Thanks, Barbara! They can be many different ways! My cousin adds chopped almonds to them, as did her mother, so they're a little crunchy--and delicious!
Happy Passover, Ruth! Your matzo balls look delicious, and I love how you experiment with recipes to get just the right combination. Are you going to make two soups--one with each kind of ball--or mix the balls together?
Hi Clarice! I thought I answered this, but perhaps I didn't--or made a reply in Notes. In any case, I did make two pots of soup with the matzo balls added separately and was surprised that there wasn't that much difference. Both were pretty light, perhaps because I folded in the egg whites in the first batch! As some people have expressed a yen for the heavy kind, I will have to continue experimenting--though perhaps after a few weeks as we are getting a bit tired of eating matzo balls!
Thanks for the update, Ruth! It's interesting that there isn't really much difference in the texture or flavor. I hope you and your family have a lovely Passover.
Light matzo balls, please. although I wouldn't turn down the heavy ones either. Anything with schmaltz is delicious. Loved the smell of the gribenes and onions frying. Mostly because I knew chopped liver would be coming soon. About the Seinfeld episode; it's also the one where Kramer accuses Jerry of being an "anti-dentite". As always I enjoy reading your newsletter. Happy Passover to you and the family!
Thanks, Leslie, and Happy Passover! My mother made chopped liver, but I don’t remember gribenes. I know she must have used schmaltz. It does make a tastier and some say a lighter matzo ball. I believe it’s a requirement for chicken liver. That might be my next Jewish food experiment!
I remember that Seinfeld episode! You are so ambitious, Ruth. I love hearing about your traditions in the kitchen. I have not had matzo ball soup since I lived on the Lower East Side.
I like my matzoh balls heavy as lead. That's how my grandma made them! My mother in law would send me home the heavy balls that were her mistakes. I loved those too. Happy Paseach Grahams!
Truth in jest...I'm not one to point fingers- I make my lokshen kugel just like Nana Dotty in the 70's...only Kellog's Cornflakes for a "crust" will do
The cornflake question is another point of contention worthy of a future post. Some folks insist on a cornflake topping for a.lokshen kugel while others can’t stand it. More on that sometime when a seder isn’t on the immediate agenda!
“Heavy as lead”—I love it! I suspect the ones I grew up on were probably more like that—including ground almonds and not a shtickel of baking powder! Wishing you and Tom a very Happy Passover!
I have another twist. If you roll them tightly in your hands, they will be denser, and smaller. If you lightly make them they tend to be lighter. So many different ways to make a simple kneidle.
Hmmmm, you’re undoubtedly right, Loren. Thanks so much for another good idea. If I didn’t have to make so many other dishes, I could have tested matzo balls all day! Unfortunately, by the end of it, I would probably look like one! Chag Pesach sameach to you and yours too!
Thanks, Ruth! I enjoyed reading about your matzo ball experiments. My mother made the light kind that floated for just about every Shabbat and holidays and always used baking powder, except on Passover. I don't think anyone noticed a difference. They were always delicious. I like making them but time to time and they are yummy but Yakir says mine aren't as good as my mothers' were. He's right!
Happy Passover! I look forward to hearing about your menu!
Sometimes I think the recipes we remember—or our husbands or brothers or cousins remember—will always outshine our own creations, no matter how much we experiment or how skilled a cook we are. I bet your matzo balls are amazing and every bit as good as your mother’s, Faye, but the ones of blessed memory will win every time!
Thanks so much for the comment. Wishing you and Yakir a very happy and delicious Passover!🤗
Thank you so much, Ruth. You may be right. That also seems to be true of memories of food in a different country, like Persians who always insist that the sangak bread they remember from home is much better than the kind available here, which we find amazingly delicious!
And thanks for the good wishes! Yakir and I wish you and your family a very happy and delicious Passover!
Thanks so much, Faye! Our seder was fun--and mostly orderly! I hope yours was too. Most everything came out, thought there are dishes I wouldn't make next year, and others I would rethink. But that happens every time.
As for the comparison of food here compared to elsewhere, your comment is so true. Perhaps some of it has to do with it being almost impossible to compete with a memory, and also that it's sometimes difficult to duplicate a dish from "the old country" with ingredients found here.
My good friend made them chewy. I loved them and didn't know they're supposed to be light and fluffy!
Thanks, Barbara! They can be many different ways! My cousin adds chopped almonds to them, as did her mother, so they're a little crunchy--and delicious!
Happy Passover, Ruth! Your matzo balls look delicious, and I love how you experiment with recipes to get just the right combination. Are you going to make two soups--one with each kind of ball--or mix the balls together?
