The NY International Gift Fair at the Jacob Javits Convention Center

It’s my favorite time of year!  The  New York International Gift Fair and the Philadelphia Buyer’s Market of American Craft back-to-back!  This Sunday, January 28, 2012, I will be making my bi-annual trip to the NYIGF at the humongous (but not big enough at 625,000 sf- they’re looking to expand) Jacob Javits Convention Center in Manhattan.

It was at this show, 5 years ago, that Jewish Gift Place really crystallized.  Prior to attending this show, I really didn’t have much of a clue how to connect with people who made and sold Judaica.  After many Google searches, I hooked up with one vendor who made jewelry and Judaica that I liked, but I found it really difficult to find products to sell that I loved.  I didn’t even know that gift fairs even existed for buyers only.  Somehow, I found out about the NY International Gift Fair.  Coincidentally, I discovered the NYIGF the week it was in town in January 2007.  It all seemed very rushed to me.  I found out about it, it was in town for another few days, then it wouldn’t be back again until August.  I didn’t think I was at the point in developing my website and business to run out and start buying products to sell, but my husband said, “GO!”  So I went.  And I was awed.

Besides never being in such a massive space as Jacob Javits before, and never being at a convention before, I had never seen so many high quality craftspeople in one space.  Prior to this trip, I had been to many arts & crafts fairs with maybe 50 vendors.  I’m just guessing, but I think there were over 800 handmade crafts vendors, and that’s not including all the other gift categories that were going on at the same time.  Maybe in total there are 3000+ vendors  – probably even more.

The first time there was overwhelming.  This show attracts buyers from all over the  world. People stay in hotels when they come here because it can take days to get through the show.  But with 3 little boys at home, I had to cover a lot of territory in one day.

After seeing hundreds of vendors (although there were probably less than 50 that sold Judaica), I finally made my first big bold decision and the very first vendor I bought from was Gary Rosenthal.  I picked out candlesticks and a menorah and a few mezuzahs.  I bought pieces from Michal Golan and Michael Bromberg.  I bought pieces from Cynthia Gale.  These artists formed the core of what Jewish Gift Place has come to represent – beautiful, unique, handmade Judaica.

I didn’t know that day that I was going to sell handmade pieces only.  I did buy some other pieces, like pot holders that look like matzah, and some other things like that.  I never tried to sell those pot holders because I quickly decided that I didn’t want to sell cheesy Judaica – just fine, handmade, quality Judaica.

So, there you have my sentimental journey back in time.  I haven’t missed a gift show since 2007. This will be my 11th trip there.  It’s awesome and I love this show!  This is where I get to say ‘hello’ to the artists again, and get a big nice greeting from Gary Rosenthal, Steven Bronstein of Blackthorne Forge, and Michael Golan (Michal’s husband), and Emily Rosenfeld, Joy Stember, Michael Bromberg, the glamorous Cynthia Gale, the one and only Eduardo Milieris, Patrick Meyer, Ilan Baskin, Susan Fullenbaum, Jan Lanier of Silk Bijoux, Beatriz Kelemen of K4 Glassart, and Sara Beames.  I get to check out the new pieces they’ve made and I get to discover new artists, which is always exciting.

At the last Javits show I was at in August 2011, I thought it would be fun to take a very short video of each artist saying, “Hello” so you could ‘meet’ them.  Check it out!  Also, don’t miss the interviews with the artists.

Check back next week and I’ll tell you about the show and the new pieces of Judaica that you can expect to see on the website in the next few months.  And then, before I know it, I’ll be off to the Philadelphia Buyer’s Market of American Craft on February 18, 2012.  What I especially love about that show is that, unlike NYIGF, EVERYTHING there is handmade.  That show is unbelievable!

The Dovekeepers

Through detailed description, Alice Hoffman wrote about the months and years of routine daily life at Masada – weaving, baking, making coins, planting, babies being born, and holidays being celebrated – which stood in stark contrast to the fear, desperation, and suffering of the people on Masada.

