed.

But just because I prefer not to stuff a turkey does not mean we have to do without. Baking it in a baking dish eliminates the potential health risk and the risk of overcooking your bird. I know, I know. Cooking the stuffing outside of the bird doesn’t have quite the same flavour – it’s missing the turkey juices that it absorbs while cooking. We can achieve a very similar result by using turkey or chicken stock in the recipes.

I like to use farfel for Passover stuffings. If you use farfel and chicken or turkey stock, you can take the stuffing in many directions, adding different vegetables, fruits, herbs and spices. Mushroom, Leek and Swiss Chard Stuffing combines some of my favorite vegetables to make a delicious stuffing. If you like a stuffing full of vegetables and herbs, the Herbed Vegetable Stuffing is for you. And if you like fruit with your poultry, try the Sweet Potato and Fruit Farfel Stuffing. Finally, if you really like to cook the stuffing inside the bird, I suggest using Cornish hens instead of a turkey. Glazed Cornish Hens with Vegetable Stuffing is a great option – the stuffing and glaze are easy to prepare but will impress your friends and family.

The weather has been glorious in our neck of the woods for some time. However, today it officially became Spring. No More Winter! In celebration of the fact that spring is here, we bring you some of our favorite springtime recipes.

Spring Vegetable Ragout

Stir-Fried Chicken and Rice with Spring Vegetables

Spring Vegetable Risotto

Spring Pasta Primavera

Springtime Salad with Maple Vinaigrette

Spring Salad with Tarragon Vinaigrette

Dear Joy of Kosher readers,

On Passover, we strive to whip up the perfect hametz-free gourmet menu which a huge feat right after we survive meticulously scrubbing of every inch of our homes. With just a little bit of planning and imagination, we can save some energy to create our own unique Passover seder tablescapes which serves as an elegant backdrop for our delicious Passover meals.

I’ve learned SO much from all of the Jewish hostesses that share photos of their gorgeous party, holiday and Shabbat tables on my site, The Jewish Hostess, throughout the year. Each table setting is a fantastic reflection of each Jewish woman’s flair, imagination, and creativity. As we are all unique in our personality, and inspirations, I am proud to share with you eight of the fabulous seder table that were featured on The Jewish Hostess from Passover, 2011.

Enjoy and be inspired! Remember that the secret to a fabulous table is to LAYER, LAYER,and LAYER. Start with a simple cloth and keep on going! Chargers, linen napkins, dishes, and napkin rings don’t have to cost a fortune to be elegant. The extra splashes of color and texture always add the WOW factor to any table.

Begin planning and decide- do I want my seder table to be fun? elegant? colorful? Let your imagination run free and watch your guests faces light up as they enter the room!

Scroll down to pick and choose your favorite details, and plan your own special holiday table. I would love to see your table creations!

If you’d like to be featured on The Jewish Hostess, send your table setting pics to myphotos@thejewishhostess.com. Wishing all of my Jewish Hostesses a happy, easy, and healthy holiday!

Marlene Mamiye

1- A Passover Seder that Could Split the Sea- A DIY Seder table designed by two sisters Alexis and Sarah Mizrahi. They actually bought the fabric for the table runner in a turquoise color to represent the sea. They re-printed family hagadahs and covered them with leather, tassels and ribbon. Napkin rings were made out of turquoise fabric.

2- Claudia’s Personalized Seder Place Setting- Claudia bought inexpensive picture frames to make each guest feel at home. An orchid and decorative edible quail egg decorated each plate.

3- Marilyn H. used two long cloths-white with buttercup yellow, Matouk linens napkins and place mats. Her elegant home was the backdrop for this gorgeous seder.

4- April’s Down to Earth Cozy Seder- I love April’s authentic theme!

5- Sarah’s Seder table looks like a million, but most of her table accessories were purchased at Home Goods and Amazing Savings.