Hi Clarice! I thought I answered this, but perhaps I didn't--or made a reply in Notes. In any case, I did make two pots of soup with the matzo balls added separately and was surprised that there wasn't that much difference. Both were pretty light, perhaps because I folded in the egg whites in the first batch! As some people have expressed a yen for the heavy kind, I will have to continue experimenting--though perhaps after a few weeks as we are getting a bit tired of eating matzo balls!
Thanks for the update, Ruth! It's interesting that there isn't really much difference in the texture or flavor. I hope you and your family have a lovely Passover.
my nose might be up in the air…but only floaters here
Wow this looks delicious, Ruth! Happy Passover! xx
I guess we’ll know soon how delicious they are. Fingers crossed. Thanks as always for the comment and the restack!🤗
Light matzo balls, please. although I wouldn't turn down the heavy ones either. Anything with schmaltz is delicious. Loved the smell of the gribenes and onions frying. Mostly because I knew chopped liver would be coming soon. About the Seinfeld episode; it's also the one where Kramer accuses Jerry of being an "anti-dentite". As always I enjoy reading your newsletter. Happy Passover to you and the family!
Thanks, Leslie, and Happy Passover! My mother made chopped liver, but I don’t remember gribenes. I know she must have used schmaltz. It does make a tastier and some say a lighter matzo ball. I believe it’s a requirement for chicken liver. That might be my next Jewish food experiment!
I remember that Seinfeld episode! You are so ambitious, Ruth. I love hearing about your traditions in the kitchen. I have not had matzo ball soup since I lived on the Lower East Side.
I like my matzoh balls heavy as lead. That's how my grandma made them! My mother in law would send me home the heavy balls that were her mistakes. I loved those too. Happy Paseach Grahams!
that might be “generational trauma”
Hmmm, that’s interesting—food as a vehicle for passing on generational trauma. I do think that’s a thing. Thanks, Ellen!
Truth in jest...I'm not one to point fingers- I make my lokshen kugel just like Nana Dotty in the 70's...only Kellog's Cornflakes for a "crust" will do
The cornflake question is another point of contention worthy of a future post. Some folks insist on a cornflake topping for a.lokshen kugel while others can’t stand it. More on that sometime when a seder isn’t on the immediate agenda!
“Heavy as lead”—I love it! I suspect the ones I grew up on were probably more like that—including ground almonds and not a shtickel of baking powder! Wishing you and Tom a very Happy Passover!
Looks yummy!
Thanks, Emika!
I have another twist. If you roll them tightly in your hands, they will be denser, and smaller. If you lightly make them they tend to be lighter. So many different ways to make a simple kneidle.
Chag Pesach sameach!
Hmmmm, you’re undoubtedly right, Loren. Thanks so much for another good idea. If I didn’t have to make so many other dishes, I could have tested matzo balls all day! Unfortunately, by the end of it, I would probably look like one! Chag Pesach sameach to you and yours too!
Thanks, Ruth! I enjoyed reading about your matzo ball experiments. My mother made the light kind that floated for just about every Shabbat and holidays and always used baking powder, except on Passover. I don't think anyone noticed a difference. They were always delicious. I like making them but time to time and they are yummy but Yakir says mine aren't as good as my mothers' were. He's right!
Happy Passover! I look forward to hearing about your menu!
Sometimes I think the recipes we remember—or our husbands or brothers or cousins remember—will always outshine our own creations, no matter how much we experiment or how skilled a cook we are. I bet your matzo balls are amazing and every bit as good as your mother’s, Faye, but the ones of blessed memory will win every time!
Thanks so much for the comment. Wishing you and Yakir a very happy and delicious Passover!🤗
Thank you so much, Ruth. You may be right. That also seems to be true of memories of food in a different country, like Persians who always insist that the sangak bread they remember from home is much better than the kind available here, which we find amazingly delicious!
And thanks for the good wishes! Yakir and I wish you and your family a very happy and delicious Passover!
Thanks so much, Faye! Our seder was fun--and mostly orderly! I hope yours was too. Most everything came out, thought there are dishes I wouldn't make next year, and others I would rethink. But that happens every time.
As for the comparison of food here compared to elsewhere, your comment is so true. Perhaps some of it has to do with it being almost impossible to compete with a memory, and also that it's sometimes difficult to duplicate a dish from "the old country" with ingredients found here.
So true.
You've been busy. I'm sure everything will be delicious.
Thanks, Judy. We’ll miss you.