The only account of Masada was recorded by the early Roman-Jewish historian, Josephus.  After the fall of Jerusalem in the first century CE, 960 Jews fled to Masada, a mountain fortress built by King Herod between 37 and 31 BCE as a refuge for himself.  This magnificent fortress had storage rooms, cisterns, bathhouses, aqueducts, and spectacular mosaics lining the floors and walls of his palace.

For two years, the Jews held out on Masada.  In 73 CE, with Masada being the last Jewish stronghold, Roman governor Flavius Silva and thousands of Roman soldiers with the Tenth Legion, along with thousands of Jewish prisoners of war who were tortured and forced to bring destruction to their own people, formed a seige of Masada.  A wall was built around Masada, and then a ramp was built to reach the fortress.  A battering ram broke down the walls surrounding the fortress, but the Romans were met with a hollow victory.

On the day prior to the breach of the wall, the leader of the Jewish stronghold of Masada, Eleazar ben Ya’ir (the soulmate of Shirah in the novel), declared that his people would not be taken as slaves – beaten and killed by the Romans.  All personal belongings, food, treasures, and remains, were burnt to leave nothing behind. Ten of the Jewish warriors were chosen to end the lives of all on Masada in a mass suicide.  The ten warriors drew lots to choose who among them would kill the rest, with the last warrior killing himself.

According to Josephus, two women and five children survived, and it is they who told the story of Masada -  the story of the Jewish people who were determined to be free in their own land.

Below is an excerpt from Alice Hoffman’s novel, which brings history to life:

The second wall had been breached.  That rough edifice we had built until our hands were ravaged and bleeding, until there was no longer a single tree standing in the field, had cracked under their battering ram, the dirt spilling out, the pliant limbs of the almond trees splitting, turning to dust.  Our people had done all they could to fight the tide of what was to come, the soldiers that would climb through, the bloodshed and the torture and the murder on the day of our greatest feast.  Eleazar came into the plaza.  We were brought there by the sound of the ram’s horn, used to call us to prayer…

“We resolved not to follow the Romans and to follow God alone.  Now the time has come for us to prove our faith.  We cannot disgrace ourselves in the eyes of our Lord, or submit to slavery.  If we fall into Roman hands, it is the end of everything, not only our lives but the life of Zion.  We had the privilege to be the last stronghold, and as God has favored us so, let us return the favor and die nobly as free men…

By daybreak, our enemy will be upon us, and we can hold them back no longer, but we are free to choose to die with honor, in the arms of those we love.  We cannot defeat the Romans in battle here on this earth, but we can deny them a victory…

Let our story bear witness that we perished out of choice, a choice we made at the beginning, to choose death rather than slavery.”

You will be absolutely riveted by this book.  My trip to Israel this summer, with a day trip to Masada of course, will be even more powerful, after reading this book.  I was given The Dovekeepers by Lana right around the holidays.   I can’t remember the last time I read a novel.  It might be before Joshua was born.  That might have been the last time I thought I had time to read a book purely for pleasure.  Maybe I thought I didn’t have the time but somehow I found the time to finish this 500 page book in less than 2 weeks – when the boys were getting a haircut, waiting for a prescription to be filled, during Joshua’s Bar Mitzvah lessons on Tuesdays, waiting for a doctor, before bed, and lots of times and places that I didn’t think I had time.

Now I’m hooked on reading again.  I’m about 2/3 of the way through The Help by Kathryn Stockett, another amazing book that I’ll write about another time.

If you’ve read The Dovekeepers, let me know what you think.

Caroline Manzo, matriarch of the Manzo family, was also wearing an evil eye necklace tonight — thought it was a much simpler, disc-shaped piece. Melissa’s necklace is a showstopper, with a unique beaded and faceted multi-strand chain and gorgeous crystals that shimmer in the light. We are seeing the evil eye everywhere lately and it can’t hurt to have more than one design! Melissa’s evil eye necklace comes in several different colors and finishes. Check out our entire evil eye jewelry collection!

With the release of Melissa’s new song, “On Display“, which hit the airwaves this week, Melissa Gorga is becoming more and more popular and a real style icon. We are proud to carry this gorgeous necklace!