6- Claudia’s Bento Box individual seder plates- Inexpensive bento boxes give the guests a good smile, and make them feel right at home.

7- Bold Blood Red Color Infused Seder by Kim D.- Succulent red roses, napkins and plates, inspire our holiday theme to remind us of “Makat Dam”- the plague of blood filling the Nile River as a punishment to king Pharoh of Egypt for not allowing the Jewish slaves to leave Egypt in freedom. I love her place cards.

8- Victoria’s Smoke, Frog, Aseret Makot themed Seder table-

9- Last but not least- make your own modern seder plate creation- find out how Susan M. did it HERE.

For more Passover, Shabbat, and party table setting inspiration, check out The Jewish Hostess!

These are not your Bubbe’s matzah balls.

But they’re perfect.

It took me seven tries to get these right. I wanted a matzah ball that was not only light and fluffy, but also accented with great flavors and pretty to look at.

Now tell me those babies aren’t pretty!

I tried whole wheat matzah meal and regular matzah meal, various amounts of  seltzer, and other add-ins like fresh minced garlic and equally fresh lemon juice.   I refrigerated the batter (batter? mixture?) for 1 hour, 2 hours, and 3 hours. And on and on…

And finally, we ended up with a perfect pot of carrot dill matzah balls.

Although I’m content to eat matzah balls throughout the year (um, did you notice the noodles in my soup?), there’s no better time to serve them than Pesach.

And I’m pretty sure these Carrot Dill Matzah Balls are about to become my new favorite Pesach trick.

They only take a few extra minutes to make than the classic version, and before you know it, you’ve got the most impressive matzah balls on the block.

Let me know what bubbe thinks.

There is something really great that we can use for Passover. It is delicious, all natural and minimally processed. All Extra Virgin Olive Oil is kosher all year round and that includes Passover!! The savvy Passover shopper is buying great olive oil this year.

Olive oil is produced by grinding or crushing and extracting the oil. A green olive produces bitter oil and an overripe olive produces rancid oil. For great extra virgin olive oil it is essential to have olives that are perfectly ripened.

Purchasing olive oil and knowing how to use it can be confusing, but I am here to help.  Here is a summary of olive oils and their uses:

Virgin olive oil comes from virgin oil production only and has acidity less than 2 percent. This oil is best used for sauteing and for making vinaigrettes. It is generally not as expensive as the extra virgin olive oil but has a good taste. This oil does require hashgacha.

Pure olive oil. Oils so labeled are usually a blend of refined and virgin production oil. This oil is perfect for sautéing. It does not have a strong flavor and can be used for making aiolis and cooking. This oil does require hashgacha.

Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) comes from virgin oil production only and contains no more than 0.8 percent acidity. Extra Virgin olive oil accounts for less than 10 percent of oil in many oil producing countries. The superior fruity flavor makes this oil best used for vinaigrettes, drizzling on soups and pastas and dipping breads and vegetables. Extra virgin olive oil does not require hashgacha (even for Pesach) as it is cold pressed.  Extra virgin olive oil is the highest quality olive oil. It is typically more expensive than other olive oils. Extra virgin olive oil is generally not recommended for high heat cooking because of its low smoke point.  Every oil has its smoke point. A smoke point refers to the heat temperature at which the oil begins to break down and degrade. Oil that is above its smoke point not only has nutritional and flavor degradation but can also reach a flash point where combustion can occur. You can observe this when you have a very hot pan and hot oil and food are added to the pan and they produce a bluish and acrid smelling smoke or worse yet, catch fire.  Extra virgin olive oil has a long list of health benefits from reducing coronary artery disease, cholesterol regulation and possibly reducing risk of certain cancers. This makes the decision for using extra virgin olive oil a no-brainer.

The bigger decision is which EVOO to buy. Most of the world’s extra virgin olive oil comes from the Southern Mediterranean countries. I favor organic, unfiltered Spanish oil. I also like estate grown products as I know that a farmer fretted over the olives and the weather. Many mass-produced oils are made not from a single source or farm and the flavor can be uneven and harsh.

