There are only a few good reasons to buy matzah besides using it for spackling, drywall substitute or sacramental purposes. Matzah (also spelled matzo, matza, matzoh) is the "official" food of Passover, representing the unleavened bread eaten by the Jewish people when they were fleeing slavery in Egypt. During the Exodus journey, there was no time to wait for the bread to rise. Matzah is basically flour and water, which is why I refer to it as the cousin of paper mache'.
Matzah has very little flavor, but when you add things to it, magic happens. Here are a few examples:
- Matzah brei (a matzah frittata, usually eaten with jam or powdered sugar)
- Matzah farfel kugel (a sweet custardy casserole)
- Matzah stuffing (for chicken or turkey)
- Matzah ball soup (self explanatory)
This is a photo of homemade matzah brittle with various kinds of toppings (rainbow sprinkles in the front, chopped pecans in the back), soon to be wrapped in wax paper, and packaged for tomorrow night's seder. A layer of toffee, a layer of chocolate (milk, semisweet, or dark), and finally, a layer of topping. Right now the kitchen looks like the laboratory of a mad scientist!
While on the subject of spring holidays, I have some Easter questions:
I am curious about the origin of the Easter Bunny.
What does the Easter Bunny have to do with the resurrection of Jesus?
What gender is the Easter Bunny, and why do people eat candy on Easter?
And when did people start decorating their lawns for Easter?