I know that Jenn is going to be an awesome mom because she is the most AWESOME aunt!  And now that I just finished reading the book, “Savvy Auntie” by Melanie Notkin, who owns www.SavvyAuntie.com, I realize that Jenn has been a “Savvy Auntie” all along.  She first became an aunt 12 years ago when my nephew, Sky, was born, and then 3 weeks later, my son, Joshua, was born.  She is now the proud aunt of 9 nieces and nephews. She was always a natural at it – the kids absolutely LOVE her! She does the most fun activities with them, like planting flowers and horseback riding,  she gets them the most awesome Hanukkah and birthday gifts, and when the boys are at her house, she shows them the BEST time.  She also knows how to keep them in line, too.

Last month, when she was 8 months pregnant, I thought it might be the last chance for Mike and I to get away for a night and leave the boys with her (I had mercy and only left her 2 out of 3).  She was big and tired all the time so I rented 3 movies and told her to just let the boys watch movies and play video games all day and night and that she shouldn’t leave the house at all.  NOT JENN!!  In all her exhaustion and hugeness, she took the boys to Coney Island for the day where the boys had a BLAST!

Jenn is the epitome of a Savvy Auntie, but if  you’re an aunt, or friend, or mom like me who can use a refresher on little babies, then I highly recommend reading Melanie’s book.  Melanie covers what babies, toddlers, and kids are like, what they like to eat, what toys are appropriate, and what games they like to play, and much, much more.  It’s like the ultimate resource for anything there is to know about the behavior of kids and how to be prepared for them.  And how to be the coolest Aunt ever!

One of the topics Melanie covered in her book are religious rituals and observances that may surround a child’s birth, specifically a bris for a Jewish boy, a simchat bat for a Jewish girl, and a baptism for Christian child.  Since I’m all excited about becoming an aunt again (I now have 10 nieces and nephews!), I’ve been looking through our Jewish baby gift collection for something special for Sophia.  I thought I’d share with you my favorite Jewish baby gifts.

“With Each Child the World Begins Anew”

Gary Rosenthal, a wonderful artist and philanthropist, makes two of my favorite Jewish baby gifts.  He makes a tzedekah box in pink and blue, and a mezuzah in pink and blue, that says, “With each child the world begins anew,” in Hebrew and English.  I love that profound saying.  What makes his pieces even more special is that they can be personalized with the baby’s name printed in gold lettering on the fused glass.

I LOVE Studio Roja’s Noah’s Ark Mezuzah with the beautifully detailed pictures of the animals on the ark.  This is a very popular children’s gift.

Also very popular, and not just for Hanukkah, is Naturally Wood Creation’s personalized name menorah.  You can even put two rows of words to include the baby’s birth date, if you want.   I just filled an order for two of these menorahs for twins with beautiful names, Luca and Mia.

Congrats Jenn and Rich!  You are blessed.

]]> http://www.jewishgiftplace.com/blog/my-sister-jenn-the-ultimate-savvy-auntie-becomes-a-mom-great-jewish-baby-gift-ideas/feed/ 0 http://www.jewishgiftplace.com/blog/arnold-k-1920-2010-holocaust-survivor/ http://www.jewishgiftplace.com/blog/arnold-k-1920-2010-holocaust-survivor/#comments Tue, 03 May 2011 18:35:23 +0000 Risa http://www.jewishgiftplace.com/blog/?p=784 With Yom Hashoah this past Sunday, May 1, 2011, I wanted to pay tribute to my husband’s uncle who died in November, 2010, at the age of 90.  Arnold was a Holocaust survivor.  He participated in the Warsaw Ghetto uprising and was imprisoned at three concentration camps – Madjanek, Auschwitz, and he was liberated from Buchenwald.  His brother, George, survived, but he lost his parents and sister.  The number 128103 was tattooed on his left arm by the Nazis.