When cooking for Passover and for every meal, I recommend whole, natural ingredients. I never go to the dark side of cooking with products that are loaded with laboratory made ingredients and faux flavors or colors. For this holiday and everyday—let’s keep it real.

Beet Salad with Tangerine – Honey Vinaigrette

Citrus Salad with Baby Spinach and Pistachios

Extra Virgin Olive Oil Aioli

Artichoke Fritters

Whenever we approach “Maror” at the Passover Seder, I see my little cousins cringe at the prospect of having to eat the bitter herb to remind us of the bitter work the Egyptians forced on the enslaved Hebrews. The horseradish we consume can even bring tears to your eyes if you have too much. By the end of the two Seders, there is usually enough horseradish to last for 3 or 4 more Passovers or preserved to be used with gefilte fish for the whole year.  The sale of bottled horseradish began in the 1860′s, but there is nothing like making your own.  Here are 2 different methods for preserving.

Gefilte Fish Cakes with Horseradish Sauce

http://www.horseradish.org/history.html

When it came my turn to take over the family Seders I prepared the same dishes that my mother had always prepared, and her mother, my grandma, before her. But I’ve always been a tinkerer in the kitchen and like to tweak recipes and invent new ones and even serve them for holidays. An entirely new dinner would be unthinkable of course, but one or two dishes – side dish or salad or dessert – well, why not? If my family likes it we have it again sometime. If not, there’s plenty of other food to eat.

One year I decided to create a new, exciting and complex-tasting version of Haroset. We tasted a tidbit during the reading, as commanded, and everyone loved it so much they wanted more with their dinner. Unfortunately I had only made enough for the symbolic portions. But every Passover since then I make gobs of my spicy date-and-apricot Haroset to have with the dinner, like a relish or chutney.

With that success behind me I made up my mind to tackle the bitter greens. I thought — why just a nibble as a symbolic gesture? The Passover meal is always such a big, festive and filling one. Surely a salad, made with bitter greens would do well to lighten things up a bit and also reinforce our obligation to remember the bitter tears of slavery.

And so it has, for us. Bitter Greens Salad has become a most welcome treat for our family. I serve it after the entrée, to cleanse the palate and make us ever more ready for dessert a bit later.

Everyone in our family likes bitter greens, but they can be a little too astringent for people’s tastes. There is a solution: the whole salad needn’t be comprised of them if you don’t care for so much pungency. Take a tip from American chefs: soften the flavor somewhat by mixing bitter greens with a milder one. A handful of arugula and endive with Bibb lettuce or iceberg. Frisee or dandelion greens combined with Oakleaf lettuce. Today there’s so much fresh produce available we can use whatever bitter and mild greens we fancy.

Dressings for such a salad depend on which greens you use and on personal tastes of course. Use a standard vinaigrette dressing, an easy mix of olive or vegetable oil plus wine vinegar or lemon juice. Add chopped herbs to taste (dill, thyme, oregano, basil, rosemary and so on), to brighten things up. A bit of paprika for color. Maybe even a dollop or two of mayonnaise for enrichment or mashed avocado to give it a buttery taste and feel. Include a few tablespoonfuls of orange juice to sweeten the dressing somewhat. Of course there are wonderful dairy dressings too, when you need them.  Here are my favorites, Lemon Vinaigrette, Avocado Dressing, Mayonnaise Herb Vinaigrette or Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Here is more or less the bitter greens amount I include in my salad for about 10 people. Sometimes, depending on who’s coming to dinner I include the optional leaf lettuce. Occasionally I will also add shredded carrot or halved cherry tomatoes, just for color. Always dress a salad just 5-10 minutes before you serve them. If the greens and dressing sit together too long the salad will wilt and become soggy.

Happy Passover everyone!

Well, it’s been intense preparing for this holiday – but we have had so much bringing you all the Purim recipes and Seudah themes and ways to wrap your Mishloach Manot.

Here’s a round up of what we shared with you – bookmark this page to use again next year!

Seudah Menus:

Jamie Geller’s Cowboy and Cowgirl Themed Menu 

Sharon Lurie’s Purim Seudah

Shifrah Devorah and Zipporah Malka’s Mexican Seudah 

Posts:

My Most Memorable Purim, from Jamie Geller

Take Down the Carbs this Purim, from Nechama Cohen

Purim Treats Beyond Belief, from Allaya Fleischer

Healthy Mishloach Manot Ideas, from Tamar

Asian Themed Mishloach Manot, from Shifrah Devorah and Zipporah Malka

Purim Cake Pops, from Miriam Pascal

Ten Best Hamantash Recipes  

Not Just Hamantashen, from Tina Wasserman

Purim Gift Ideas – May the Force be With You, from Tamar

Mishloach Manot Ideas, from Pam Reiss

Peanut Butter and Jelly Hamantashen, from Melissa Kaye Apter

Secrets to a Healthy Purim, from Tamar

Non-Dairy Desserts, from Shoshana Ohriner

Purim Disguised Dishes – The Surprise is on the Inside, from Allison and Jeff Nathan

Homemade Muffins for Mishloach Manot, from Ronnie Fein

Purim Crafts:

Dress Up Yourselves and Your Table with These Easy Crafts 

Purim DIY Packaging Ideas 

Creative Mishloach Manot from Recycled Containers 

Purim Party Ideas for Fun and Whimsy 

A Pirate Purim Party 

Getting into the spirit of things:

Spirit Recommendations to Lift Your Spirits this Purim 

How to Make the Perfect Cocktail 

Purim Wine Recommendations 

Here are the Rabbi’s explanations about this great fun holiday:

What is Purim? 

Is Purim the Jewish Halloween? 

Why Do We Drink on Purim? 

What are Mishloach Manot? 

One of the many commentaries discussed at Purim is that nothing was as it seemed.  The miraculous salvation of the Jews was concealed under the guises of nature, luck and coincidence.  I’ve read that Esther wasn’t the prettiest contestant in front of King Achashveiros, that Queen Vashti’s banishment was excessive even for a drunk king, and that Mordechai’s timing was more than coincidental in order for him to overhear Haman’s plot against the Jews.

Each one of these events is remarkable by themselves, and yet, they all happened with such precise timing to enable the events of Purim to take place.  Did these occurrences happen by luck, by coincidence, by timing alone?  Some say no.  Instead, it is believed that these acts were all maneuvered by a higher force.  And yet at the time, all these instances were disguised as ordinary occurrences.

Figuring out a mystery or uncloaking a disguise is satisfying.  There’s a sense of completion as well as a level of excitement when this occurs.  It is the same in many of the foods we enjoy.  Rolled, wrapped or baked into delicacies, there are hidden ingredients we sometimes don’t expect.  There’s a table full of commonly known, but disguised foods that add a little mystery to our meals.

During Purim we roll, fill and bake hamantaschen.  Bite into a three cornered cookie and find either prune, chocolate, or apricot filling.  What’s it going to be?  Nobody knows!  And hamantaschen isn’t the only treat that has a surprise for us.  Every culture has its own camouflaged foods…