On Sunday, my family attended the Yom Hashoah program at my synagogue, Temple Beth Sholom, in Roslyn, NY.  It was a beautiful program.  On a big screen, there was a scrolling list of  the names of family members of synagogue members who were killed in the Holocaust.  It was haunting.  It had the name of the person, the relation to the synagogue member, the age, and where the person was killed.

In the program handed out, were the words of Elie Weisel, spoken at the dedication of the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C.

Never shall I forget that night, the first night in camp, which has turned my life into one long night, seven times cursed and seven times sealed.  Never shall I forget that smoke.  Never shall I forget the little faces of the children, whose bodies I saw turned into wreaths of smoke beneath a silent blue sky.

Never shall I forget those flames which consumed my faith forever.

Never shall I forget that nocturnal silence which deprived me for all eternity of the desire to live.  Never shall I forget those moments which murdered my God and my soul and turned my dreams to dust.  Never shall I forget these things, even if I am condemned to live as long as God himself. Never.

In the last week, details of her burial have emerged. There was the humorous note how Taylor made arrangements to be late for her own memorial service. A poke at her own record for lateness, perhaps, but the gal still knew how to make a grand entrance!  Another detail found was the near forgotten fact that Taylor was Jewish. She had converted to Judaism in 1959.

At Jewish Gift Place, we take a moment to remember Taylor and her path to Judaism, as well as discuss other notable stars that also made the choice to convert to Judaism.  Read more at  Elizabeth Taylor, Her Conversion to Judaism and her Devotion to Israel.

Growing up on the Lower East Side as a teenager, I worked at Moishe’s Bakery on Second Avenue in New York City.  Those of you who know the area, know that Moishe’s makes some killer hamentashen! Unfortunately, I haven’t had one in a while. That’s why, when I saw our Facebook friend, Shana Gluck, had posted a picture of her beautiful homemade hamentashen, I had to ask her to write about them! Shana made her hamentashen with her adorable children (pictured below) as a way of passing on the importance of Jewish traditions and making special memories with them that will last a lifetime! Thank you, Shana, for taking the time to share this with us at Jewish Gift Place!

Shana’s Mom’s Purim Hamentashen

As a young girl Purim for me would mean one of a the few times that my mom would let us kids in the kitchen. She loves to cook but didn’t love us kids meddling around in her kitchen. It was a huge treat for us that she “let” us rule the kitchen to bake hamantashen for Purim. Baking with my children brings back those wonderful memories that I have as a child with my amazing #1 Mom. May she live and be well.

Here is a fabulous recipe from my Mom

2/3 C. Margarine
1/2 C. Sugar
1 egg
3 T. Water
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 C. Flour
Choice of filling:
Prune
Apricot jam
Raspberry or strawberry jam, chocolate spread or chips–my favorite!

Blend margarine and sugar. Add the rest of ingredients and mix to make a nice dough. Chill in refrigerator for 2 hours. Preheat oven to 350′. Roll out dough to 1/8′ thick take a glass to cut circles in the dough. Put whatever filling you would like in the center. Pinch the corners to form a triangle. Put on parchment lined paper. Bake for 20 minutes. Enjoy them fresh out of the oven ! Keep fresh in air tight container!!

Background…I’ve been working for the owner of Jewish Gift Place, Risa Borsykowsky, for several years now and I am always inspired by her! One day we were talking about being a nice person. She said that it was very important to her to be a nice person and that she hoped that, if nothing else, her three young sons would grow up to be nice people. She said that she always told them, it doesn’t matter if you are rich or powerful, it is more important to be a good, nice person. I was very struck by this and thought, wow, what a special person!

On To Andy…What does this have to do with Andy Cohen you might ask? Each week I watch Andy Cohen’s show, Watch What Happens Live. The host of the show is…Andy Cohen! I love Andy -  he is such a sweetheart! With a positive and lively disposition and an enormous grin on his face, he just exudes a good aura. He surrounds himself on his set with all these kitschy and kooky artifacts ranging from a statue of Scooby Doo cartoon legend, Shaggy, to a framed picture of Real Housewife, Lisa Vanderpump’s dog, Jiggy, wearing a bedazzled top hat. (I’m pretty sure that photo is from when Andy decided to perform a wedding between Jiggy and Real Housewives of New Jersey, Dina Manzo’s, cat, Grandma Wrinkles.) Andy is adorably offbeat.