• South of the border, a Mexican favorite is the quintessential Quesadilla, which can be filled with cheese, olives, tomatoes and spicy hot jalapeno peppers.  Or perhaps they’ll be filled with pulled chicken, sweet bell peppers and caramelized onions.  Another non-dairy version is to fill them with slow roasted beef and a chimichurri cilantro sauce.
• The best Italian pizzerias serve up Strombolis and Calzones…these treasured entrees are made up of basic pizza dough, with an assortment of possibilities steaming within.  A variety of cheeses, spinach, basil, tomatoes, olives….
• The name “Chicken Pot Pie” might not leave us guessing at the meat ingredient, but everything else that is combined to make this one dish meal extraordinary will vary with your imagination and the contents of your fridge!  Traditionally peas, carrots, string beans and broccoli are added to the chunks of chicken or turkey along with a velvety herb sauce.  Baked in a tightly sealed double pie crust, this American meal looks like dessert, but it’s served as the main course.
• Chinese cooking offers us the crisp fried eggroll, filled with roasted meat and shredded vegetables.  At Abigael’s our eggroll is filled with house-smoked brisket and served with a barbecue drizzle.
• Jewish cooking has its own disguised food, as well.  My grandmother filled her Kreplach with ground beef and fried onions.  At home we do a version with sweet potatoes and herbs.  We also make them with chicken, ginger and water chestnuts.
• A big-seller at our catering events is Moroccan Filo Cigars.  Yup, they look like miniature cigars and they are delicious!  Finely chopped ground beef, spiced with curry, cumin and cilantro, all rolled within a thin layer of filo dough.
• One of my favorite hors d’oeuvres are Beggar’s Purses.  A light and airy crepe filled with something incredible and mysterious…and tied with a scallion ribbon, mimicking the look of an over the shoulder hobo’s bag.  Some argue that they’re called Beggar’s Purses because they taste so good, you’ll be begging for more.  I agree, especially when filled with wild mushrooms and fresh herbs.  For Esther’s version with smoked salmon and crème fraiche, check out this great recipe!

The exciting thing about a disguised food is that the filling can always change whether it’s to play up the fresh produce of the season, to observe a holiday tradition or just to play around in the kitchen!  You almost know what to expect, but with that first bite…not only is there “Mmmmm”, there’s also “Ahhhhh”!

Yes, I was a bit confused to learn that there is a recipe called Amalek Kugel. Amalek? Isn’t his evil tribe our greatest historical enemy? Wasn’t the wicked Haman his grandson? Aren’t Hitler, the Hamas terrorists, the Hizbollah, Ahamdinjead said to be his descendents?

Naming a kugel after him sounded about as strange as naming an ice cream flavor after Hitler, except that it isn’t.

Amalek’s Kugel is an acronym for four kugels which together form the word Amalek:

A for apple or epel (the ayin)

M for flour, or mehl (the mem)

L for lukshen or noodles (the lamed)

K for kartofel or potatoes (the kuf).

In Europe and in other places Hassidim serve these four kugels on the Shabbat when Parshat Zachor is read and then they eat them thereby symbolically annihilating Amalek by eating him all up.

I am giving you all four recipes right on time for Parshat Zachor which is read in shul tomorrow.

And if the idea of eating all that kugel sounds like a way of inviting a nuclear reaction inside of you here’s a liquid version, in the Purim spirit.

A– amaretto or if you’re sober apple juice

M– Michellob, Mead or Merlot or a malted milk

L– Liqueur of any kind or Latte

K– Kola with or without rum.

Enjoy.

Truth be told, generally, when I think of Mishloach Manot, I always think hamantashen. I mean, they’re the best known Purim treat, once you get set up, it’s easy to produce a lot and they’re great for packing up and transporting. But there’s no law that says that hamantashen must be included.

You do need to include at least two different items, so if you feel you must include hamantashen, that’s OK, but here are a few suggestions for other treats. Include one of these with your hamantashen or skip the hamantashen this year and just send these!

Chocolate truffles are quick and easy to make – this version uses bittersweet chocolate and Sabra (or other) liqueur, so they’re really geared for adults. In keeping with the traditions of eating seeds and nuts, specifically poppy seeds, try making Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies or Poppy Seed Snaps. Not only are they full of poppy seeds but you can also shape them as triangles so they still evoke the image of Haman’s hat/ears. Finally, Caramel Corn is fun for everybody! It’s also easy to make and if you want to make it a project, have the kids decorate paper bags for packaging it.