Andy’s relaxed talk show has guests which range from mega-celebrities like comedian, Jerry Seinfeld, to people like Ben Weiner, a 13-year old Real Housewives superfan from the Upper East Side who was planning his Bar Mitzvah! (Andy ran contests on the show where his guests played games to raise money for Ben Weiner’s Bar Mitzvah gift.) You never know what to expect on the show, but, you can expect to laugh. This clip from an episode with Jerry Seinfeld is hilarious as Jerry calls out Andy’s show as a “Jewish curse.”

I also love Andy Cohen’s Mazel of the Week! I look forward to it regularly. Each week he picks one topic or person that he feels deserves his mazel. As he explains in this interview with the JewishExponent.com, “I wanted to do something, say something, on the show for when somebody does something nice.”

Andy comes across on the show as somewhat naughty, but, still, someone who places a high value on being a nice person. At Jewish Gift Place we also value the importance of being nice! So, Andy Cohen, I’d like to award you with our very first (and probably only!) Jewish Gift Place Mazel of the Week!  And, Andy, if you contact me at lana at jewishgiftplace.com, I’ll give you a special handmade Jewish mazel gift as an award (after you pick me up off the floor!)

In this episode, Tamra Barney had a house party where she was selling Evil Eye apparel and it was certainly a hit with the ladies! Then, in true Real Housewives fashion, the evil eye was brought to center stage when Gretchen Rossi stated that she could use the evil eye to protect herself from her host, Tamra! That didn’t go over well! A fight, with name calling, ensued! Lots of fun for the fans!

What is the Evil Eye?

The term evil eye refers to a power that some are said to possess that can inflict injury or bad luck on others. This harm is said to be directed by an envious look or a look of ill-will. The evil eye symbol on evil eye jewelry is said to protect the wearer from this form of negative energy.

The Jewish Evil Eye

The symbolism of the evil eye is found in many faiths and many cultures. The Jewish evil eye has a strong history. Dating back to Talmudic times, Jews have been wearing charms around their neck to guard from the Evil Eye. In some cases, the evil eye is defined as envy. In traditional Judaism, the one who casts an evil eye may not actually be at fault, but may suffer from an extra level of envy that only God may recognize. It has also been suggested that belief in the evil eye may be alluded to in Moses’ 10th Commandment, which states, “You shall not covet anything that is your neighbor’s…[his] house, field, manservant, maidservant, his ox, ass, or anything [else]…”

Evil Eye Jewelry

Jewish Gift Place is proud to carry a stunning line of evil eye jewelry. Our Michal Golan evil eye bracelets are hot! Reasonably priced at $45.00, they make the perfect gift for yourself or those you want to protect! If you plan on taking a trip to the OC in the near future, I’d recommend one!!

Check out a video of one of our evil eye bracelets below!

Gluten-Free Passover Recipes For Celiacs: A Cause For Celebration!

My niece, Rachel, has celiac disease, which is an intolerance to anything containing glutens, a protein found in barley, oats, wheat or rye. (You can read about her Bat Mitzvah on the blog ~ remember her gorgeous gluten-free cake?) Because the basic rule for Passover is no leavened foods, the holiday is actually fantastic for those with celiac disease. Many, though not all, Passover foods are gluten free, with potato flour and nut flours used in place of the usual wheat flours. At Passover, supermarkets and bakeries have a much wider selection of celiac friendly foods than usual. This can be a good time to stock up on gluten- free cakes and mixes, cookies, macaroons, “bread” crumbs, and supplies like potato starch. Look for food labels indicating “Kosher For Passover”, “non-gebrok” (or “non-gebroktz” or “non-grebrochts”) — this means that the foods do not contain grains and, therefore, have no gluten containing ingredients.

My sister, Sandy, (Rachel’s mom), was kind of enough to refer me to this recipe on the Living Without magazine website. She has made these gluten free (and dairy free!) mock matzos and she tells me they are definitely worth a try! (With this and all recipes mentioned in this blog post, make sure your ingredients are Kosher!)