It’s that time of year, our sleeves are rolled up, the dough is rolled out, and we are making dozens of hamantaschen for inclusion in our Mishloach Manot.

Here are some wonderful suggestions for you for this year – from the classic to the decadent chocolate filled, you will find a hamantasch for everyone.

I’ve totally jumped on the bandwagon. I am a huge fan of putting treats on sticks. I’m pretty sure that any treat, no matter how delicious, fun, cute or enticing can be made infinitely more exciting (at least in a child’s eyes!) when placed on a stick.

It’s not just me. Everywhere you go, everyone is making and serving cake pops. This trend is great all year long, but there is no better time on the Jewish calendar for fun treats like a cake pop than Purim, a day when treats are plentiful and fun is the order of the day. Want to be the coolest mom on the block? Make some purim themed cake pops with your kids, and then give them the amazing satisfaction of distributing them to friends in Mishloach Manot.

Many people who have never made cake pops before are very hesitant to try them. They look hard, but if you follow the directions, you can achieve amazing results.

I’m sharing two types of cake pops today. Both are Purim themed, but they utilize very different decorating methods. My Hamantashen Cake Pops are mostly decorated by shaping the cake pop “dough” into a specific shape. (In this case, a triangle.) The other decorating method is to attach various candies and other edible trimmings to your cake pops to create a specific look. I use this method in my Clown Cake Pops, which start with basic circles and use all kinds of candy shapes to turn them into clowns.

I’ve also included two filling recipes. My Clown Cake Pops use a traditional cake pop filling, and my Hamantashen Cake Pops use an Oreo truffle filling. Feel free to mix and match the filling, or to make one filling and turn half into clowns and half into Hamantashen.

Some general cake pop pointers: (For specific directions for either cake pop, clink the link above.)

-The contrast between the cold of the chilled cake pop and the heat of the melted candy coating may cause your cake pops to crack. If your cake pops are cracking, leave your uncoated pops at room temperature for a while to decrease the contrast.

-The best remedy for cracked cake pops is to re-dip completely before decorating. -I found that cake pops looked much better when dipped twice. It may be an issue with the brand of candy melts I used, but if you find that the filling shows through, dip the pops again for a smoother look.

-You may have an oily substance leak out of your coated cake pops. Don’t panic! Wipe it off and ignore it; it won’t show on the finished product.

-Make sure to dip the pop fully into the candy coating. If there is a gap between the candy coating and the stick, the stick will become unstable when the cake pop is at room temperature.

-If you make these cake pops, I’d love to see! Please upload pictures to my Facebook page here. Most importantly, remember to have fun! Think of this as arts and crafts you can eat!

For more desserts on a stick check out these Vegan Pie Pops.

Purim for me elicits many colorful and joyful memories, but none as strong as the faces of happy children with their mishloach manot, “goodie” baskets traditionally given to friends and family for this holiday. In the Sephardic tradition, the delivery of mishloach manot by children parallels a custom in Chinese culture for Chinese new year; upon receiving their baskets, the recipients shower the lucky curriers with coins!

Depending on your family customs, Purim baskets may contain any number of different things. Halakha dictates that the items given must be portable, and that the package must contain two different types of food. Fruits and nuts are popular items, of course, but, these days, anything goes! Depending on your tradition (or your predisposition for culinary adventures), these mishloach manot can span the spectrum of simple to gourmet, and everything in between. An Ashkenazi must-have is Hamantaschen, filled, triangular cookies, while Sephardim enjoy baklava, Orejas de Haman, and even burekas. While it’s best to fill your baskets with your tried and true family favorites, it’s always fun to add a little zest of something new. Why not give some of these festive, non-traditional items a try?

Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

Amazing Technicolor Dream Cakes

Sweet and Savory Honey Goat Cheese Apple Turnovers