Gluten Free Mock Matzos

⅔ cup potato starch
⅔ cup almond meal or brown rice flour
2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup butter, margarine or vegetable
shortening*
6 tablespoons warm water

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Combine the dry ingredients. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse meal.
3. Add water, a little bit at a time, combining until dough forms a ball. (Add additional 1 to 2 tablespoons water if using brown rice flour.) Knead well. If dough is sticky, sprinkle with a little more potato starch while kneading.
4. Break off small pieces and place on a sheet of lightly oiled plastic wrap or parchment paper. Press with your fingers or roll until flat and thin. Prick rows of holes in each matzo with a fork.
5. Place matzo on prepared cookie sheet and bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Thinner matzo can over-bake quickly so keep an eye on it.

Vegetarian Passover Recipes ~ Is Your Passover A Festival of Meats?

With all the restrictions around Passover regarding eating any bread, cake, muffins, etc., many people turn Passover into a festival of meats and this can be a little tricky for those who are entertaining a vegetarian – someone who does not consume animal flesh. There are so many wonderful vegetarian entrees that would be great for Passover – ones that focus on eggplant or squash come to mind. The recipe I would like to share is one that is inspired by my personal favorite chef, Nigella Lawson, and happens to be gluten-free as well!  The recipe is called Eggplant Involtini with Feta. Translated from Italian, the word ‘involtini’ means “wrapped around something else” and this dish wraps eggplant around a delicious cheese filling. It is great as a Passover leftover the next day too!

Eggplant Involtini with Feta

2-3 large eggplants, cut lengthwise in thin slices
3 cups (about 1 jar) tomato sauce
2 cups crumbled feta cheese plus extra for topping
1 cup grated parmesan plus extra for topping
1/2 cup walnuts, finely chopped
1/2 cup raisins, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes (optional)
1/2 cup black or kalamata olives, sliced
4 tbsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed or finely chopped
zest from 1 lemon
a good pinch of dried mint
2 Tbsp parsley
1 egg

Brush the eggplant slices on both sides with olive oil and grill or roast them in a 400-degree oven until soft, about 10 minutes per side.

Mix all filling ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine. Put about a tablespoon of filling on each eggplant slice and roll it up firmly. Use a toothpick to hold in place, or just ensure that the edge is tucked underneath the roll to prevent it from coming undone.

Layer the slices in a 9×13 dish, and cover with tomato sauce. Top with any remaining filling, or extra cheese if you have. Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes. The involtini should be served warm.

Dairy-Free Passover Recipes

My niece, Amy, just had her first baby, Avery, and Amy has adopted a dairy-free diet due to Avery’s issues with dairy being passed through the breast-milk.

Amy’s friend told her about this delicious dairy-free (and gluten-free!) recipe for a  flourless chocolate cake she traditionally serves at Passover. Amy decided to try it out and posted about it on her blog, On Three. Take a look, it’s a beautiful presentation! Thanks Amy!

Flourless Chocolate Cake

1 stick Earth Balance butter replacer (100% vegan, gluten free and certified Kosher)
6 oz unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped (Kosher)
3 oz semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (Kosher)
1/4 cup water
1 cup egg whites (appx 5-7 eggs) and their yolks
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided

Bake cake for 1 hour at 350 degrees in a 9 inch springform, using a bain marie with water about halfway up (this basically means that you put your cake pan in a larger baking pan – like the kind you’d use to roast a turkey – filled with hot water. It’s supposed to distribute the heat better during baking).

Method:
1) Spray your pan and dust it with cocoa and preheat the oven to 350.

2) Pour water and 1 cup of sugar in heavy saucepan, bring to a boil. If you have a candy thermometer, it should get to about 220 degrees. If not, just let it boil and give it a mix until it’s pretty clear.

3) Remove pan from heat and stir in chocolate. When it is combined, start to add butter, 1 tbsp at a time, stir until combined.  Set aside.

4) Beat egg whites, then add their yolks and 1/4 cup of sugar, beat on high until tripled in volume.

5) Turn to low and continue to beat. Add chocolate mixture (which will be a little cool by now). Don’t overbeat.

6) Pour into springform pan, place into larger baking pan, surrounded halfway up with boiling water. Bake for one hour at 350. Top of cake should be firm to back of spoon, toothpick should come out clean. Cool completely on a rack.

7) Coat cake top with chocolate ganache (see recipe below) or dust top with powdered sugar, decorate with raspberries or any fruit you choose!

Chocolate Ganache Icing:

4 oz semisweet chocolate (Kosher)
3 tbsp Earth Balance butter replacer
1 tbsp milk (I used soymilk)
1 tbsp honey
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Method:
Melt chocolate and butter in a medium saucepan over medium low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and add milk, honey, and vanilla. Set aside to cool slightly.

When cake has cooled, pour glaze into center. Using a spatula, gently smooth the glaze along the top and sides of the cake. Chill cake, uncovered, for 30 to 60 minutes before serving to set the glaze and make cake easier to slice.

Vegan Passover Recipes ~ Vegetarian Plus A Whole Lot Less!

Vegan foods are those that do not contain animal products. While vegetarians choose not to eat flesh foods, vegans also avoid dairy and eggs. So basically, vegans are vegetarians who take it to a whole other level!

On Passover, there are certain requisite dishes that might leave a vegan feeling left out. One of these is definitely matzo ball soup! After a lot of research, I found a recipe for vegan matzo ball soup that is highly praised online and, they say, comes closest to tasting like real matzo ball soup! Here is the recipe reprinted exactly from the site:

Vegan Matzo Ball Soup

Start with a box of Streits’ or Manischewitz matzo ball mix. For eggs – use egg replacer powder. The matzo ball box comes with two envelopes. For each envelope they ask for 2 eggs however this needs to be tripled….the equivalent egg replacer for 6 eggs per individual package. Whisk the mixture. Add the oil as directed. (do not increase amt. ) Whisk again. Then add the contents of one envelope of matzo ball mix. If the batter seems to be a bit loose, add 1-2 tablespoons of matzo meal. Combine well. Leave the bowl in the fridge for about 15 minutes. Remove – roll into 12-15 balls. Reduce your large pot of boiling water to a simmer. Gently place balls in water and cover tightly. (there must be no rolling boil). Remove with a slotted spoon and let cool. Refrigerate. Reheat in the soup.

The author recommends using vegan chicken soup powder that can be found at Whole Foods or similar stores.

So Much To Know About Passover For Those With Dietary Restrictions!

Of course this little blog post is not comprehensive since many people who are making a Passover Seder are also dealing with other restrictions, such as wheat, lactose, caseine, corn, soy, nuts ~ the list goes on! We can all learn so much by speaking to our doctors or a nutritionist, doing some online research, and, most importantly, by reading food labels! Learn what it means to be Kosher for Passover and how many of these foods may fall in line with a dietary restriction you are dealing with. I suggest a visit to OurKosher.org. It is an amazing resource of information on the meaning of the Kosher certification, as well as its distinction from those foods that are certified as Kosher for Passover. For example, did you know that as an added bonus for people with multiple restrictions, most Kosher for Passover products contain no corn or soy products either? Great to know!

This Passover, you can be prepared in case you are entertaining a loved one who has a restricted diet. Try one or two of these delicious Passover recipes and, just to make it extra special, set a beautiful table or bring a lovely hostess gift! Perhaps you can showcase your traditional Passover foods on a gorgeous Tamara Baskin Seder Plate. Or, fill these gorgeous goblets, the Emily Rosenfeld Miriam’s Cup and the Gary Rosenthal Elijah’s Cup with water and wine. Are you a guest at a special Passover Seder and want to bring a thoughtful meal for the host? There is no doubt that they will appreciate your research and efforts. Pairing it with a lovely bottle of wine and maybe a handmade Jewish wine bottle stopper will make it extra special.

Happy Passover and Bon Appetit!